Badminton

Badminton is the fastest racket sport in the world: the shuttlecock, made of goose feathers or synthetic material, can exceed 400 km/h immediately after impact, but slows down sharply in flight. It is played on a court divided by a net just over one and a half metres high, in singles or doubles, and the rally continues until the shuttlecock touches the ground or goes out of bounds. The game originated as a court pastime — ‘battledore and shuttlecock’ — and took on its modern form in Victorian England: the name derives from Badminton House, where the Duke of Beaufort hosted the first matches in 1873; the rules were formalised in 1893, when the English federation was founded. Having spread particularly widely in Asia, where it is a mass sport, it has been an Olympic sport since 1992. At a competitive level, it requires quick reflexes, constant changes of direction and highly refined wrist technique: the same movement can produce a powerful smash or a delicate drop shot just over the net. Matches are played as best of three sets of 21 points, using the rally-point system. At the 20th Mediterranean Games in Taranto 2026, badminton will take place from 22 to 28 August at the Palazzetto dello Sport in Francavilla Fontana, with five titles up for grabs: men’s and women’s singles, men’s and women’s doubles, and mixed doubles.

• 1Matches are played as best of three sets of 21 points, with a two-point margin (up to a maximum of 30)
• 2A point is awarded for each rally, regardless of who is serving (rally point system)
• 3The serve must be executed from below, with the racket below the waist, diagonally
• 4The shuttlecock must not be struck twice in succession nor touch the body or the net
• 5Five titles in Taranto: men’s and women’s singles and doubles, plus mixed doubles