General

Badminton is a sport that can be played by men and women of all skill levels and all ages. But to compete at the highest levels successfully, athletes must develop special skills such as technique, stamina, strength, and flexibility.

The sport has spread around the world and is especially popular in Asia where spectators can exceed 15,000 in important contests.

During the ATHENS 2004 Olympic Games, Badminton competition attracted a lot of attention. Countries with long tradition in the sport sent their best athletes, after a twelve-month selection process.

Description

Badminton is played between two or four athletes. Unique to this Olympic sport is the mixed doubles event, in which a man and a woman athlete compete on the same pair.

To score a point, Badminton players have to hit the shuttlecock with their rackets so that it lands on the opponent’s court – then a point is scored. The winner is the athlete or pair to win two games of 15 points each. In women’s singles, games end at 11 points.

The following digital presentation from official Athens 2004 website explains what badminton is. You must have shockwave installed for the presentation to work.

ATHENS 2004 PRESENTATION

Equipment

Uniform:

Badminton athletes wear short pants and short sleeve shirts. According to older regulations, clothing had to be 75% white. This regulation is no longer valid; any combination of colours is permissible.

Shoes are usually short and flat but there are no official standards or specifications.

Shuttlecock :

Shuttlecock is made of a semispherical piece of cork coated with leather. On it are attached 16 actual goose feathers forming a cone. A shuttlecock must weigh 4.74 – 5.50 gr.

Racket :

The first Badminton rackets were made of wood. Today more technologically advanced material (aluminum, graphite, titanium) is used. The racket’s stringed area is made of synthetic threads. A racket has the following parts: grip, head, shaft and stringed area. It weighs 85 – 100 gr. Its length and width must not exceed 68 cm and 23 cm respectively.

Types of Matches