SafekipediaBadminton at the Summer Olympics
Adapted from Wikipedia · Discoverer experience
Badminton first became an official sport at the Summer Olympics in 1992 and has been played in nine Olympic Games since then. Many countries from around the world have taken part in these competitions, with 17 nations having joined in every one of those games. The sport is overseen by the Badminton World Federation, which makes sure the rules are fair and followed by everyone. Playing badminton at the Olympics is a big honor for athletes, and it shows how popular and important the sport has become in the worldwide world of sports.
Summary
Badminton became an official sport in the Summer Olympics in 1992 and has been played in nine Olympic Games since then. Many different countries have taken part in these games, with 17 of them joining in every one of the nine times. The sport is overseen by the Badminton World Federation.
History
The sport of badminton was first shown as a demonstration at the 1972 Summer Olympics. It became an official Olympic sport in 1992 after being shown again in 1988. In 1992, there were four events: men's singles, men's doubles, women's singles, and women's doubles. Each event gave out four medals, including two bronze medals. In 1996, a new event called mixed doubles was added, making five events total. Since then, the way bronze medals are decided has changed. Instead of two bronze medals, there is now a small match between the two players who lost in the semi-finals to decide who gets the single bronze medal. This way of deciding the bronze medal has been used all the way up to the 2024 Olympics.
Events
(d) = demonstration event
(e) = exhibition event
Medal table
See also: List of Olympic medalists in badminton
As of the 2024 edition
Successful national teams
Below is the gold medalists showed based on category and countries after the 2024 Summer Olympics. China has been very successful in the Summer Olympics, being the only country to win all the medals in one Olympics, which happened in 2012. Indonesia is the second most successful country in badminton after China. Both China and Indonesia are the only countries to have won gold medals in every badminton event. Bolded numbers show the country that won the most Olympic badminton medals that year.
As of the 2024 Olympics
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  China | 22 | 15 | 15 | 52 |
| 2 |  Indonesia | 8 | 6 | 8 | 22 |
| 3 |  South Korea | 7 | 8 | 7 | 22 |
| 4 |  Denmark | 3 | 3 | 4 | 10 |
| 5 |  Chinese Taipei | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 6 |  Japan | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 |
| 7 |  Spain | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 8 |  Malaysia | 0 | 6 | 5 | 11 |
| 9 |  Great Britain | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
 India | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| 11 |  Netherlands | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
 Thailand | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 13 |  Russia | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (13 entries) | 44 | 44 | 48 | 136 | |
Medals by event
Men's singles
As of 2024 Olympics
Women's singles
As of 2024 Olympics
Men's doubles
As of 2024 Olympics
Women's doubles
As of 2024 Olympics
Mixed doubles
As of 2024 Olympics
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 5 | 3 | 4 | 12 |
| 2 | South Korea | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| 3 | Indonesia | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| 4 | Spain | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 5 | India | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 6 | Chinese Taipei | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
 Denmark | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| Netherlands | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 9 | Japan | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (9 entries) | 9 | 9 | 10 | 28 | |
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indonesia | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| 2 | China | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6 |
| 3 | South Korea | 2 | 2 | 3 | 7 |
| 4 | Chinese Taipei | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 5 |  Malaysia | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| 6 | Denmark | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 7 | Great Britain | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (7 entries) | 9 | 9 | 10 | 28 | |
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 5 | 2 | 3 | 10 |
| 2 | South Korea | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| 3 | Indonesia | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| 4 | Great Britain | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 5 | Malaysia | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 6 | Denmark | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Japan | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
| Totals (7 entries) | 8 | 8 | 8 | 24 | |
Qualification
The Badminton World Federation uses its ranking list to decide who can compete in the Olympic badminton tournament. For singles events, about 40 players are chosen, and for doubles, 16 pairs are selected.
Each National Olympic Committee can send up to two players or pairs if they are ranked in the top 16 for singles or top 8 for doubles. If not, they can send one player or pair. Each continent is guaranteed at least two spots for singles and one spot for doubles. If a continent does not get these spots through rankings, the highest-ranked player or pair from that continent will qualify. The host country also keeps one spot for both men's and women's singles events.
Competition
Olympic badminton has a group stage and then a single-elimination tournament. In each match, players compete in up to three games. Each game goes up to 21 points, and players can score points even if they are not serving. To win a game, a player must score two points more than their opponent or be the first to reach 30 points.
