During the earlier years of the sport, badminton was played under a variety of conditions- courts of different dimensions, shuttlecocks      and rackets of many designs, even many different sets of rules defining the basic game. Early forms of Badminton were played in China, India and Greece. However, it was in 1860, in England, that Badminton started developing into the form it has today. It was first practiced on the premises of the Duke of Beaufort in the county of Gloucestershire. Badminton is named after the Duke’s residence, known as the “Badminton House”.

           The International Badminton Federation (IBF)  was founded in 1934 by 9 National Federations (Canada, Denmark, England, France, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, Scotland and Wales). Today, the IBF numbers 147 country-members.

          In Greece, Badminton first appeared in the 1980s. It was practiced by students at the Democritus University in Thrace. In 1992, the Hellenic Badminton Federation was founded by 6 member clubs. Today, more than 40 clubs from all around the country encompassing a total of 3,500 men and women athletes are actively involved with Badminton.