Amanda Knapp
Badminton has been an Olympic sport since the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, with singles and doubles events for both men and women. The number of players competing in badminton at the Olympics varies, as each country has its own policies and criteria for selection. For singles events, only one player per country is allowed, unless the country has two or more players ranked between 1-16, in which case they can send two players. For doubles events, each country can send a maximum of two pairs if they are ranked in the top 8. The Olympic qualification period is a 12-month period where athletes play as many competitions as possible to maximise their ranking and increase their chances of qualifying. An Olympic gold medal is considered the highest achievement in badminton, and the sport has featured in eight Olympic Games so far, with 106 medals awarded to 130 medallists from 11 countries.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of players | 2 for singles, 4 for doubles |
| Number of events | 5 |
| Number of medals | 15 |
| Number of quota places | 172 |
| Number of players per quota place | 86 |
| Number of players per quota place (women) | 86 |
| Number of players per quota place (men) | 86 |
| Number of players from the same NOC | 8 |
| Number of competitors for singles | 38 |
| Number of competitors for doubles | 16 pairs |
| Number of players for doubles (men's event) | 16 pairs |
| Number of players for doubles (women's event) | 16 pairs |
| Number of players for doubles (mixed event) | 16 pairs |
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What You'll Learn
Qualification criteria for singles and doubles
Qualification for the Olympic Games in badminton is a rigorous process, with a maximum of eight men and eight women qualifying per National Olympic Committee (NOC). This means that each country can send a maximum of two athletes per category, provided they meet the qualification criteria. The qualification criteria for singles and doubles events in badminton for the Olympic Games are as follows:
Singles
For singles events, there is only one spot available per country or NOC. However, if a country has two or more players ranked between 1-16, they are allowed to send two athletes. To ensure a spot in the singles events, athletes must be among the top 35 in the rankings. The rankings are based on a special set of rankings created to tabulate the points collected by players in the qualification window, which is a 12-month period. For the Paris 2024 Olympics, the qualification period was from May 1, 2023, to April 28, 2024, with the official ranking list finalized on April 30, 2024.
Doubles
The criteria for doubles events are similar to singles. Each country or NOC is allowed two spots if they have two or more pairs ranked in the top 8. A maximum of 16 pairs are allowed to compete in the men's, women's, and mixed doubles categories. Similar to singles, the rankings for doubles are based on the points collected by pairs during the qualification window.
It is important to note that countries have their own policies regarding player selection, and associations have the power to choose who represents them, regardless of ranking. This means that even if a player or pair qualifies based on merit, they might not be selected to compete in the Olympic Games.
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How many athletes can each country send?
The number of athletes that can participate in the Olympic Games from each country varies and is dependent on several factors. Each country is allowed to send a maximum of two athletes in singles events and two pairs in doubles events. However, in some cases, countries may be limited to sending fewer players if they do not meet certain criteria. For example, in the Tokyo Olympics, India could only send four players as no other players and pairs could make a top 16 and top 8 finish in the Race to Tokyo rankings.
Each National Olympic Committee (NOC) is eligible to field a maximum of eight players (four males and four females) across five events: men's and women's singles and men's, women's, and mixed doubles. This means that each country can send a maximum of four male athletes and four female athletes to compete in badminton at the Olympic Games.
The host nation reserves one spot in each of the men's and women's singles events. If one or more players from the host nation qualify directly, their slots are reallocated to the next highest-ranked eligible player. Additionally, one quota place per gender is reserved for the host country and two for 'Universality places'. Universality places are given to encourage wider representation for athletes from smaller countries that may have struggled to secure their spot through the standard qualification process.
The number of athletes that each country can send to the Olympic Games in badminton is determined by the rankings of their players. For the singles events, there must be at least two athletes from each of the five BWF Continental Confederations, provided the players are ranked between 1-250. For the doubles events, there must be at least one pair from each of the five BWF Continental Confederations, and the pairs must be ranked in the top 50.
The Olympic qualification process can be grueling and complicated, with associations having the power to choose who goes, regardless of ranking. This has led to some controversial decisions, such as the Dutch Olympic Association rejecting Mark Caljouw's entry despite him qualifying, as he did not meet their internal performance criteria.
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Badminton's most successful Olympians
Badminton has been an Olympic sport since the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, although it did feature as a demonstration sport as early as 1972. Since its official debut, it has featured in seven Olympic Games, with 106 medals awarded to 130 medallists from 11 countries.
Gao Ling is the most successful badminton player in Olympic history, with four medals. She won two golds, a silver, and a bronze medal representing China. Her first Olympic outing resulted in a gold medal in mixed doubles with partner Zhang Jun, and they followed this up with another gold four years later in Athens. She also won a bronze in women's doubles in 2000 and a silver in 2004.
