Ladies Badminton Rules

Rules & Regulations

  • All games will be played with plastic shuttles
  • The referee’s ruling on a play is final.
  • The Al-Wahda Tournament Committee Officials reserve the right to modify these rules at any time.
  • All players registered in the Al-Wahda Sports Festival must be of the Shia Ithn’Asheri Faith. Any individual found to be in violation of this rule, will be immediately disqualified from the festival. In the event, the individual is part of a team, the entire team will be disqualified from the competition.
The following are the rules governing a game of badminton:
  • At no time during the game should a player touch the net, with their racket or body
  • The shuttle should not be carried on or come to rest on the racket
  • A player should not reach over the net to hit the shuttle
  • A serve must carry cross court (diagonally) to the opponent’s side to be valid (the shuttle must fall beyond the short service line and before the long service line of a double’s court – see diagram)
  • During the serve, a player should not touch any of the lines of the court until the server strikes the shuttle. During the serve, the shuttle should always be hit from below the waist.
  • A point is added to a team’s score when they win a rally.
  • A team wins a rally when the shuttle is hit and it touches the floor of the opponent’s side of the court or when the opponent commits a fault.
  • Each side can strike the shuttle only once before it passes over the net. Once hit, a player cannot strike the shuttle in a new movement or shot.
  • The shuttle hitting the ceiling or sidewalls is counted as a fault.
Scoring
  • To win a match, the team has to win 2 out of 3 games (in the semi finals and finals only). The Round Robins will all be 1 game only.
  • To win a game, the team has to score 21 points
  • If a score becomes 20-20, the side which scores 2 consecutive points shall win that game
  • If the score becomes 29-29, the side that scores the 30th point shall win that game
  • Every service counts for a point, therefore, the winning team for each rally scores a point (irrespective of, if that team served or not) (3 points will be awarded for a win, 1 point in a tie and 0 in a loss)
  • In the event of a tie after the qualifying round – the sum of point differentials for all games played by the tied teams in the qualifying round will be taken. The highest of which will move on to the next round. Should that also result in a tie, a match will be played to determine the team that will move on.
Serving
  • When serving, the server must stand behind the short service line on either the left or the ride side of the court
  • If the team’s score is even, the serve is taken from the right side of the court, and if it is odd, the serve is taken from the left side. The starting serve (love all) of a game always commences from the right court.
  • During the serve, the shuttle must be held and hit below the waist, and both feet must be on the ground
  • In a serve, the shuttle must travel forward in an upward direction until it passes the net
  • In attempting to serve, the server shall not miss the shuttle. Failing to hit the shuttle in a valid serve is a fault
  • If during a serve the shuttle touches the net and crosses over, the game is still in play. If the shuttle lands within the opposite service area, the service is correct.
In Play
  • Each side has only one service – and the number of points accumulated after each rally determines who the server will be
  • When the score is even, the player in the right service court will be the server. When the score is odd, the player in the left service court will be the server
  • When the serving side wins a rally – a point is awarded and the same server will serve again from the alternate service court
  • If the receiving side wins a rally – a point is awarded and they become the serving side
  • A rally is started after a player successfully serves the shuttle over the net in a valid serve
  • A rally stops when a team fails to hit the shuttle back into their opponent’s side of the court, or if a fault occurs
  • Clashing rackets does not end the rally unless both players hit the shuttle at once, in which case the rally ends and the point is lost.
Faults
  • • Faults indicate a loss of serve. Faults occur when any of the below-mentioned rules are violated.
  • Service Faults
    • If the serve is not valid
    • If the shuttle is caught in the net, and remains there
    • If the shuttle is hit by the receiver’s partner
  • In Play Faults
    • The shuttle lands outside the boundary lines of the court
    • *Note: If the shuttle lands on the line, it is considered to be valid, “in”
    • The shuttle passes through or under the net
    • The shuttle hits the ceiling, overhead lights (etc) or side walls
  • Player Obstruction Faults
    • A player prevents an opponent from making a legal stroke where the shuttle is followed over the net
    • Deliberately distracts an opponent by any action (i.e. shouting, making gestures)
    • Deliberately causes a delay of play
  • And also:
    • If at anytime a player hits the shuttle more than once or it touches a part of their body (or clothes)
    • In doubles, only one person is allowed to hit the shuttle once before it goes back to the opponent’s side – two hits is considered a fault
    • At no time during the game should you (and/or your racket) touch or go over the badminton net onto the opponent’s side of the court
Lets
  • Can be called by the umpire or a player to halt play
  • It shall be a let if:
    • The server severs before the receiver is ready
    • If the shuttle is caught in the net, after the service is returned
    • During play the shuttle disintegrates and the base completely separates from the rest of the shuttle
    • A line judge is unsighted and the umpire is unable to make a decision
    • Any unforeseen or accidental situation has occurred
  • When a let occurs, play from the last service shall not count and the player who served last will re-serve
Included below is a schematic of the Doubles Badminton Court. Badminton Map The Service receiving court is “Short and Wide” For the rest of the game, all the outside lines are in play. Last updated: August 27th, 2015