When Did Badminton Enter The Olympics As An Official Sport?

Badminton gets its name from Badminton House, located in the English county of Gloucestershire, and is the seat of the Duke of Beaufort. The Duke is credited for bringing back from India a variant of the game called Poona and teaching it to his visitors in 1873. Unlike other net sports, badminton employs a shuttlecock rather than a ball. A shuttlecock is a conical open item made of goose feathers inserted in a circular cork base. This projectile moves at a faster rate than in any other racket sport.

The sport soon gained popularity, and the newly created Bath Badminton Club devised the first set of codified regulations in 1877. The Badminton Federation of England was formed 16 years later, and the inaugural All England Championships were held in 1899 (International Olympic Committee, n.d.).

A match comprises three best-of-three games, with the winner being the first player or couple to achieve 21 points. If the score is 20-20, the team with a two-point lead wins the game. If the difference is less than two points, the game will continue until the two-point difference is reached. If the score reaches 29-all, the team that gets to 30 first wins the game.