Ayrton Oneill
Badminton is a racket sport played with a shuttlecock, which is volleyed across a net. The sport is similar to tennis, but with a cone-shaped shuttlecock made of feathers attached to a rubber or cork base. The sport was first played in the Olympics as a demonstration sport in 1972 in Munich, and it was officially included in the Olympic programme in 1992 in Barcelona. Badminton's popularity has grown since its Olympic debut, with a strong following in Asian countries, particularly China, which has dominated the sport. The sport is governed by the Badminton World Federation (BWF), which was formed in 1934 and classifies its tournaments into four grades. The Olympic Games are considered Grade 1 tournaments, which attract top-ranking players from around the world.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Introduction as an Olympic Sport | 1992 Barcelona Olympics |
| First Introduced as a Demonstration Sport | 1972 Munich Olympics |
| Number of Players | 172 |
| Number of Singles Players | 38 |
| Number of Doubles Players | 32 (16 pairs) |
| Number of Events | 5 (men's and women's singles and doubles, mixed doubles) |
| Court Dimension (Singles) | 44 ft (length) x 17 ft (width) |
| Court Dimension (Doubles) | 44 ft (length) x 20 ft (width) |
| Game Format | Best of three games |
| Game Points to Win | 21 points |
| Point Difference to Win | 2 points |
| Points to Win if 2-point Advantage Not Reached | 30 points |
| Top Performing Countries | China, Indonesia, Denmark, India, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea |
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What You'll Learn
Badminton's Olympic history
Badminton is a racket sport played with a net dividing the court in half. Unlike tennis, badminton requires a continuous volley using a shuttlecock, with points being awarded when a player's shot lands on the opponent's side.
The sport's Olympic history began in the mid-1960s, when efforts were made to include badminton on the Olympic programme. In 1972, badminton made its debut as a demonstration sport at the Munich Olympics. Over 3000 spectators watched the action, which took place on two courts in a volleyball hall. Indonesia's Rudy Hartono and Japan's Noriko Nakayama won the singles titles, while Ade Chandra/Christian Hadinata (Indonesia) and Derek Talbot/Gillian Gilks (England) won the Mixed Doubles.
Progress towards Olympic inclusion stalled after this, due to a sensitive political issue. However, in 1985, badminton was unanimously included on the Olympic programme for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. It was also played as an exhibition sport at the Seoul Olympic Games in 1988.
Badminton has been an official Olympic sport since the 1992 Games in Barcelona, with men's and women's singles and doubles events. The mixed doubles event made its debut in 1996 at the Atlanta Olympic Games, making badminton one of the few Olympic sports in which men and women share the field of play. Since then, the number of events has remained unchanged.
Badminton at the Olympics has been dominated by Asian countries, particularly China. At the 2020 Tokyo Games, China took gold medals in the women's singles and mixed doubles events, while Denmark's Viktor Axelsen won the men's singles gold medal.
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Rules and gameplay
Badminton is a racket sport played between two opposing players (singles) or two pairs (doubles). The players use a shuttlecock during a rally and aim to land it on their opponent's side of the court or force them to make an error. The court is rectangular and measures 44 feet (13.4 meters) in length and 17 feet (5.2 meters) in width for singles matches, and 20 feet (6.1 meters) in width for doubles matches.
A match is played in a best-of-three games format, with each game played to 21 points. To win a game, a player or team must achieve a 2-point advantage. If neither side gains a 2-point advantage, the first player or team to score 30 points wins the game.
Olympic badminton consists of a group stage and single-elimination. For singles, around 40 competitors are selected, and for doubles, 16 pairs are selected. Each National Olympic Committee can send a maximum of two players or pairs if they are ranked within the top 16 in singles or top 8 in doubles. The total number of players allocated to badminton cannot exceed 172.
Badminton debuted as a demonstration sport at the 1972 Munich Olympics, and it officially became an Olympic sport at the 1992 Barcelona Games, with men's and women's singles and doubles events. Mixed doubles, featuring teams made up of one man and one woman, were introduced at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.
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Popularity and viewership
Badminton is a popular sport worldwide, especially in China, Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia, Japan, England, Denmark, and India. The sport has a strong following in these countries, with legendary players such as George Thomas, Rudy Hartono, and Susi Susanti, who have made significant contributions to the sport and gained a lot of popularity for badminton in their respective countries.
