Kristian Ferrell
Badminton has been a regular fixture at the Olympics since the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, with five disciplines: men's and women's singles, men's and women's doubles, and mixed doubles. The Olympic badminton tournament follows a best-of-three format, with matches played until one player or team wins two games. A game is won when a player or team reaches 21 points with a two-point advantage, and there are specific rules regarding serving, scoring, and equipment. The Badminton World Federation's ranking list is used to determine qualification for the Olympic tournament, with each National Olympic Committee (NOC) able to send a maximum of two players or pairs, provided they meet certain ranking criteria.
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What You'll Learn
Badminton Olympic rules
Badminton is an Olympic sport that debuted at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, with four events: men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, and women's doubles. Mixed doubles were added to the roster in 1996. The rules of the game are governed by the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
The game is played with a 'birdie' or shuttlecock, a cone-shaped projectile made of feathers or synthetic material attached to a cork or rubber base. The aim is to hit the shuttlecock, or 'birdie', over a net into your opponent's half of the court. A point is scored every time you serve, and you get to serve again if you win the point. In singles, the server always serves from the right service court when they have an even number of points, and from the left when the number is odd. In doubles, the server always starts on the right-hand side and keeps serving, while alternating sides with their partner, as long as they keep winning points.
Matches are played in a best-of-three format, with the first side to reach 21 points, with a two-point advantage, winning the game. If the score reaches 29-29, the winner of the next point wins the match. If the score is 20-20, play continues until one side has a two-point advantage.
Some common faults include hitting the shuttlecock above the waist on a serve, or the server or receiver touching the service line during a serve.
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Scoring system
The scoring system in badminton has undergone several changes over the years. The current scoring system, adopted in 2006, uses the 3 x 21 rally point system endorsed by the Badminton World Federation.
In this system, a match is the best of three games, with the first side to reach 21 points winning the game. If the score reaches 20-20, the game continues until one side achieves a two-point lead, with a maximum score of 30-29. This final point is often referred to as the "golden point".
During the game, players score a point on every serve, with the winning side getting the next serve. In doubles, the server and their partner swap service courts after winning a rally, and the receiver's position is determined by the server's score. If the receiving side wins the point, they assume the serve.
In Olympic badminton, there is one referee overseeing the entire tournament, with one umpire and one service judge assigned to each match. Each court also has ten line judges to make calls on the game.
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Equipment
The equipment used in Olympic badminton includes a badminton court, rackets, shuttlecocks, shoes, and uniforms.
Badminton Court
The Olympic badminton court is 13.40m (44 feet) long for both singles and doubles matches. The width, however, differs based on the competition format; the singles court is 5.18m (17 feet) wide, while the doubles court is 6.1m (20 feet) wide. 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, creating two service courts. The court has two service lines: the short service line is 1.98m (6.5 feet) from the net, and the long service line is 0.72m (2.36 feet) from the baseline. The Olympic badminton net is 1.55m (5 feet, 1 inch) tall at the posts and 1.52m (5 feet) tall at the centre of the court, with a width of at least 6.1m (20 feet).
Rackets
Badminton rackets have evolved from their early wooden versions. Modern rackets are made with composite materials like 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 pattern. The stringed area cannot exceed 27.9cm (11 inches) in length and 22.1cm (8.7 inches) in width.
Shuttlecocks
The shuttlecock, also known as the birdie or shuttle, is a crucial piece of equipment in badminton. It consists of a cork-rounded base with 16 goose feathers glued in to form a cone shape. Shuttlecocks vary in length from 6.35cm to 6.85cm (2.5 inches to 2.7 inches) and weigh less than a quarter of an ounce.
Shoes and Uniforms
Badminton athletes wear shorts and short-sleeved shirts. Their names must be printed on the back of their shirts during Olympic competition. Doubles partners are required to wear matching uniforms, distinct from their opponents' uniforms. Badminton shoes are short and flat, providing a strong grip to prevent sliding during play.
