So, to learn more about this sport, let's dive and begin with:


Badminton History


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Badminton was invented about 2000 years ago and has a great history. It originated from an ancient game, "Battledore and Shuttlecock," played by children in India, where two or more players try to hit the shuttlecock with the help of the racket and try to keep it in the air.


This sport originated in Pune, India, and therefore was known as "Poona," named after the garrison town of Poona city. Later in the 1860s, the British officers stationed in India adopted this sport, which became very popular among British expatriates.


In 1887, the Duke of Beaufort took this sport to England, where it was named after the Duke of Beaufort's house in Gloucestershire, and there it was played for the very first time.


The first badminton club was formed the same year, known as the Bath Badminton Club. In 1893, this club was replaced by the Badminton Association of England.


The first rules of this sport were formed in Poona, India, in 1872, and the people of England adopted these rules and started playing this sport in 1887. But later, the Bath Club changed some of the rules according to the people's ideas, and on September 13, 1983, BAE officially launched these rules at Dunbar House, located in Portsmouth.


On July 5, 1934, BWF (Badminton World Federation), the governing body of badminton, was formed, and Scotland, England, Wales, Denmark, Canada, France, Ireland, and the Netherlands were its founding members. And currently, the BWF has 176 countries as members.


The headquarter of the BWF is located in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with about 198 association members around the globe.


In 1972, badminton appeared in the Olympics as a demonstration sport; in 1988, it was an exhibition sport. In 1992, it was finally declared an official Olympic medal sport.


Badminton Equipment


A badminton player should always have these four basic gear with him:


1.Rackets


Rackets are one of the important pieces of badminton gear used to hit the shuttlecock from one courtside to another. A racket generally has five parts: the handle, throat, shaft, head, and stringed area.


The head part of the racket is called a frame and is made up of strong materials like graphite, carbon, wood, and aluminium, and it measures about 680 mm in length and 230 mm in width. On the other hand, the strings of a racket are made up of nylon, plastic, and other synthetic fibre.


Also, there are different types of rackets, like beginner-friendly, intermediate, and professional rackets, available in the market, with different features and designs to suit different playing styles.


2.Shuttlecock


A shuttlecock is also known as 'Birdie'. It is a high-drag projectile which is conical in shape and opens from above, and it is hit using a racket to deliver it from one courtside to another.


There are three different types of shuttlecocks available on the market:


  • Feather Shuttlecock
  • Plastic or synthetic shuttlecock
  • Hybrid Shuttlecock

These shuttlecocks weigh around 4.75 to 5.50 grams and hold 16 features embedded in the cork base. The length of these feathers lies between 62 to 70 mm, and the diameter of the cork is 25 to 28mm.


3.Net


A net is placed in the middle of the court, divides it into two equal parts, and allows players to hit the shuttle from one court to another. The height of a badminton net is 0.76 meters, whereas the width of the net is 6.1 meters and is placed 159 meters high from the court surface and in the centre of the court.


Rather than this, badminton nets are made of nylon, polyester, and vinyl, which makes them durable and strong.


4.Badminton shoes


Badminton shoes are slightly different from other sports shoes. Non-marking shoes are generally used during indoor sports like badminton, tennis, and volleyball.


Badminton shoes are made of synthetic leather, mesh and other breathable materials, which are lightweight, durable and help keep the player's feet cool and comfortable during long matches.


Badminton Rules


The rules and regulations of badminton are set by BWF (Badminton World Federation), and every player must follow these rules:


  • A player cannot perform a service unless his opponent is ready.
  • A player's feet should be inside the boundary lines while performing a service.
  • If a player misses the shuttlecock while serving, he cannot reattempt the serve.
  • A player cannot fling and hold the shuttle for too long.
  • A player cannot hit the shuttle over the net before it enters his court.
  • A player is not allowed to muddle and harass his opponent while playing.

Scoring System Rules


  • A badminton match consists of the best 3 game sets of 21 each.
  • A rally begins just after performing a serve.
  • The rally-winning side adds a point to their scoreboard.
  • At 20 all, the side that scores the 2 points first wins that game.
  • At 29 all, the side that scores the next 1 point first wins that game.
  • The side that wins the game will serve first in the next game.

Interval and Change of end rules


  • When the score of any side reaches 11 points, players get 60 seconds interval.
  • After completing a set, 2 minutes break is allowed for the players.
  • In the third set, players change their ends when the leading score reaches 11 points.

Badminton Facts


You might get surprised after knowing that badminton is the fastest racket sport and the second most popular sport in the world. Not only this, but this sport has many other fascinating facts that will surely amaze you. And here below are some of these amazing facts:


  • Shuttlecocks are made from the left wing of the goose feathers.
  • In ancient times, the racket strings were made up of animal gut.
  • Badminton is a lot more intense sport than tennis.
  • In the 5Th century, people in China used to play the sport Ti Zian Ji (precursor of badminton) was initially played with feet.
  • A shuttlecock holds 16 feathers in it.
  • The longest badminton match in history was played for about 124 minutes.
  • An average person burns about 390 calories each hour of playing badminton.
  • The sport badminton originated in India in the 1800s.
  • The shortest badminton match in history was played for about 6 minutes.
  • When badminton was officially played for the first time at the Olympics in 1992, more than 1.1 billion people watched the match on television, making it more popular. 

 


 


(Above mentioned article is a Consumer Connect Initiative, This article is a paid publication and does not have journalistic/editorial involvement of IDPL, and IDPL claims no responsibility whatsoever.)