# Poul-Erik Høyer Larsen

Poul-Erik Høyer Larsen is the current president of the Badminton World Federation and a retired Danish badminton player who won major international singles titles in the 1990s, and ranks among Denmark's badminton greats. In 2014, Høyer became a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), he has been a board member of the Danish Olympic Committee since 2005.

## Badminton career

Høyer Larsen competed in three Summer Olympics. In Barcelona 1992, he was defeated in quarterfinals by Ardy Wiranata. In Atlanta 1996, he won the gold medal in the men's singles after beating Dong Jiong in the final. In 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, he lost in the opening round.
He also won two All-England Open Badminton Championships in 1995 and 1996, and the European Badminton Championships in 1992, 1994 and 1996.
Høyer became president of Badminton Europe in 2010. In February 2007, he was nominated vice-president of the Danmarks Badminton Forbund. On 18 May 2013, Høyer was elected president of the Badminton World Federation. He served for another two four-year terms after winning reelection in 2017 and 2021. He is set to retire from the presidency on 26 April 2025.

## Achievements
### Olympic Games

Men's singles
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1996 | Georgia State University Gymnasium, Atlanta, United States | Dong Jiong | 15–12, 15–10 | Gold |

### World Championships

Men's singles
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1995 | Malley Sports Centre, Lausanne, Switzerland | Hariyanto Arbi | 10–15, 7–15 | Bronze |
| 1997 | Scotstoun Centre, Glasgow, Scotland | Sun Jun | 7–15, 17–14, 9–15 | Bronze |
| 1999 | Brøndby Arena, Copenhagen, Denmark | Sun Jun | 4–15, 6–15 | Bronze |

### World Cup

Men's singles
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1989 | Guangzhou Gymnasium, Guangzhou, China | Foo Kok Keong | 7–15, 17–18 | Bronze |

### European Championships

Men's singles
| Year | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1990 | Moscow, Soviet Union | Steve Baddeley | 10–15, 15–0, 11–15 | Bronze |
| 1992 | Glasgow, Scotland | Thomas Stuer-Lauridsen | 15–10, 15–10 | Gold |
| 1994 | Den Bosch, Netherlands | Tomas Johansson | 15–9, 15–5 | Gold |
| 1996 | Herning, Denmark | Peter Rasmussen | 15–5, 15–11 | Gold |
| 1998 | Sofia, Bulgaria | Kenneth Jonassen | 6–15, 6–15 | Bronze |
| 2000 | Kelvin Hall International Sports Arena, Glasgow, Scotland | Peter Gade | 5–15, 11–15 | Silver |

### IBF World Grand Prix (19 titles, 16 runners-up)

The World Badminton Grand Prix sanctioned by International Badminton Federation (IBF) from 1983 to 2006.
Men's singles
| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result |
| 1986 | Carlton Inter-sport Cup | Sze Yu | 2–15, 17–14, 15–11 | Winner |
| 1986 | Scottish Open | Steve Baddeley | 4–15, 11–15 | Runner-up |
| 1987 | Dutch Open | Darren Hall | 15–4, 15–1 | Winner |
| 1988 | Denmark Open | Zhang Qingwu | 15–9, 18–16 | Winner |
| 1989 | Poona Open | Michael Kjeldsen | 15–10, 15–8 | Winner |
| 1989 | French Open | Xiong Guobao | 7–15, 3–15 | Runner-up |
| 1990 | Japan Open | Morten Frost | 9–15, 4–15 | Runner-up |
| 1990 | Swedish Open | Liu Jun | 8–15, 11–15 | Runner-up |
| 1990 | Dutch Open | Hermawan Susanto | 10–15, 6–15 | Runner-up |
| 1990 | Denmark Open | Morten Frost | 4–15, 15–10, 17–15 | Winner |
| 1991 | Dutch Open | Hermawan Susanto | 18–17, 6–15, 15–10 | Winner |
| 1991 | German Open | Hermawan Susanto | 15–8, 15–8 | Winner |
| 1991 | Denmark Open | Hermawan Susanto | 15–8, 12–15, 8–15 | Runner-up |
| 1992 | Denmark Open | Darren Hall | 11–15, 13–18 | Runner-up |
| 1993 | Dutch Open | Alan Budi Kusuma | 11–15, 15–5, 15–11 | Winner |
| 1993 | Denmark Open | Jens Olsson | 15–11, 15–2 | Winner |
| 1994 | Swiss Open | Thomas Stuer-Lauridsen | 18–17, 16–17, 3–15 | Runner-up |
| 1994 | Dutch Open | Peter Rasmussen | 15–7, 15–7 | Winner |
| 1994 | German Open | Jens Olsson | 15–3, 15–9 | Winner |
| 1994 | Denmark Open | Alan Budi Kusuma | 17–18, 15–4, 15–10 | Winner |
| 1995 | All England Open | Hariyanto Arbi | 17–16, 15–6 | Winner |
| 1995 | Russian Open | Hendrawan | 14–17, 11–15 | Runner-up |
| 1995 | Denmark Open | Hendrawan | 17–18, 17–14, 17–15 | Winner |
| 1995 | German Open | Joko Suprianto | 14–17, 11–15 | Runner-up |
| 1995 | China Open | Dong Jiong | 8–15, 9–15 | Runner-up |
| 1996 | Swiss Open | Thomas Johansson | 15–9, 16–17, 15–10 | Winner |
| 1996 | All England Open | Rashid Sidek | 15–7, 15–6 | Winner |
| 1996 | U.S. Open | Joko Suprianto | 13–15, 13–15 | Runner-up |
| 1996 | Dutch Open | Sun Jun | 1–15, 1–15 | Runner-up |
| 1997 | Chinese Taipei Open | Peter Gade | 10–15, 15–18 | Runner-up |
| 1997 | Swiss Open | Dong Jiong | 15–17, 11–15 | Runner-up |
| 1997 | Russian Open | Kenneth Jonassen | 15–2, 15–2 | Winner |
| 1997 | U.S. Open | Peter Gade | 15–6, 7–15, 15–2 | Winner |
| 1997 | German Open | Peter Gade | 15–12, 12–15, 12–15 | Runner-up |
| 1999 | Denmark Open | Wong Choong Hann | 17–15, 15–4 | Winner |

## Personal life

Høyer married his long-time girlfriend Heidi in 1993 after a six-year engagement. They have two sons, Lasse and Mikkel. In September 2020, he confirmed that he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.