Have you heard of para badminton? As the name suggests, it is a sport which stems from badminton. In this article, PlayMoovin’ wanted to focus on this sport, its rules and history.
Para badminton in France
Para badminton is a quite recent oppositional sport. It was created in the 1990’s in Germany and it quickly went abroad and numerous people started playing it. It progressively came to France between 2004 and 2011.
Para badminton players in France
Para badminton draws more and more people. As of today, there are 181 788 members from all age groups playing in numerous French sport clubs. It must be said that this sport not onlyallows to surpass oneself and to boost self-confidence but also to remain healthy.
Para badminton championships
French para badminton championships are organised each year. The next one is scheduled to take place from the 13th to the 15th of January 2023 in Saint-Orens not far from Toulouse.
The very first European para badminton tournament took place in 1998 in the Netherlands. French sportspeople fared well and went on the podium. Among these people, we can mention Pascal Barillon, Faustine Noël and David Toupé. The latter has won the silver medal in singles and in doubles during this European tournament but he also holds 9 other titles he won over the course of his sport career.
French para badminton players who play professionally play in one of the following categories.
| Category | Player description |
| WH1 | The athlete has bad balance by the torso. They are in a wheelchair. |
| WH2 | The athlete has good balance but they have a wheelchair. |
| SL3 | The player stands. They have a disability affecting the lower limbs. |
| SU5 | The player stands. They either have a lesion on an upper limb or they do not have a limb at all. |
| SH6 | The man playing is smaller than 1.45m tall.
The woman playing is smaller than 1.37 m tall. |
In 2019, things are changing in the realm of para badminton. Indeed, this sport is played in more than 60 countries which raises its popularity. The first world championships are organised and from this point on, they are organised concurrently to the badminton international competition.
Para badminton in the Paralympics
In the 2021 Tokyo Paralympic games, para-badminton is played for the first time. 28 countries were in the running to win one of the 14 available medals. They were split between 10 countries. Although Asia got first by winning 5 gold medals, France faired well in this competition thanks to Lucas Mazur. The 23-year-old athlete becomes the very first French para badminton paralympic champion and contributes to swelling the ranks of this international discipline.
How is it played?
Para badminton rules remain generally similar to the rules of traditional badminton though some adjustments are made depending on the capabilities and mobility of the athletes. These rules are detailed below.
The essential rules
A point is scored when a player sends the shuttlecock in the opposing camp.
To win a para badminton set, the player must:
- Score 21 points;
- While having at least 2 more points than their opponent.
If need be, the game can go on until a player scores 30 points.
Of course, within a rally, a player loses the point if the shuttlecock does not reach their opponent’s side of the pitch.
Are considered fouls the following actions:
- A player sends the shuttlecock out of the pitch;
- A player strikes their opponent with the shuttlecock they sent
A player wins the game when they win 2 sets.
The pitch size
The pitch has the same dimensions as the pitch used for the practice of traditional badminton. It is 13.4m by 5.18m long. If the game is played in doubles, players are allowed to use the lateral lanes.
However, there exist adjustments for:
- People playing in a wheelchair (WH1 and WH2 categories);
- People with reduced mobility who are suffering from a disability or who are missing a lower limb.
In this case, the playing area is limited to half the size of the pitch.
The net remains as high as in traditional badminton (1.55m-high) except if the presence of a player with reduced mobility requires the lowering of the net. In this case, it is positioned to be between 1.20 and 1.50 m-high.
Required equipment to play
The equipment remains the same than for the practice of badminton, i.e.:
- A racket;
- A shuttlecock.
If the player struggles to handle the racket, the racket’s grip ca be adjusted.
For people that cannot use their legs, the practice of para badminton requires the use of a sport wheelchair.
The latter must come with:
- An anti-swing system to prevent forward falls;
- A safety strap to maintain the player on the wheelchair at all times.
Para badminton: a sport for everyone
The French para badminton federation is committed to make this sport accessible to everyone. It is about creating a process of inclusion and allow people suffering from a disability to continue to practice thanks to badminton. Para badminton also allows to raise awareness of disabilities among many people in schools or in companies.
As a wheelchair manufacturer, we at PlayMoovin’ agree wholeheartedly to this idea. We have made the FreeMoovin’, a perfect sport wheelchair for a safe leisurely practice. It adapts to children and adults.
You want people around you to discover para badminton? We are renting our wheelchairs to clubs, associations, companies, or schools. So if you want to commit with us to fight against discrimination towards people with disabilities and allow people with reduced mobility to practice this sport, get in touch with us!
