What is para badminton?
B · Beginner · Classes and equipment · 1 of 3Para badminton is badminton for players with a physical impairment, governed by the BWF. It uses the same Laws of Badminton, with extra clauses for para play covering equipment, the court, service, faults and intervals. Players compete in six sport classes: two wheelchair classes, three standing classes for limb impairments and one for short stature.
How it works
- Governing body: the Badminton World Federation.
- Rules: the Laws of Badminton, plus para clauses.
- Classes: WH1, WH2, SL3, SL4, SU5 and SH6.
- Events: singles in every class; doubles in combined classes.
- Courts: smaller or half-courts in some classes.
- Match: best of three games.
- Equipment: wheelchairs, crutches and prostheses by class.
- Tournaments: the World Championships and the BWF World Circuit.
The glossary has the para badminton, the Badminton World Federation, the para clauses of the Laws, the sport classes (para badminton), the para badminton events and the BWF World Circuit.
Tricky cases
Are the para rules a separate rule book?
No. They are clauses inside the Laws, printed in italics.
Is para badminton a Paralympic sport?
Yes, since Tokyo 2020.
Do men and women play each other?
Only in mixed doubles, or when events are combined.
Can a standing player use a wheelchair?
No. A wheelchair is for the WH classes.
Why the rule exists
One set of Laws keeps para badminton the same game. The para clauses change only what an impairment makes necessary.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Wheelchair classes | Smaller courts, chair rules | L 1.1.1, 5.2 |
| SL3 singles | Half-court | L 1.1.2 |
| Other standing classes | Full court | L 1.1 |
From the rule book
BWF, Laws of Badminton, version 6.0 (in force 4 January 2027), Definitions and Laws 1, 5.2 and 9, with BWF, Para Badminton General Competition Regulations, version 7.0 (8 November 2025), Regulations 4 and 8.8. Checked 14 October 2026. Official documents: BWF Statutes, Sections 4.1 and 5.5.