Participating nations
Many different countries have taken part in the badminton events at the Summer Olympics. The table shows how many players each country sent to the games in each year.
| Nation | 1992 | 1996 | 2000 | 2004 | 2008 | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 | 2024 | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Algeria | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | 2 | 2 |
 Australia | 2 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 9 |
 Austria | 2 | 1 | – | – | – | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
 Azerbaijan | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 2 | 2 |
 Belarus | – | 2 | – | – | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | 3 |
 Belgium | 1 | – | 1 | – | – | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
 Brazil | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
 Brunei | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 |
 Bulgaria | 7 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 |
 Canada | 6 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 9 |
| China | 13 | 20 | 17 | 19 | 19 | 17 | 14 | 14 | 16 | 9 |
| Chinese Taipei | – | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 8 |
 Cuba | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 |
 Czech Republic | – | – | – | – | 2 | 2 | 2 | – | 4 | 4 |
| Czechoslovakia | 2 | Country dissolved into Czech Republic and Slovakia | 1 | |||||||
| Denmark | 12 | 16 | 18 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 9 |
 Egypt | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | – | 3 | – | 3 |
 El Salvador | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 |
 Estonia | – | – | – | – | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
 Finland | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 |
 France | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 9 | 9 |
 Germany | 4 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 9 |
| Great Britain | 12 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 9 |
 Greece | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
 Guatemala | – | 1 | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 7 |
 Hong Kong | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 6 | 9 |
 Hungary | 3 | 1 | – | – | – | – | 1 | 2 | – | 4 |
 Iceland | 3 | 1 | – | – | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | 4 |
| India | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 9 |
| Indonesia | 13 | 20 | 19 | 14 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 9 |
 Iran | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | 2 |
 Ireland | – | – | 1 | – | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
 Israel | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
 Italy | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | 1 | 4 |
 Jamaica | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| Japan | 11 | 7 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 13 | 12 | 9 |
 Kazakhstan | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 |
 Lithuania | – | – | – | – | 2 | 1 | – | – | – | 2 |
| Malaysia | 6 | 7 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 |
 Maldives | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | 1 | 1 | 3 |
 Malta | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | 1 |
 Mauritius | 3 | 4 | 5 | – | 1 | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
 Mexico | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
 Myanmar | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 2 |
 Nepal | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 |
| Netherlands | 3 | 5 | 8 | 4 | – | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 8 |
 New Zealand | 4 | 2 | – | 2 | 3 | – | – | – | – | 4 |
 Nigeria | – | 2 | – | – | 1 | – | – | 3 | 1 | 4 |
 Norway | 1 | – | – | 1 | – | 1 | – | – | – | 3 |
 Pakistan | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | 1 |
 Peru | – | 1 | – | 1 | 1 | 2 | – | 1 | 1 | 6 |
 Philippines | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
 Poland | 6 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 5 | – | – | 7 |
 Portugal | 2 | – | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | – | – | 6 |
 Refugee Olympic Team | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 2 |
 Romania | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| Russia | – | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 4 | – | – | 6 |
 ROC | – | 4 | – | 1 | ||||||
 Seychelles | – | – | – | – | 2 | – | – | – | – | 1 |
 Singapore | 3 | 1 | – | 3 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 |
 Slovakia | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | – | 1 | – | 3 |
 Slovenia | – | – | 1 | – | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | 3 |
 South Africa | 2 | – | – | 6 | 5 | 4 | 1 | – | 1 | 6 |
| South Korea | 12 | 17 | 12 | 15 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 10 | 12 | 9 |
| Spain | 2 | – | – | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 |
 Sri Lanka | 1 | – | – | – | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
 Suriname | – | 1 | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | – | 1 | 4 |
 Sweden | 8 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | – | 8 |
 Switzerland | 2 | 2 | – | – | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 |
| Thailand | 8 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 9 |
 Trinidad and Tobago | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
 Turkey | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
 Uganda | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | 2 |
 Ukraine | – | 3 | 3 | – | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 7 |
| Unified Team | 2 | Dissolved | 1 | |||||||
 United States | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 9 |
 Vietnam | – | – | – | – | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
 Zambia | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | 1 |
| Nations | 36 | 37 | 28 | 32 | 50 | 51 | 46 | 49 | 49 | 74 |
| Year | 1992 | 1996 | 2000 | 2004 | 2008 | 2012 | 2016 | 2020 | 2024 | 9 |
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