Badminton Asmahan Zraiqi, Special Olympics Jordan, in singles badminton competition at the 2003 Special Olympic World Summer Games. [Photo by David Maher, IRELAND OUT] Special Olympics Badminton players demonstrate the development of hand-eye coordination, muscular strength and endurance, cardiovascular fitness and quick footwork. Badminton players have to manage reaction time demands, speed and endurance challenges. In addition to offering traditional singles and doubles events, Special Olympics offers individual skills competition to allow athletes to train and compete in basic badminton skills. The development of these key skills is necessary prior to advancing to match play. These skills include strokes, serves and volleys. A player's final score is determined by adding together the scores achieved in each of the events. Special Olympics athletes can also participate in Unified Sports® Badminton doubles and mixed doubles events. Unified Sports is a program that combines Special Olympics athletes and athletes without intellectual disabilities (partners) on sports teams for training and competition. In Unified Sports Badminton, a doubles team would consist of one Special Olympics athlete and one partner. As in all Special Olympics sports, athletes are grouped in competition divisions according to ability level, age and gender. Badminton Facts Badminton was introduced in 1995 at the Special Olympics World Summer Games in Connecticut. The 2003 Special Olympics World Summer Games featured 107 Special Olympics athletes from 24 Programs participating in badminton competition. As of the 2005 Special Olympics Athlete Participation Report, 34,421 Special Olympics athletes compete in badminton. Badminton Events Singles Doubles and Mixed Doubles Unified Sports Doubles and Mixed Doubles The following events provide meaningful competition for athletes with lower ability levels: Target Serve Return Volley Return Serve Related Links International Badminton Federation (IBF)