The Uruguay national badminton team (Spanish: Selección nacional de bádminton de Uruguay) represents Uruguay in international badminton team competitions.[1] It is controlled by Uruguay Badminton Association. While badminton is not a popular sport in Uruguay, it has been gaining popularity after the country entered the Shuttle Time program organized by the Badminton World Federation.
Uruguay first competed in the South American Badminton Championships in 1985. Uruguay later qualified for a second time in 1988 when it hosted the championships. The last time the team ever competed in the championships was in 1996.[2]
It is not known when badminton first set foot in Uruguay. In one interview, the interviewee claims that the sport was first played by attachés in embassies, especially in Germany and the sport later spread in popularity and Uruguayans started to get involved in badminton.[3]
In another interview, the interviewee stated that the first president of the Uruguay Badminton Federation, Enrique Collerati bought badminton books, rackets with other equipment including shuttlecocks and began inviting experienced badminton players from Mexico to play badminton in a shed he had around the corner.[3] After that, he had the idea of forming the Uruguay Badminton Federation in 1985.[3] Around that time, the nation began hosting its first national championships and soon competed in the 1985 South American Badminton Championships.[3]
In the 2000s, badminton began to fade away in popularity in the country and the Uruguay Badminton Federation was disbanded. In 2016, with the help of Badminton Pan America and the Badminton World Federation, Shuttle Time courses were held and organized as an attempt to revive badminton in Uruguay.[4]