100 BC
A form of badminton played by civilisations in Greece, India and China

1860s
A version of badminton named Poona played by British army officers in India

1873
Poona played at a lawn party held by the Duke of Beaufort at his country estate, Badminton. Guests introduced it to other friends as "the Badminton game"

1877
Bath Badminton Club developed the first written rules, which have remained essentially the same ever since

1934
The International Badminton Federation founded with nine members

1966
Badminton introduced as a participant sport at the Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica

1972
Badminton staged as a demonstration sport at the Munich Olympics

1992
Badminton introduced as a main event at the Barcelona Olympics

1993
Membership of the IBF grows to 142 nations