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Olympic history
Badminton was first played at the Olympics as a demonstration sport in 1972 in Munich. It was then played as an exhibition sport in 1988 in Seoul. After its successful exhibition in 1988, badminton was officially introduced to the Olympics in 1989, and debuted as an official event in 1992 in Barcelona, where four events were held: singles and doubles for both men and women. Four medals were awarded in each event, including two bronzes. Since the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, there has been a playoff between the two semi-final losers to determine the sole winner of the bronze medal. From Atlanta 1996 onwards, Mixed Doubles was introduced.
The 1992 Olympics also marked a significant milestone in Indonesia's badminton history, as it swept the women's singles and doubles tournaments. The first player to win an Olympic badminton medal was Indonesian Susi Susanti, who won the women's singles final. Indonesia's Rudy Hartono is also considered a legendary player, having won the All-England Championships eight times. Indonesia is the second most successful country in Olympic badminton after China.
China has consistently dominated Olympic badminton, showcasing its comprehensive prowess in the sport. China's sweep of all five disciplines' gold medals in the 2012 Summer Olympics is a testament to its unparalleled dominance. China has won 20 gold, 12 silver, and 15 bronze medals in Olympic badminton.
Other notable moments in Olympic badminton history include Mia Audina winning silver medals for two different countries: Indonesia in 1996 and the Netherlands in 2004. Saina Nehwal made her Olympic debut at Beijing 2008, creating waves as she made it to the women's singles quarter-finals. Nehwal later won India's first Olympic badminton medal, a bronze in the women's singles at London 2012. At the same Olympics, her now-husband Parupalli Kashyap became the first male Indian badminton player to reach the quarter-finals.
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Qualifying for the Olympics
Badminton has been an Olympic event since 1992, with 74 nations taking part in the competitions over the years. The Badminton World Federation governs the sport, and its ranking list is used to determine qualification for the Olympic tournament. The general method of selection is by ranking.
There are five disciplines in Olympic badminton: men's singles, women's singles, men's doubles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles. For singles, around 40 competitors are selected, and for doubles, 16 pairs are selected. Each National Olympic Committee (NOC) can enter a maximum of two players/pairs if both players/pairs are within the top 16 on the singles rankings or top 8 on the doubles rankings. If they are not ranked highly enough, they can send a single player/pair. Additional rules ensure that each category must feature a badminton player representing each of the five continental zones (Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania).
The host nation of the Olympics reserves a spot for its highest-ranked badminton player in the men's and women's singles. In addition, four places (two per gender) are given to eligible NOCs interested in having badminton players compete under the Universality principle. The remaining badminton players undergo a direct qualifying process to secure a spot in their respective categories through the "Race to Paris" ranking list.
The Olympic badminton tournament uses a best-of-three format for both individual and team competitions. A game is won when a player or team reaches 21 points with a two-point advantage. If the game reaches a 20-20 tie, the players continue until one side achieves a two-point lead. If the game goes to 29-29, the next point decides the winner. One loss in the tournament format will result in elimination, except in the semifinals, where the two losers advance to the bronze-medal final.
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Frequently asked questions
172 badminton players from across the globe qualify for the Olympics, with an equal split of 86 men and 86 women.
The Badminton World Federation's ranking list is used to determine qualification for the Olympic tournament. For singles, around 38-40 competitors are selected. For doubles, 16 pairs are selected. The general method of selection is by ranking. Each National Olympic Committee (NOC) can send a maximum of two players/pairs if both players/pairs are within the top 16 on the singles rankings or top 8 on the doubles rankings.
Both individual and team competition matches use a best-of-three format, with a player or team needing to win two games to win the match. A game is won when a player reaches 21 points with a two-point advantage. If the score reaches 20-20, players continue playing until one player gains a two-point advantage. If the score reaches 29-29, the winner of the next point wins the match. A point is won when an opponent fails to return the shuttlecock, also known as a birdie, over the net or hits it out of the designated court area. Players must change ends after the first and, if necessary, second games. If a third game is required, players change ends when one side reaches 11 points.