The International Badminton Federation (IBF), now known as the Badminton World Federation (BWF), was formed in 1934 as the sport's governing body, and its first world championships were held in 1977. The inclusion of badminton in the Olympic programme was first considered in the mid-1960s, and it finally became a reality in 1972 when badminton made its debut as a demonstration sport at the Munich Olympics. Over 3000 spectators watched the action on the single day it was played, showcasing the popularity and interest in the sport.
Badminton officially became an Olympic sport in 1992 at the Barcelona Olympics, with men's and women's singles and doubles events. The mixed doubles event was introduced at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, making badminton one of the few Olympic sports where men and women share the field of play. Since then, the number of events has remained unchanged, and badminton's impact at the Olympics has only grown stronger.
The sport has consistently broken viewership records over the years, with the introduction of group competitions followed by knock-out stages, resulting in more match play and a significant increase in television production hours. The Tokyo 2020 Olympics, which was postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, saw high-ranking players such as Viktor Axelsen of Denmark and Chen Yufei of China emerge as singles champions, further increasing the popularity of the sport in their respective countries.
Badminton is set to be included in the upcoming LA 2028 Summer Olympics, and Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, with a total of 172 players expected to participate across singles and doubles events. The sport's popularity and viewership are expected to continue growing, with more countries investing in their badminton programs and producing talented players.
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Notable players
Several notable badminton players have left their mark on the Olympics. The first player to win an Olympic badminton medal was Susi Susanti from Indonesia, who won gold in the women's singles final at the 1992 Summer Olympics. This was also Indonesia's first-ever Olympic gold medal. Susanti is married to Alan Budikusuma, who won gold in the men's singles at the same Olympics, ensuring Indonesia took away both singles gold medals.
Other notable mentions include Mia Audina, who won two silvers in 1996 and 2004, becoming the only badminton player to win medals for two different countries, having represented Indonesia and the Netherlands. China's Gao Ling is the all-time leader for the most Olympic medals in badminton, with two golds, one silver, and one bronze. Fu Haifeng, Gil Young-ah, Zhang Nan, Zhao Yunlei, Viktor Axelsen, and Kim Dong-moon are also among the top badminton players with three medals each.
P.V. Sindhu, an Indian badminton player, competed at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Other Indian badminton players who have competed at the Olympics include Pullela Gopichand, Saina Nehwal, and Prakash Padukone.
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Qualification and selection
The qualification period for the Olympics typically begins several months before the Games and can be a gruelling process for athletes. For Paris 2024, the qualification period commenced on May 1, 2023, and concluded on April 28, 2024, with the final eligibility list published on April 30, 2024.
There are a total of 172 quota places available for badminton at the Olympics, with 86 spots for men and 86 for women. This is distributed across singles and doubles events, with around 40 competitors selected for singles and 16 pairs for each doubles category (men's, women's, and mixed). The Continental Representation Place system guarantees that each of the five continental confederations will have at least one entry in the doubles and two in the singles. If this is not satisfied, the highest-ranked player or pair from that continent will qualify.
The host nation reserves one spot in each of the men's and women's singles events for their highest-ranked players. If a host nation athlete qualifies directly, their slot is reallocated to the next highest-ranked eligible player. Additionally, one spot per gender is reserved for 'Universality places', which are given to encourage representation from smaller countries that may have struggled to secure a spot through the standard process.
While the general method of selection is based on rankings, each country has its own policies for selecting athletes. This means that even if a player or pair is ranked higher, they might not be selected to represent their country at the Olympics. The Olympic qualification process can vary each cycle in terms of the rankings needed, and it is a complicated and challenging endeavour for athletes.
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Frequently asked questions
Badminton was first introduced as a demonstration sport at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich. It officially became an Olympic sport in 1992 at the Barcelona Games, with men’s and women’s singles and doubles events.
The total number of players allocated to badminton cannot exceed 172. For singles, around 40 competitors are selected, and for doubles, 16 pairs are selected.
Badminton has been dominated by Asian countries, particularly China. Among the 10 players to win multiple gold medals, nine are from China. Indonesia is the second most successful country in badminton at the Olympics. Other countries that have produced notable badminton players include Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, Denmark, and India.