Zhao Yunlei is the only shuttler to have won two gold medals at the same Olympics. She won gold in the mixed and women's doubles in London in 2012, and a bronze in mixed doubles in Rio in 2016.
Lee Chong Wei is the only player with three back-to-back Olympic silver medals, winning one in 2008, 2012, and 2016.
Kim Dong Moon is the most successful Korean player at the Olympics, with three medals. He won a gold medal in men's doubles in 2004 in Athens, a gold in mixed doubles in 1996 in Atlanta, and a bronze in 2000 in Sydney.
Mia Audina is the only badminton player to have won medals for two different countries. She won a silver medal in 1996 representing Indonesia, and another silver in 2004 with the Netherlands.
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How does Olympic qualification differ from World Championships?
The Olympics and the World Championships are two of the most prestigious badminton competitions in the world. Both events attract the world's best badminton players, but the Olympic qualification process differs from that of the World Championships in several ways.
Firstly, the Olympics are held once every four years, whereas the World Championships can be held annually or biennially. This means that Olympic qualification is typically a longer and more rigorous process, with a wider range of criteria that athletes must meet. The qualification period for the 2024 Olympics, for example, spanned almost a year, from May 1, 2023, to April 28, 2024.
Secondly, Olympic qualification places are allocated to National Olympic Committees (NOCs) rather than to athletes by name. Each NOC can enter a maximum of two players or pairs in each category (singles and doubles) if they are ranked within the top 8-16, depending on the category. Any NOCs with two or more athletes ranked between 1 and 16 in the 'Paris Ranking Lists' will be awarded two quota places. If an NOC has no athletes ranked within this range, they are entitled to send a single player or pair until the roster is complete. In contrast, qualification for the World Championships is based solely on individual player rankings, with the top-ranked players in each category earning qualification spots.
Thirdly, Olympic qualification considers the representation of each continent, ensuring that each of the five continental zones has at least one player or pair participating in the singles and doubles tournaments. This criterion is not considered in the World Championships qualification process.
Finally, the host nation of the Olympics reserves spots for its highest-ranked badminton players in the men's and women's singles events. If a host country athlete has already qualified, their slot is reallocated to the next highest-ranked eligible player. The World Championships do not have this criterion, as the host nation varies each year, and qualification is based solely on player rankings.
While both the Olympics and the World Championships are prestigious badminton events, Olympic qualification differs in that it considers NOCs rather than individual athletes, continental representation, and host nation spots. The longer qualification period and more complex criteria contribute to the high level of competition and expectation associated with the Olympics.
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Olympic badminton rules
Badminton was introduced at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and has since featured in seven Olympic Games. A total of 172 badminton players from across the globe qualify for the Olympics, with an equal number of men and women.
Rules
Badminton can be played as singles or doubles. Singles involve two players competing against each other, while in doubles, two pairs of players form teams and compete, resulting in a game of four players. All singles and doubles matches are played in a best-of-three format. The first side to reach 21 points wins a game, with a point scored on every serve, going to whichever side wins the rally. If the score reaches 20-20, the game continues until one side achieves a two-point advantage.
The server starts from the right service court and will serve from that side when they have an even number of points. When a player has an odd number of points, they serve from the left. Each player will continue to serve as long as they keep winning points. In doubles, the server will start on the right and keep serving, alternating sides with their teammate as long as they keep winning points. If the receiving side wins the point, they assume the serve.
The shuttlecock, also known as the birdie, is the unique 'ball' of badminton. It is cone-shaped and made of feathers or synthetic material attached to a cork or rubber base. The shuttlecock will always fly cork-first once struck until it is hit again. It is between 62-70mm long and weighs between 4.74 and 5.5g.
Qualification
The Olympic qualification period is 12 months, during which athletes play as many competitions as possible to maximise their ranking and increase their chances of qualifying. The official ranking list is finalised at the end of this period, determining who qualifies. However, each country has its own policies, and players who qualify based on merit may not necessarily attend the Olympic Games. For singles events, there is only one spot per country unless they have two or more players ranked between 1-16, in which case they are allowed two spots. For doubles events, two spots are allowed if they have two or more pairs ranked in the top 8. A maximum of eight athletes per gender from the same country across all events are allowed to compete.
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Frequently asked questions
Each country can have one player in the singles events. However, if a country has two or more players ranked between 1-16, they can send two players.
Each country can have one pair in the doubles events. However, if a country has two or more pairs ranked in the top 8, they can send two pairs.
A maximum of eight athletes per gender from the same country, across all badminton events, are allowed to compete at the Olympics.
For singles events, around 40 competitors are selected, and for doubles events, 16 pairs are selected, making it a total of 92 players.
Gao Ling from China is the only player to have won four medals. She won gold in mixed doubles and women's doubles at the 2000 and 2004 Olympics.
