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Badminton Rules

Hight lights of the Badminton Rules

Service

  • In a correct service, the flight of the shuttle shall be upwards from the server’s racket to pass over the net so that, if not intercepted, it shall land in the receiver’s service court (i.e. on or within the boundary lines); and
    • neither side shall cause undue delay once the server and the receiver are ready for the service.
    • on completion of the backward movement of the server’s racket head, any delay in the start of the service shall be considered to be an undue delay;
    • the server and the receiver shall stand diagonal positions without touching the boundary lines;
    • some part of both feet of the server and the receiver shall remain in contact with the surface of the court in a stationary position from the start of the service until the service is delivered;
    • the server’s racket shall initially hit the base of the shuttle;
    • the whole shuttle must be below 1.15 metres at the instant of being hit by the server’s racket;
    • the movement of the server’s racket shall continue forwards from the start of the service until the service is delivered;
    • in attempting to serve, the server shall not miss the shuttle.
  • Once the players are ready for the service, the first forward movement of the server’s racket head shall be the start of the service.
  • Once started, the service is delivered when the shuttle is hit by the server’s racket or, in attempting to serve, the server misses the shuttle.
  • The server shall not serve before the receiver is ready. However, the receiver shall be considered to have been ready if a return of the service is attempted.
  • In doubles, during the delivery of service, the partners may take up any positions within their respective courts, which do not un-sight the opposing server or receiver.

Doubles

  • No player shall serve or receive out of turn, or receive two consecutive services in the same game, except or when a fault for misconduct is called.
  • Either player of the winning side may serve first in the next game, and either player of the losing side may receive first in the next game.

Service Court Errors

  • when a player has served / received out of turn; or has served / received from the wrong service court;
  • If a service court error is discovered, the error shall be corrected when the shuttle is not in play and the existing score shall stand.

Faults

It shall be a ‘fault’ if:
  • a service is not correct;
  • in service, the shuttle:
    • is caught on the net and remains suspended on its top;
    • after passing over the net, is caught in the net; or
    • is hit by the receiver’s partner;
  • in play, the shuttle:
    • lands outside the boundaries of the court (i.e. not on or within the boundary lines);
    • fails to pass over the net, touches the ceiling or side walls;
    • touches the person, dress of a player or any other object / person outside the court;
      (Where necessary on account of the structure of the building, the local badminton authority may, subject to the right of veto of its Member Association, make bye-laws dealing with cases in which a shuttle touches an obstruction).
    • is caught and held on the racket and then slung during the execution of a stroke;
    • is hit twice in succession by the same player. However, a shuttle hitting the head and the stringed area of the racket in one stroke shall not be a ‘fault’;
    • is hit by a player and the player’s partner successively; or
    • touches a player’s racket and does not travel towards the opponent’s court;
  • in play, a player:
    • touches the net or its supports with racket, person or dress;
    • invades an opponent’s court over the net with racket or person except that the striker may follow the shuttle over the net with the racket in the course of a stroke after the initial point of contact with the shuttle is on the striker’s side of the net;
    • invades an opponent’s court under the net with racket or person such that an opponent is obstructed or distracted; or
    • obstructs an opponent, i.e. prevents an opponent from making a legal stroke where the shuttle is followed over the net;
    • deliberately distracts an opponent by any action such as shouting or making gestures;

Lets

  • ‘Let’ shall be called by the umpire, or by a player (if there is no umpire), to halt play.
  • It shall be a ‘let’, if:
    • the server serves before the receiver is ready;
    • during service, the receiver and the server are both faulted;
    • after the service is returned, the shuttle is suspended on top of the net or caught after passing over;
    • during play, the shuttle disintegrates and the base completely separates from the rest of the shuttle;
    • in the opinion of the umpire, play is disrupted or a player of the opposing side is distracted by a coach;
    • a line judge is unsighted and the umpire or Instant Review System is unable to make a decision; or
    • any unforeseen or accidental situation has occurred.
  • When a ‘let’ occurs, play since the last service shall not count and the player who served last shall serve again.

Shuttle is

A shuttle is not in play when:
  • it strikes the net or post and starts to fall towards the surface of the court on the striker’s side of the net;
  • it hits the surface of the court; or a ‘fault’ / ‘let’ has occurred.

Continuous Play, Misconduct & Penalties

Play shall be continuous from the first service until the match is concluded with the exception of the following:
  • Intervals:
    • o not exceeding 60 seconds during each game when the leading score reaches 11 points.
    • o not exceeding 120 seconds between games during a match.
  • Suspension of play:
    • o When necessitated by circumstances not within the control of the players.
    • o If play is suspended, the existing score shall stand and play shall be resumed from that point.
  • Delay in play:
    • o Under no circumstances shall play be delayed for recovery or to receive advice.