In many people’s minds, where did you first encounter badminton – outdoors or indoors? It is likely that for many, the first memory of picking up a racket and hitting a shuttlecock was in parks, beside grasslands, on sports fields, or under the buildings of residential communities. At that time, there might not have been a net, a court, or rules; all that existed were the white shuttlecocks tracing their paths through the air, forming the initial impression of badminton.
In light of this, over the past few years, the Badminton World Federation and badminton associations worldwide have been researching a new project aimed at finding an effective, practical, and sustainable way to encourage more enthusiasts to participate in badminton in more places, creating opportunities for people of all ages and athletic abilities to enjoy badminton anytime, anywhere. Whether on hard courts, grass, or sand, or in parks, gardens, streets, sports fields, and beaches around the world, badminton can be played in various settings. Starting from the project’s inception in 2013, after designing, developing, testing, and improving in all aspects such as the shuttlecock, courts, equipment, and rules, on May 13, 2019, the Badminton World Federation, the Badminton Association of China, and the Guangzhou Sports Bureau jointly launched the outdoor badminton project, which was officially promoted globally in 2020. As a major country in badminton, China has a broad mass base. At the same time, as one of our country’s advantageous sports, badminton is also deeply loved by everyone, with participation ranking at the forefront of various sports. With its vast territory and abundant resources, China has all types of venue conditions, providing excellent conditions for project development. To better promote the development of this new sport in China, the Badminton Association of China introduces this new project from aspects such as venues, equipment, and rules. This article focuses on the venue and equipment sections.
