ACOG - Badminton - IBM

History of Badminton

Originating from the ancient paddle sports of battledore and shuttlecock, badminton has evolved from a slow-paced game of high society to a rapid-fire sport of high intensity.

Although played in various forms in ancient Greece, China, Japan and India, modern badminton is generally accepted as beginning in India as the game of "poona." While stationed in India during the 1860s, British army officers adopted the game, established rules and introduced the sport to their homeland. In England, the game enjoyed great success at the Duke of Beaufort's Badminton Estate in Gloucestershire, where the sport quickly took on the name of the spacious manor.

Played at a leisurely pace in formal attire, the game became more athletic in the 1900s as the court was enlarged, the net lowered and other rules standardized to make the sport more physically demanding.

In 1934, the International Badminton Federation was formed as the sport's international governing body. Today the IBF encompasses 130 member associations worldwide while serving more than 14 million members.

After serving as a demonstration sport at the 1972 Olympic Games and an exhibition sport in 1988, badminton made a spectacular full-medal debut at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. Indonesia, China and Korea emerged as the top teams at the Games, winning 14 of the 16 medals awarded.

This is an official publication of the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games Sports Publication Department. Written by Howard Thomas.


Olympic Factoid
An estimated 5.3 million visted Centennial Olympic Park between opening day - 13 July - and closing day - 4 August, making the park the most single most visited Olympic site during the Games.