Badminton: Shuttlecocks
By Prof Dr Ian Blackshaw
Due to a shortage of duck and goose feathers, the World Federation of Badminton (BWF), the sport’s governing body, has approved the use of synthetic shuttlecocks in selected tournaments on a trial basis.
The increasing popularity of badminton, bird flu and the return of pork to the menu in China, where the sport is popular and where most of the shuttlecocks are made, have led to an increase in the costs of producing the traditional feathered shuttlecocks.
The synthetic shuttlecocks will be trialled in grade three and junior international tournaments as part of a review of their possible use at the elite level of the sport.
According to the BWF:
"The trial will include the collection of manufacturer performance data, alongside feedback from players, technical officials, and event organisers."
Traditional shuttlecocks are made of 16 duck or goose feathers, which are taken from the same wing, in order to give the correct flight and spin, as feathers from different wings curve differently.
Prof Dr Ian Blackshaw may be contacted by e-mail at ‘
