Mixed doubles was added to the Olympic badminton programme for the first time at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
The event pairs one male and one female player on each side. Its introduction expanded Olympic badminton from four events—men’s and women’s singles and doubles—to five medal events.
South Korea’s Kim Dong-moon and Gil Young-ah won the inaugural Olympic mixed-doubles gold medal. They defeated compatriots Park Joo-bong and Ra Kyung-min in the final, giving South Korea a sweep of the badminton gold medals in Atlanta.
Mixed doubles is distinct from a mixed team event, in which several matches contribute to a national team result. Olympic badminton has retained mixed doubles as one of its five events since 1996.