Aero Beach in Entebbe, Uganda, will soon become the centre of African AirBadminton as players from across the continent gather for the Africa AirBadminton Championships.
The competition will bring together 14 countries and more than 120 participants, making it one of the biggest AirBadminton events on the continent. The programme will continue from 20 to 22 September with the Zone 5 Regional Championships and a BWF/Badminton Confederation Africa AirBadminton Training Camp.
For Uganda, the event has an added meaning. The country has already played an important role in the development of AirBadminton in Africa and will now welcome the continent for a full championship on home soil.
What is AirBadminton?
AirBadminton was developed by the Badminton World Federation (BWF) as an outdoor version of the sport.
The idea is simple: take badminton outside traditional indoor halls and create opportunities to play on sand, grass and hard outdoor surfaces. This means the sport can be enjoyed in places such as beaches, parks, school grounds, gardens and other open spaces.
BWF officially introduced AirBadminton in Guangzhou, China, in May 2019, together with its Global Development Partner, HSBC.
AirBadminton in Africa
AirBadminton became part of the Badminton Confederation Africa’s development activities as the BWF introduced the sport around the world.
According to BCA records, Africa’s first AirBadminton tournament was a friendly competition held during the All-Africa Senior Championships in Uganda in 2021.
Later that year, on 26 October, another AirBadminton challenge took place at MTN Arena Lugogo during the All-Africa Mixed Team Championships.
Since then, the sport has continued to grow.
Five years later, Uganda is no longer simply introducing players to AirBadminton. It is hosting a continental championship.
According to Badminton Uganda CEO and BCA Chair of Events Mugabi Simon, the growth of the competition can be seen in the number of participating countries. The Mauritius edition involved four countries, the event in Ghana increased to nine, and the Uganda edition has now reached 14 countries.
The competition has also become more significant within the continental calendar, with the results contributing to qualification opportunities for future championships.
A sport made for more places
One of the main ideas behind AirBadminton is to make the sport possible without the need for a traditional indoor badminton hall.
This can be particularly important in Africa, where access to suitable indoor sporting facilities can be difficult in many communities.
A school field can become a playing area.
A park can become a venue.
A community space can become a court.
And in Uganda, a beach has become the setting for a continental championship.
The choice of Aero Beach is therefore fitting.
Mugabi explains that AirBadminton can be played on grass, concrete or sand, but the beach also creates an environment where people can enjoy sport and recreation while discovering badminton in a different way.
A different court and a different game
The AirBadminton court is smaller than many conventional badminton courts in some dimensions, but it introduces an important new feature.
For doubles and triples, the court measures 16 metres by 6 metres, while singles is played on a 16-metre by 5-metre court.
There is also a two-metre dead zone near the net.
The purpose of this area is to prevent players from making shots too close to the net, where controlling the AirShuttle outdoors can be difficult.
Players cannot step into the dead zone while making a stroke. However, they can land or move into the area after completing a legal shot before returning to their own playing area.
AirBadminton can be played in three formats:
- Singles: one player against one player.
- Doubles: two players against two.
- Triples: three players against three.
Triples is perhaps the format that makes AirBadminton especially different.
Players cannot hit two returns in a row. After one player returns the AirShuttle, a teammate must make the next return.
This means communication is essential.
Players have to know where their teammates are, anticipate the next shot and work together to cover the court.
The focus is therefore not only on producing a good individual shot, but also on building a strong sequence as a team.
How the scoring works
The recommended BWF format is best of five games.
Each game is played to 11 points. If the score reaches 10-all, a side must win by two clear points. However, when the score reaches 12-all, the next point decides the game, giving a maximum score of 13.
The first side to win three games wins the match.
Every point can be important.
In triples, hitting two consecutive returns is also a fault.
This means players need to remain focused throughout the match.
