Badminton as we know it is a popular, fun and inclusive sport with more than 300 million active players globally, encouraging participation and excitement around the game of Badminton. AirBadminton is an ambitious new development project designed by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) to create opportunities for people of all ages and ability to play badminton on hard, grass and sand surfaces in parks, gardens, streets, playgrounds and beaches around the world; and features new aspects to the sport, including alternative court dimensions, increased number of players, and a unique shuttle that is heavier and less affected by the outside elements.
An Airbadminton match shall consist of the best of five games. A game shall be won by the side which first scores 11 points. If the score is tied at 10-all, the side which gains a two-point lead first will win the game (max of 13). Traditional stringed racket shall be used to play AirBadminton, however thicker string and lighter tension is reccommended to account for the added weight of the AirShuttle. The court is similar to a regular badminton court, however there is a space in the middle of the court called a "dead zone" - preventing drop shots to be played. For more information on AirBadminton, please consult the AirBadminton Overview page.
Air Badminton will make its international debut at the 2023 Pan Am Qualifier in Kingston, Jamacia from April 29-30, 2023. Events will be played in Men's Triples (up to 4 players) and Women's Triples (up to 4 players); teams will combine to participate in the Mixed Team Relay event! Winners of the Pan Am Qualifier at the end of April 2023 will go on to compete at the 2023 ANOC World Beach Games in Bali, Indonesia from August 5-12, 2023, and be identified athletes of Team Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee.
"AirBadminton, specifically Beach Badminton, has come on strong in the past number of months" said High Performance Manager, Mike Luck. "A project that was lauched by the BWF just prior to COVID, is now seeing the international stage. A new sport to many, we are excited to name the first ever AirBadminton Team in Canadian history, and continue to be a leader for Badminton in the Pan Am Region."
Athletes that are interested in being selected for the 2023 Pan Am Qualifier, and potentially the 2023 ANOC World Beach Games, should consult the BeachBadminton page, as well as the Selection Criteria for the event. Deadline to apply is March 13, 2023.