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Badminton is one of the world's most popular sports, with a passionate fan following around the globe. It was introduced as an official event at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, although it had previously been played as a demonstration sport in 1972 and as an exhibition sport in 1988. There are five disciplines in Olympic badminton: men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles. The sport is governed by the Badminton World Federation, which uses its ranking list to determine qualification for the Olympic tournament. Matches are played in a best-of-three format, with games won at 21 points or when a player reaches a two-point advantage in the event of a tie. Points are awarded when a player's shot, using a shuttlecock or birdie, lands on the opponent's side of the court.
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What You'll Learn
Badminton's Olympic history
After a successful exhibition at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games, badminton was officially introduced to the Olympics in 1989. It finally made its debut as an official event at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, with four events: singles and doubles for both men and women. Since its debut, badminton has been contested in eight Olympiads, with 74 nations participating in Olympic badminton competitions.
The 1992 Olympics also marked the first time Indonesia won an Olympic gold medal, with Susi Susanti taking the women's singles title and Alan Budikusuma winning the men's singles. Indonesia has since become the second most successful country in badminton at the Olympics, after China.
In 1996, the mixed doubles event was introduced at the Atlanta Olympics, bringing the total number of disciplines to five. This made badminton one of the few sports in which men and women shared the field of play.
Badminton's impact at the Olympics has only grown stronger over time, with viewership consistently breaking records. The sport has helped launch the careers of several stars, both men and women, and has seen the dominance of Asian countries, particularly China and Indonesia.
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Rules and scoring
Badminton is governed by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) and made its debut as an official event at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, although it was first played as a demonstration sport in 1972. Since 1996, there has been a playoff between the two semi-final losers to determine the winner of the bronze medal. The sport has five disciplines at the Games: men's and women's singles and doubles, as well as mixed doubles.
Badminton is played with lightweight rackets and a shuttlecock, also known as a birdie. The shuttlecock is a cone-shaped projectile made using feathers or synthetic material attached to a cork or rubber base. It is struck cork-first and is between 62-70mm long, weighing between 4.74 and 5.5g.
In singles, the server starts from the right service court and will serve from that side every time they have an even number of points. A player serves from the left every time they have an odd number of points. Each player will retain serve as long as they keep winning points. In doubles, the server will start on the right-hand side and keep serving, alternating sides with their teammate, as long as they keep winning points. If the receiving side takes the point, they assume the serve.
Players must change ends under specific conditions. They should change ends at the conclusion of the first game and, if a third game is required, at the end of the second game. In the third game, the change of ends occurs when one side reaches 11 points. A point is won if the shuttlecock hits the ground in the opponent's half of the court, including the lines. A point is conceded if a shot goes outside the court boundaries, if the shuttlecock hits the net or passes through/under it, or if a player strikes it twice with their racket. Players must wait for the shuttlecock to cross the net before playing a shot, and while you can follow through over the net, touching the net with your body or racket results in a point conceded. The shuttlecock must be hit below waist height, with players serving diagonally into their opponent's service box.
A game is won when a player reaches 21 points with a two-point advantage. In the event of a 20-20 tie, the players keep playing until one gets a two-point advantage. If the score reaches 29-29, the winner of the next point wins the match.
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Equipment
The equipment used in Olympic badminton includes the court, the shuttlecock, rackets, and the players' attire.
The Court
The Olympic badminton court is 13.40m (44 feet) long for both singles and doubles matches. The width differs based on the competition format: the singles court is 5.18m (17 feet) wide, while the doubles court is wider at 6.1m (20 feet). The court is divided into two halves, each measuring 6.7m (22 feet). Each half is further divided vertically by a line down the middle, known as the service courts. The court also has two service lines: the short service line is 1.98m (6.5 feet) from the net, while the long service line is 0.72m (2.36 feet) from the baseline. The net is 1.55m (5 feet 1 inch) tall at the posts and 1.52m (5 feet) tall at the centre of the court, dipping slightly in the middle.
The Shuttlecock
The shuttlecock, also known as the birdie or shuttle, is badminton's unique "ball". It is cone-shaped and made of either feathers or synthetic material attached to a cork or rubber base. The feathers, typically 16 in number, are glued to the base, forming the cone shape. The shuttlecock's shape ensures that it always flies cork-first when struck and remains in that orientation until hit again. It ranges in length from 62mm to 70mm (2.5 inches to 2.7 inches) and weighs between 4.74 and 5.5 grams (less than a quarter of an ounce).
