Badminton has its roots in games played in ancient Europe and Asia as early as 2,000 years ago, according to the Badminton World Federation. Badminton and its equipment have come a long way since these beginnings. Badminton has been an Olympic sport since 1992.
Earliest Equipment
Upper-class Englishmen played battledore and shuttlecock, early versions of badminton, as a pastime in the 1600s. This primitive version of the sport did not require a net. Players simply hit a shuttlecock back and forth using a bat rather than a racket. The shuttlecock consisted of a cork stuffed with feathers.
Introduction of the Net
Poon, another early version of badminton, resembles contemporary badminton more closely than battledore and shuttlecock. In poon, played in India in the 1800s, players hit the shuttlecock back and forth over a net. British officers who had visited India returned the game to England. The first Open Tournament was held in England in 1898, and the first All England Championships in 1899.
Rules Standardization
The International Badminton Federation, now known as the Badminton World Federation, was established in 1934. The charter members included England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Holland, Denmark, Canada, New Zealand and France. The International Badminton Federation standardized the sport's rules and equipment requirements.
21st Century Equipment Standards
Early badminton shuttles consisted entirely of cork and feathers and rackets were made of wood. Technological advancements have enabled badminton equipment manufacturers to use synthetic materials to replicate feathers. Synthetic materials such as aluminum alloy, titanium and steel allow for lighter, stronger rackets. The Badminton World Federation provides specific requirements for equipment in its Laws of Badminton. Feathered shuttles must have 16 feathers fixed in the base, and the feathers must have a uniform length between 2½ and 2¾ inches, according to the World Badminton Federation's Laws of Badminton. The feathers' tips must form a circle with a 2¼ to 2 2/3-inch diameter. The Laws of Badminton also permit non-feathered shuttles made out of synthetic materials. The racket must have a flat stringed hitting surface with an even pattern of overlapping strings. The stringed area of the racket must not exceed 11 inches in length or 8 2/3 inches in width, according to the Laws of Badminton. The racket's total length, including the handle, must not exceed 26¾ inches in length. The net must measure 5 feet high at the center.
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