Badminton

Posts:
The posts shall be five feet, one inch in height from the surface of the court. They shall be placed on the side boundary lines of the court where possible.
Nets:
The net shall be five feet in height from the floor at the centre and five feet, one inch at the posts.
Shuttle:
A shuttle shall be deemed of correct speed if, when a player of average strength strikes it with a full underhand stroke from a spot immediately over one back boundary line in a line parallel to the side lines, and at an upward angle, it falls not less than one foot and not more than two feet six inches short of the other back boundary line.
Game Terms:
  • "in" side - the side which is serving.
  • "out" side - the side which is receiving the serve.
  • fault - a player error in which the shuttle fails to fall in the proper court, or the shuttle is hit illegally
Etiquette:
In general all competitors or participants in any sport should follow certain universal conventions of behaviour. These include the following precepts:
That all competitors honour their commitments:
  • That they accept responsibility and conduct themselves in a respectable manner;
  • that they respect and accept the decisions of officials;
  • that they play fairly according to the rules of the game;
  • that they consider the opponent not as an enemy but as a colleague in sport.
On-court Etiquette:
All badminton players should observe the following code of conduct:
  • Observe the dress rules of the club;
  • Be courteous at all times to other players;
  • As server, wait until the opponents are ready before beginning play;
  • Retrieve the shuttle at the end of a rally when it has fallen on your side of the net and return it promptly to your opponent;
  • Keep proper track of the score at all times;
  • Always make fair, quick and accurate line calls; if in doubt, give your opponent the benefit;
  • Make decisions for yourself rather than leaving them to the opponent;
  • Play the game for yourself, not the crowd;
  • After losing, acknowledge your opponent's strength and your own weaknesses; avoid excuses;
  • Never cross a badminton court while play is under way;
  • Do not walk behind or beside a court while the shuttle is in play
  • Wait until the rally finishes before retrieving a shuttle which has fallen onto another court;
The Toss:
Before commencing play, a coin toss must occur. The side winning the toss shall have the option of:
A Serving first; or
B Choosing ends.
In less formal settings, the coin toss is often repalced by hitting a shuttle into the air; whichever side it points to when it hits the ground shall serve first.
Faults:
A fault made by the serving player results in a point being awarded to the receiving team and results in a loss of serve. A fault committed by the receiving team results in a point being given to the serving team.
It is a Fault:
A If when serving, the shuttle is struck above the server's waist OR when the shuttle is struck, the server's racquet head is above the lowest part of the hand holding the racquet. The shaft of the server's raquet must be pointing in a downward direction.
B If when serving, the shuttle does not fall into the proper service court.
C If when serving, the server's feet and those of the person he/she is serving to are not in the correct service court.
D If when serving, there is any delay in the start of the serve after completion of the backward movement of the server's racquet head.
E

If, either in service or play, the shuttle falls outside the court boundaries or passes through or under the net, or touches the roof or side walls. (A shuttle falling on a line is considered to have fallen in the court.)
F If the shuttle"in play" is struck before it crosses to the striker's side of the net. (If the striker hits the shuttle on his side of the net, his racquet may follow across the net with no penalty.)
G . If, when the shuttle is" in play", a player touches the net or its supports with racquet, person or clothing.
H If the shuttle is held on the racquet (i.e. caught or slung) during the execution of a stroke, or if the shuttle is hit twice in succession by the same player with two strokes, or if the shuttle is hit by a player and his partner successively. Note: in Canada umpires do not call a fault where the shuttle appears to slide across the strings of a racquet, and the players must continue to play in such a situation.
I If a player is struck by the shuttle, whether he/she is standing within or outside the boundaries of the court.
J If a player obstructs an opponent.
Scoring System:
  A match consists of the best 3 games of 21 points. The side winning a rally adds a point to its score.
If the score reaches 20 all, the side which gains a 2 point lead first, wins the game. eg. 27-25.
At 29 all, the side scoring the 30th. point wins the game.
The side winning a game serves first in the next game.
Intervals and Change of Ends:
  When the leading score reaches 11 points, players have up to a minute rest interval.
Up to a 2 minute interval between games is allowed. Players change ends at the end of each game.
In the third game, players also change ends when the leading score reaches 11 points.
Singles:
  At the beginning of the game and when the score is even, the server serves from the right service court. When it is odd, the server serves from the left service court.
If the server wins a rally, the server scores a point and then serves again from the alternate service court.
If the receiver wins a rally, the receiver scores a point and becomes the new server, serving from the service court appropriate to the new score.
Doubles:
  There is only one serve in doubles. At the beginning of the game and when the score is even, the server serves from the right court. When the score is odd, the server serves from the left court.
The serve must be sent to the opponent who is standing in the diagonally opposite court. Only the player served to may return the serve. Should the shuttle be touched or struck by the receiver's partner, the serving team scores a point.
After the shutttle is served the server and the receiver may take up any positions they choose on their side of the net, regardless of the boundary lines.
If the serving sides wins a rally, the serving side scores a point and the same server serves again from the alternate court.
If the receiving side wins a rally, the receiving side scores a point. The receiving side becomes the new serving side. The receiving side does not change service court positions.
***The players do not change their respective service courts until they win a point when their side is serving.
General:
A The server may not serve till his/her opponent(s) are ready, but the opponent(s) shall be deemed to be ready if a return of the service is attempted.
B The server and the receiver must stand within their respective service courts, and some part of both feet of these players must remain in contact with the court surface in a stationary position until the service is delivered. A fault is committed if the server or receiver stand with a foot on or touching the lines of their respective service courts. The partners of these players may take up any position provided they do not obstruct an opponent.
C I If during a service or rally, the shuttle touches and passes over the net, the shuttle remains "in play". A shuttle struck so as to pass around a net post is invalidated and a fault committed. A "let" may be given for any unforseen or accidental hindrance.
  II If in the service, or during a rally, a shuttle, after passing over the net, is caught in or on the net, it is a "let".
  III If both server and receiver are faulted at the same time for respective service and receiving faults, it is a "let".
  IV When a "let" occurs, the play since the last service shall not count, and the player who served shall serve again.
D If the server, in attempting to serve, misses the shuttle, it is considered a fault.
E If, when in play, the shuttle strikes the net and remains suspended there, or strikes the net and falls towards the floor on the striker's side of the net, or hits the surface outside the court and an opponent then touches the net or shuttle with his/her racquet or person, a fault is not committed, as the shuttle is not then in play.
F If a player has the opportunity to strike the shuttle in a downward direction when quite near the net, his/her opponent must not put his/her racquet near the net on the chance of the shuttle rebounding from it. This is an obstruction and a fault. (A player may hold up his/her racquet to protect his/her face from being hit if he/she does not thereby baulk his/her opponent.)

Diagrams:

The service areas are those in which a player must stand to serve - either in the right or the left service area, and the area in which the receiver must stand until after the service is delivered.

A foot on or touching a line in the case of either the server or the receiver is considered to be outside of the service court and therefore is a fault.

The centre line dividing the right and left area is regarded as "in court" for either side should the shuttle fall on that line.