The Thomas Cup, sometimes called the World Men's Team Championships, is an international badminton competition among teams representing member nations of the Badminton World Federation (BWF), the sport's global governing body. The championships have been conducted every two years since the 1982, amended from being conducted every three years since the first tournament held in 1948–1949.
Sir George Alan Thomas and Ethel B. Thomson playing badminton, 1905
1973 Thomas Cup held in Indonesia, commemorated with a stamp.
1961 Thomas Cup held in Indonesia, commemorated with a stamp.
Badminton is a racquet sport played using racquets to hit a shuttlecock across a net. Although it may be played with larger teams, the most common forms of the game are "singles" and "doubles". Badminton is often played as a casual outdoor activity in a yard or on a beach; formal games are played on a rectangular indoor court. Points are scored by striking the shuttlecock with the racquet and landing it within the other team's half of the court.
Two Chinese pairs compete in the mixed doubles gold medal match of the 2012 Olympics
An 1854 depiction of battledore and shuttlecock by John Leech.
Charles Gleyre, Odysseus and Nausicaa (with badminton rackets).
Badminton racquets