BADMINTON.docx - I HISTORY Badminton court or lawn game...

I. HISTORY
Badminton, court or lawn game played with lightweight rackets and a shuttlecock. Historically,
the shuttlecock (also known as a “bird” or “birdie”) was a small cork hemisphere with 16 goose
feathers attached and weighing about 0.17 ounce (5 grams). These types of shuttles may still be
used in modern play, but shuttles made from synthetic materials are also allowed by the
Badminton World Federation. The game is named for Badminton, the country estate of the dukes
of Beaufort in Gloucestershire, England, where it was first played about 1873. The roots of the
sport can be traced to ancient Greece, China, and India, and it is closely related to the
old children’s game battledore and shuttlecock. Badminton is derived directly from poona, which
was played by British army officers stationed in India in the 1860s. The first unofficial all-
England badminton championships for men were held in 1899, and the first
badminton tournament for women was arranged the next year.
The Badminton World Federation (BWF; originally the International Badminton Federation), the
world governing body of the sport, was formed in 1934. Badminton is also popular in Malaysia,
Indonesia, Japan, and Denmark. The BWF’s first world championships were held in 1977. A
number of regional, national, and zonal badminton tournaments are held in several countries. The
best-known of these is the All-England Championships. Other well-known international
tournaments include the Thomas Cup (donated 1939) for men’s team competition and the Uber
Cup (donated 1956) for women’s team competition.
Badminton first appeared in the Olympic Games as a demonstration sport in 1972 and as an
exhibition sport in 1988. At the 1992 Games it became a full-medal Olympic sport, with
competition for men’s and women’s singles (one against one) and doubles (two against two).
Mixed doubles was introduced at the 1996 Games.
Competitive badminton is usually played indoors because even light winds affect the course of
the shuttlecock. (Recreational badminton, on the other hand, is a popular outdoor summertime
activity.) The rectangular court is 44 feet (13.4 metres) long and 17 feet (5.2 metres) wide for
singles, 20 feet (6.1 metres) wide for doubles. A net 5 feet (1.5 metres) high stretches across the
width of the court at its centre. A clear space of 4 feet (1.3 metres) around the court is needed.
Play consists entirely of volleying—hitting the shuttlecock back and forth across the net without
letting it touch the floor or ground within the boundaries of the court.
II. EQUIPMENTS AND FACILITIES
Racket
The badminton racket is one of the most important tools a player has in the game. Badminton
rackets are much lighter than most other sports rackets because they are made from materials
such as carbon fiber or lighter metals such as aluminum. Parts of the racket include the head,
throat, shaft and handle with a maximum length of 27.77 inches and a width of 9 inches. It

Strings that are stretched across the opening of the racket in a checkerboard pattern, which acts
as the hitting surface. Badminton rackets can vary widely in cost depending on whether they are