Badminton at the Summer Olympics

Badminton at the Summer Olympics
Governing body	BWF
Events	4 (men: 2; women: 2)
Games
1896 • 1900 • 1904 • 1908 • 1912 • 1920 1924 • 1928 • 1932 • 1936 • 1948 • 1952 1956 • 1960 • 1964 • 1968 • 1972 • 1976 1980 • 1984 • 1988 • 1992 • 1996 • 2000 2004 • 2008 • 2012 Note: demonstration sport years indicated in italics
Medalists

Badminton had its debut at the 1992 Summer Olympics and has been contested in 5 Olympiads. 50 different nations have appeared in the Olympic badminton competitions, with 19 appearing all 5 times. It is governed by the Badminton World Federation.

History

The 1992 Olympic games in Barcelona saw the first appearance of badminton. 4 events were held, with singles and doubles events for both men and women. Four medals were awarded in each event, including two bronzes. The next Olympics, Atlanta 1996, had 5 events with the addition of mixed doubles. There was also now a playoff between the two semifinal losers to determine the sole winner of the bronze medal. That format has been used for the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics.

Medal table

See also: List of Olympic medalists in badminton

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	China (CHN)	11	6	13	30
2	South Korea (KOR)	6	7	4	17
3	Indonesia (INA)	6	6	6	18
4	Denmark (DEN)	1	1	2	4
5	Malaysia (MAS)	0	2	2	4
6	Great Britain (GBR)	0	1	1	2
7	Netherlands (NED)	0	1	0	1
Total		24	24	28	76

Qualification

The Badminton World Federation's ranking list is used to determine qualification for the Olympic tournament. For singles, 29 competitors are selected. For doubles, 19 pairs are selected.

The general method of selection is by ranking, though the selection process stops once all qualification positions are filled. All players or pairs from the top 16 places on that list qualify, though each National Olympic Committee can send a maximum of three players/pairs. Players and pairs through the 64th place on that ranking qualify, with the caveat that each NOC can send only two players/pairs from that portion of the list. Players and pairs ranked below that only qualify if they are the highest ranked competitor from their nation.

In addition, one place in each of the singles events is awarded by the Tripartite Commission. There are also regulations on minimum representation. Each continent must have at least one player/pair. This is the highest ranked player/pair from that continent if none have qualified through the standard selection process. The host nation, if it has not already qualified two competitors, receives two slots as well, either two singles players or one pair.

Competition

Olympic badminton consists of a single-elimination tournament. Each match is played to the best of three games. Games are to 21 points. Rally scoring is used, meaning a player does not need to be serving to score. A player must win by two points or be the first player to 30 points.

Participating nations

The following nations have taken part in the badminton competition.

Nation	92	96	00	04	08	Years
Algeria					1	1
Australia	2	8	7	6	6	5
Austria	2	1				2
Belarus		2			1	2
Belgium	1		1			2
Bulgaria	7	3	4	2	1	5
Canada	6	7	6	7	4	5
China	13	20	17	19	19	5
Chinese Taipei		6	5	5	4	4
Czech Republic					2	1
Czechoslovakia	2					1
Denmark	12	16	18	12	10	5
Egypt					1	1
Estonia					2	1
Finland	2	2	2	3	2	5
France	4	2	3	3	2	5
Germany	4	6	6	6	5	5
Great Britain	12	11	12	11	6	5
Greece				2		1
Guatemala		1		1	1	3
Hong Kong	5	3	4	5	3	5
Hungary	3	1				2
Iceland	3	1			1	3
India	3	2	2	3	2	5
Indonesia	13	20	19	14	11	5
Iran					1	1
Ireland			1		2	2
Italy					1	1
Jamaica				1		1
Japan	11	7	9	11	10	5
Lithuania					2	1
Malaysia	6	7	6	9	9	5
Mauritius	3	4	5		1	4
Mexico					1	1
Netherlands	3	5	8	4		4
New Zealand	4	2		2	3	4
Nigeria		2			1	2
Norway	1			1		2
Peru		1		1	1	3
Philippines		1				1
Poland	6	1	3	3	5	5
Portugal	2		1	1	2	4
Romania	1					1
Russia		5	3	2	2	4
Seychelles					2	1
Singapore	3	1		3	5	4
Slovakia					1	1
Slovenia			1		1	2
South Africa	2			6	5	3
South Korea	12	17	12	15	13	5
Spain	2			2	2	3
Sri Lanka	1				1	2
Suriname		1				1
Sweden	8	10	6	3	1	5
Switzerland	2	2			2	3
Thailand	8	7	6	8	4	5
Trinidad and Tobago		1				1
Uganda					1	1
Ukraine		3	3		2	3
Unified Team	2					1
United States	6	3	1	2	5	5
Vietnam					2	1
Zambia					1	1
Nations	36	37	28	32	50	63
Year	92	96	00	04	08	5

See also

• List of Olympic venues in badminton

External links

• International Olympic Committee - Badminton
• Badminton World Federation