Badminton
Badminton is an official sport of the
Deaflympics and the Special Olympics World Games.
Athlete Eligibility
and Classification
Athletes who are deaf compete under CISS
rules which require a minimum hearing loss of 55 dB in the
better ear. Classification procedures are described on the CISS
web site (http://www.ciss.org).
Click on "about," then "regulations," then scroll down to
Article 1.3 on eligibility.
Athletes who compete in Special Olympics
events must have a primary diagnosis of mental retardation. They
are classified according to a process called divisioning
in which athletes are grouped by ability level for competition.
Divisioning is described on the SOI web site (http://www.specialolympics.org).
Click on "games and competitions," then choose "general rules"
from the drop-down menu, then go to "Section V - Special
Olympics Divisioning."
Events
Deaflympics badminton events include men's
single, men's double, women's single, women's double, mixed
double, and team competition (the Surdiman Cup). Special
Olympics events include singles, doubles, Unified Sports
doubles, mixed doubles, Unified Sports mixed doubles, and
individual skills competition. Special Olympics also offers
target serve, return volley, and return serve events for
athletes with lower ability levels.
Playing Area
The required dimensions/markings and the
net size/height for a regulation badminton
court are specified in the International
Badminton Federation (IBF) rules, posted on the IBF web site at
http://www.intbadfed.org.
Rules
Competitors in Deaflympics badminton
events follow the International Badminton Federation (IBF) rules
without exception. Those rules are posted on the IBF web site at
http://www.intbadfed.org.
The CISS rules are posted on the CISS web site at
http://www.ciss.org. Click on
"about," then "rules and regulations," then "badminton."
Special Olympics athletes follow IBF rules
with a few modifications. They may serve from either the right
or left serving area. The serving area is reduced to half the
distance for athletes who compete from wheelchairs. The SOI
modifications are described on the SOI web site at
http://www.specialolympics.org. Click on "sports," then
"sports rules," then "badminton."
Equipment
Badminton equipment includes a racket and
shuttlecock. Equipment specifications are posted in the rules
section of the IBF web site at
http://www.intbadfed.org.
Links
