FACTBOX-Olympics-Key facts about badminton at the Tokyo 2020 Games

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics involves 33 sports, including badminton. Here are some key facts about badminton at the Olympics.

Introduced: Badminton was officially added to the Olympic program at the 1992 Barcelona Games after first appearing at the 1972 Olympics as an exhibition event. A mixed-doubles event was introduced at the 1996 Olympics.

Events: Men and women each compete in singles, doubles and mixed-doubles formats, with five competitions in total. Scoring: Competitors must win two of three games to win a match. The first to reach 21 points with at least a two-point margin wins.

The Olympic competition is organized in a round-robin tournament format. Skills and technique: Badminton is considered as a mental game as a physical one, with players attempting to anticipate their opponents moves, as in a chess match.

Competitors use rackets and maneuvers like drop shots and smash that are similar to tennis in some respects, but use a shuttlecock instead of a ball. Top Competitors: China has fielded the strongest competitors in the sport, having won 18 gold medals in badminton since it was introduced to the Games.

Sources: International Olympic Committee, Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, Badminton World Federation Graphic: https://tmsnrt.rs/335PRrW