Rackets
Badminton rackets have evolved from their original wooden form. Modern rackets are made with composite materials such as aluminium, graphite, or titanium, resulting in a rigid yet lightweight frame. They typically weigh between 3 and 3.5 ounces. The strings on the racket are made of synthetic threads and must be flat, forming a uniform stringed area no larger than 27.9cm (11 inches) by 22.1cm (8.7 inches).
Player Attire
Badminton players typically wear shorts and short-sleeved shirts. It is mandatory in Olympic competition for players to have their names printed on the back of their shirts. Doubles partners are required to wear matching uniforms, and their uniform colour must be distinct from that of their opponents. Badminton shoes are short and flat, providing a strong grip to prevent sliding.
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Top-performing countries
China has been the dominant force in Olympic badminton, topping the medal table with 20 golds, 12 silvers, and 15 bronzes. They are the only country to achieve a shutout of medals, which they did at the 2012 Olympics. China has also been the top-performing nation in the Badminton World Championships since they began in 1977.
Indonesia is the second most successful country in Olympic badminton, with eight golds, six silvers, and seven bronze medals. They are one of only two countries, along with China, to have won gold medals in every badminton discipline. Indonesia has also been the second-best performing country in the World Badminton Championships since 1977, with 21 gold, 17 silver, and 33 bronze medals.
Denmark is the third-best performing country in the World Badminton Championships, with 10 golds, 13 silvers, and 37 bronzes. They are a constant fixture on the list of the top 10 countries since 2011.
South Korea is the fourth-best performing country in the World Badminton Championships, with 10 golds, 13 silvers, and 29 bronzes. One of the world's most successful players, Park Joo-bong, is from South Korea. He has won a total of five gold medals in his lifetime, one of only three people to achieve this.
Other countries to watch out for include Germany, France, England, and Spain, as well as Canada, the United States of America, Egypt, and Brazil.
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Notable players
Notable Badminton Players at the Olympics
Badminton debuted as an official event at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, and since then, several players have distinguished themselves with their exceptional performances. One of the earliest notable players is Indonesian Susi Susanti, who became the first player to win an Olympic badminton medal in 1992, claiming gold in the women's singles and helping Indonesia secure its first-ever Olympic gold. Her compatriot, Alan Budikusuma, also made history in the same year, winning gold in the men's singles event.
Another notable player is Mia Audina, who won two silver medals in badminton at the Olympics, first representing Indonesia in 1996 and then the Netherlands in 2004, making her the only badminton medalist to win for two different countries. Gao Ling of China is also noteworthy, being the all-time leader for the most Olympic medals in badminton, with an impressive tally of two golds, one silver, and one bronze. Fu Haifeng of China is another top-ranked male player, with two golds and one silver medal to his name.
In more recent times, players like Viktor Axelsen, Kim Dong-moon, and Lee Chong Wei have also made their mark, each securing two gold medals and one bronze. Additionally, China's Zhang Nan, Zhao Yunlei, and Chen Long have also been exceptional, with each player earning two gold medals.
China has dominated the sport at the Olympics, with the most gold medals, followed by Indonesia, showcasing the talent and success of players from these nations.
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Frequently asked questions
Badminton debuted as an official event at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. However, its journey to becoming an Olympic sport began in the mid-1960s, and it was introduced as a demonstration sport at the 1972 Munich Olympics.
172 badminton players from across the globe qualify for the Olympics, with 86 women and 86 men. For singles events, around 40 competitors are selected, and for doubles events, 16 pairs are selected.
Olympic badminton includes men's and women's singles and doubles, as well as mixed doubles.
Olympic badminton uses a best-of-three format, with each game played until one player reaches 21 points with a two-point advantage. A point is won when a player's shot lands on the opponent's side of the court, and the shuttlecock, or birdie, can only be hit once in succession by a player.
China has dominated Olympic badminton, with the most gold medals of any country. Indonesia is the second most successful, and China and Indonesia are the only countries that have won gold medals in every badminton discipline. Other successful countries include Denmark, South Korea, Malaysia, and Japan.
