Badminton has been a popular sport for centuries and has been played in many different countries. It has been a part of the Olympic Games since 1992, when it was officially accepted as an Olympic sport. But how did badminton become an Olympic sport? Let’s take a look at the history of badminton becoming an official Olympic sport.
Origins of Badminton
The origins of badminton can be traced back to the mid-19th century, when a British Army Officer, Captain Walter Clopton Wingfield, created a game that combined elements of tennis, squash, and the Indian game Poona. The game he created was called sphairistikè, which was Greek for “playing ball”. The game quickly spread to other parts of the world, and the name was changed to badminton.
The First Badminton Clubs
The first badminton clubs were formed in the late 19th century, in England and India. The game was popular among the British upper classes, and it quickly spread to other countries. In 1893, the first international badminton tournament was held in England, and the first world championships were held in 1934.
Badminton Becomes an Official Olympic Sport
Badminton was first proposed as an Olympic sport in 1936, but it was not accepted into the Olympics until 1992. The International Badminton Federation (IBF) was formed in 1934 and it worked hard to get badminton accepted as an Olympic sport. The IBF was successful in convincing the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that badminton should be included in the Olympic Games.
The 1992 Barcelona Olympics
The first time badminton was included in the Olympic Games was at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. There were two events in the Olympics, the men’s singles and the women’s singles. The men’s singles event was won by Indonesia’s Alan Budi Kusuma, and the women’s singles event was won by China’s Ge Fei.
The 1996 Atlanta Olympics
At the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, badminton was included in the Olympics for the second time. This time, the events included the men’s singles, the women’s singles, the men’s doubles, and the mixed doubles. The men’s singles event was won by Indonesia’s Joko Suprianto, and the women’s singles event was won by China’s Gong Zhichao.
The 2000 Sydney Olympics
At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, badminton was included in the Olympics for the third time. This time, the events included the men’s singles, the women’s singles, the men’s doubles, and the mixed doubles. The men’s singles event was won by Indonesia’s Taufik Hidayat, and the women’s singles event was won by China’s Gong Zhichao.
The 2004 Athens Olympics
At the 2004 Athens Olympics, badminton was included in the Olympics for the fourth time. This time, the events included the men’s singles, the women’s singles, the men’s doubles, and the mixed doubles. The men’s singles event was won by Indonesia’s Taufik Hidayat, and the women’s singles event was won by China’s Zhang Ning.
The 2008 Beijing Olympics
At the 2008 Beijing Olympics, badminton was included in the Olympics for the fifth time. This time, the events included the men’s singles, the women’s singles, the men’s doubles, and the mixed doubles. The men’s singles event was won by China’s Lin Dan, and the women’s singles event was won by China’s Zhang Ning.
The 2012 London Olympics
At the 2012 London Olympics, badminton was included in the Olympics for the sixth time. This time, the events included the men’s singles, the women’s singles, the men’s doubles, and the mixed doubles. The men’s singles event was won by China’s Lin Dan, and the women’s singles event was won by China’s Li Xuerui.
Conclusion
Badminton has been an Olympic sport since 1992 and has been included in the Olympics six times since then. It has become a popular and competitive sport and is enjoyed by players all over the world. The history of badminton becoming an Olympic sport is a fascinating one, and it shows just how far the sport has come in a relatively short period of time.