When you think about Badminton, what is the first thing that pops into your mind? Perhaps that it’s a very odd form of tennis or that you don’t like it because you get a crick in your neck every time you play it as you’re always looking up, waiting to spot the shuttlecock flying at you?

Whether you love the game or hate it, there’s a rich history to Badminton and it can be traced back hundreds of thousands of years. In this article, we’ll tell you a couple of things that you probably didn’t know about the game’s history.

Where It All Began

The origins of the game of Badminton can be traced back to ancient India, Greece and China. In fact, the game of Badminton was derived directly from Poona, which was a game that was played by British soldiers who were stationed in India in the 1860s.

Originally, there were no rackets involved and the shuttlecock was hit with players’ hands. Hands were replaced with legs, which made the game popular with the men of India. However, women struggled, so a separate men’s and women’s leagues were formed.

The game was named after the country estate of the dukes of Beaufort. This is situated in Gloucestershire, England, where Badminton was first played in 1873.

The Badminton World Federation (BWF), which was originally called the International Badminton Federation, is the world governing body of the sport. It was formed in 1934 with its head office in Cheltenham, UK.  The original member states were:

• Canada
• Denmark
• England
• France
• Ireland
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Scotland
• Wales)

At present, the BWF has its head office in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Badminton Beats Tennis Hands Down

Did you know that Badminton the world’s fastest racquet sport? The shuttle travels at a speed of 300/km per hour.  In addition, it’s also more intense than tennis is as a Badminton match is played in a third of the time that tennis is.

Asians Dominate the Sport

Since the inclusion of Badminton in the Olympics, Asian players have won 93 out of the 103 Olympic medals.  The countries which are the most successful at Badminton are China and Indonesia. It is the second-most popular game in the world after football and it also semi-depends on the way the balls land.

What The Shuttlecock Is Made Of

The shuttlecock that is used in Badminton weighs between 4.74 and 5.5g. Its feathers come from the left-wing of a goose and 16 feathers are used. During a high-level badminton match, approximately 10 shuttlecocks are used.

So, as you can see, although Badminton hasn’t been widely popularised in the mainstream media, it is definitely popular among those people who love the game. With a rich history spanning thousands of years, it’s not going away anytime soon. There’s even been another sport, called Power Badminton, which has been derived from the old favourite. If you get a chance to play, give it a go – you never know if you’ll like it!