Para badminton has been competed internationally since the 1990’s, with the first World Championships taking place in Amersfoort, the Netherlands, in 1998. But it was not until 2011 that the sport was brought under the governance of the Badminton World Federation.
There have been 10 World Championships to date, with the last taking place in Stoke Mandeville, England in 2015, which saw a turnout of 232 athletes from 35 countries competing in 22 medal events. Athletes compete in six different classes, with 63 countries across five regions currently practising Para badminton.
The sport will make its Paralympic debut at Tokyo 2020.
The Badminton World Federation is the international governing body. Badminton Canada is Canada’s National Sport Federation.
Classifications for Para badminton fall into three categories: wheelchair, standing, and short stature.
Wheelchair classifications are broken down into WH1: spinal injury causing impairment to upper limbs/trunk, scoliosis, multiple sclerosis, and WH2: spinal injury causing lower impairment to upper limbs/trunk, spina bifida, above knee amputation necessitating use of a wheelchair.
Standing classifications are SL3: single above knee amputation, double below knee amputation, cerebral palsy; SL4: single below knee amputation, cerebral palsy, hip dysplasia, leg length difference (of minimum 7cm); and SU5: upper limb amputation, upper limb impairment- eg. brachial plexus injury.
The short stature classification (SS6) is for short stature/dwarf condition - eg achondraplasia