Badminton
General Sport Description
Badminton is a racket sport played by either two opposing players (singles) or two opposing pairs (doubles), who take positions on opposite halves of a rectangular court that is divided by a net.
Players score points by striking a shuttlecock with their racket so that it passes over the net and lands in their opponents’ half of the court. A rally ends once the shuttlecock has struck the ground, and the shuttlecock may only be struck once by each side before it passes over the net.
The shuttlecock (or shuttle) is a feathered projectile whose unique aerodynamic properties cause it to fly differently from the balls used in most racket sports; in particular, the feathers create much higher drag, causing the shuttlecock to decelerate more rapidly than a ball. Shuttlecocks have a much higher top speed, when compared to other racket sports.
As the shuttlecock flight is stubbornly affected by wind, competitive Badminton is always played indoors.
Badminton is also played outdoors as a casual recreational activity, often as a garden or beach game.
History
Badminton was known in ancient times; an early form of the sport was played in ancient Greece. In Japan, the related game Hanetsuki was played as early as the 16th century. In the west, Badminton came from a game called Battledore and Shuttlecock, in which two or more players keep a feathered shuttlecock in the air with small rackets. The game was called Poona in India during the 18th century, and British Army officers stationed there took a competitive Indian version back to England in the 1860s, where it was played at country houses as an upper class amusement. The new sport was definitively launched in 1873 at the Badminton House, Gloucestershire, owned by the Duke of Beaufort. During that time, the game was referred to as “The Game of Badminton,” and the game’s official name became Badminton.
Until 1887 the sport was played in England under the rules that prevailed in India. The Bath Badminton Club standardized the rules and made the game applicable to English ideas. The basic regulations were drawn up in 1887. In 1893, the Badminton Association of England published the first set of rules according to these regulations, similar to today’s rules, and officially launched badminton Portsmouth, UK on 13th September. They also started the All England Open Badminton Championships, the first badminton competition in the world, in 1899.
The International Badminton Federation – now known as Badminton World Federation (BWF) was established in 1934 with Canada, Denmark, England, France, the Netherlands, Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland, and Wales as its founding members. India joined as an affiliate in 1936. The BWF now governs international Badminton and develops the sport globally.
While originating in England, international Badminton has traditionally been dominated by a few Asian countries, plus Denmark from Europe. China, Indonesia, South Korea and Malaysia are among the nations that have consistently produced world-class players in the past few decades and dominated competitions on the international level, with China being the most dominant in recent years.
History In World Transplant Games
Badminton first appeared in the World Transplant Games in the 1980s. It has grown over the years proving to be extremely popular and is always well subscribed. Singles, doubles, and mixed doubles are all played.
Why participate in this sport
Badminton is a high-impact sport that activates both the body and mind while helping to maintain health and fitness. Playing Badminton gives you a ‘whole body workout’ in a social environment; improving your heart health whilst at the same time contributing to your mental wellbeing.
Everyone can enjoy Badminton, regardless of your fitness or health. You can choose a more or less intense workout by altering the pace you’re playing at. This is to suit your individual needs and the needs and abilities of the other players.
Badminton can be played informally almost anywhere that you have some freespace, a pair of racquets and a shuttlecock.
Participating At A World Transplant Games
The following events take place at a Summer Games:
For a full overview of the Format and Sports Rules for competing at a World Transplant Games – click here
Getting Started
To start Badminton, you could try visiting your local Badminton club. You will be able to find Badminton in your area on the internet. You can usually rent the racquets and shuttlecocks from the club and also often find players who are willing to teach the basics and play with you. Or you can contact your National Transplant Association for their help. Alternately you could first access an inexpensive Badminton set and start to play informally with a partner in a local park or open space.
If you are enjoying the sport, you can obtain a high-quality and affordable racquet, shuttlecocks, sport clothes and preferably indoor shoes in the nearest sport shop.
Training Concepts
WTG Malaga 2017
Images by Paco Lozano
WTG Newcastle 2019
Images by Richard Hall
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