The 48-year-old, who has 10 years' experience at board and chief executive level in sport, will take up his new post in February.

He replaces Ged Roddy, who has taken over as director of youth for the Barclays Premier League.

As a professional badminton player, Baddeley won numerous Commonwealth, European and national titles in a career than spanned between 1982 and 1990, during which he earned 143 caps.

He became Britain's team manager for badminton's first appearance as a full Olympic sport, in Barcelona in 1992, before taking up similar coaching roles in Scotland and Switzerland.

In 1996, he became performance director for the Badminton Association of England before moving to the role of chief executive two years later.

He took up the role of director of national sport for Sport England in 2004 and temporarily filled the role of chief executive after Roger Draper quit to join the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA).

Baddeley said: "The University of Bath has an outstanding sports development system underpinned by world-class facilities.

"It is an immense privilege to be taking on this exciting role, especially during the run up to 2012.

"The challenge is to build on what is already a great set-up by taking it one step further."

Professor Kevin Edge, the university's deputy vice-chancellor, said: "We are delighted to have appointed someone who has been a successful professional sportsman and coach, as well as a director and chief executive with Sport England.

"Stephen’s passion for sport will help to harness the energy and dynamism within the Department of Sports Development and Recreation to ensure our students and other University-based athletes continue to deliver outstanding results in the sporting arena and beyond.

"He will also lead the department’s efforts to continue providing first-class recreational facilities for all our students and staff, and the local community."

The University’s sporting success, under its TeamBath brand, has been based on the expertise and dedication of staff and its world class facilities which are used by students, staff, the community and Olympic medal winners alike.

Together this has created a truly inspirational environment in which students can fulfil their sporting potential alongside some of the nation’s sporting elite.

Bath has already been chosen as the venue to host the ParalympicsGB team’s preparations in the run up to London 2012, and discussions are still ongoing about hosting an Olympic team, including with Malaysia.

A number of sports have their national or other high performance bases at the University including modern pentathlon, bob skeleton, badminton, beach volleyball and judo as well as the University being one of only five Intensive Training Centres for British swimming.

Baddeley said: "I look forward to working with colleagues and stakeholders to maintain the University as one of the most important sporting hubs in the UK.

"I can’t wait to get started."