Badminton Equipment and Rules Overview

Equipment and Compliance

• Badminton World Federation (BWF) decides if rackets, shuttles, and equipment comply with specifications.
• Players, officials, manufacturers, and member associations can request rulings.
• Para badminton allows wheelchairs and crutches with specific regulations.
• Player may be fixed to the wheelchair with an elastic belt.
• Wheelchair can have supporting wheels extending beyond the main wheel.
• Player's feet must be fixed to the wheelchair's footrest.

Toss

• A toss determines which side chooses to serve first or start at a specific end of the court.
• The side losing the toss gets the remaining choice.

Scoring System

• A badminton match is best of three games, unless otherwise arranged.
• A game is won by the first side to reach 21 points.
• A side scores a point by winning a rally.
• A side wins a rally if the opponent commits a fault or the shuttle lands in the opponent's court.
• If the score reaches 20-all, the first side to gain a two-point lead wins.
• If the score reaches 29-all, the side scoring the 30th point wins.
• The winner of a game serves first in the next.

Change of Ends

• Players change ends at the end of the first game, the second game if there is a third, and in the third game when a side scores 11 points.
• If ends are changed incorrectly, they are fixed as soon as discovered, and the score remains unchanged.

Service

• The shuttle must be hit upwards from the server's racket, passing over the net to land in the receiver's service court.
• There should be no undue delay in service delivery once players are ready.
• The server and receiver must be in diagonally opposite service courts, not touching the boundary lines.
• Both feet of both players must be in contact with the court surface from the start of the service until delivery.
• The server's racket must initially hit the base of the shuttle and the shuttle must be below 1.15 meters from the court surface.
• For wheelchair badminton, the shuttle must be below the server's armpit when hit.
• The server's racket movement must continue forward from the start of the service until delivery.
• The server cannot miss the shuttle attempt.
• The start of the service is the first forward motion of the server's racket head.
• The service is delivered when the shuttle is hit by the racket or the server misses it.
• The server must not serve before the receiver is ready.
• In doubles, partners can move within their courts during service delivery, but cannot obstruct the opponent's view.

Singles

• Players serve from and receive in their right service courts when the server has scored an even number of points.
• They serve and receive in their left service courts when the server has scored an odd number of points.
• In Para badminton half-court classes, players serve from and receive in their respective service courts.

Order of Play & Position on Court

• Shuttle can be hit by both players alternately from any position on their side of the net until it goes out of play.

Scoring and Serving

• If the server wins a rally, they score a point and serve again from the alternate service court.
• If the receiver wins a rally, they score a point.
• The receiver serves next.

General Faults and Penalties

• If the shuttle:
  • Hits the net and falls onto the striker's side of the court
  • Hits the surface of the court outside the boundary lines
  • Lands outside the opponent's service court in a service
  • Does not pass over the net in a service (it hits the net)
  • Touches a player's racket and does not travel towards the opponent's court.
• In wheelchair badminton, if the shuttle:
  • Caught in the net and remains suspended on top
  • After passing over the net, is caught in the net
• If a player:
  • Touches the net or supports with their racket, person, or dress.
  • Invades an opponent's court over the net with their racket or person, except for following the shuttle over the net with the racket after the initial point of contact on their side.
  • Invades an opponent's court under the net with their racket or person, obstructing or distracting the opponent.
  • Obstructs an opponent's legal stroke where the shuttle is followed over the net.
  • Deliberately distracts an opponent by action such as shouting or gestures.
  • In wheelchair badminton, at the moment of shuttle hit no part of their trunk is in contact with the seat.
  • In wheelchair badminton, if the foot fixation to the footrest is lost.
  • In wheelchair badminton, during play, the player touches the floor with their feet.
• A point is awarded to the opponent if a player commits a fault during the rally.
• Penalty: If a player is persistently guilty of flagrant offences, they may be punished.

Lets

• An umpire or player can call a let to halt play.
• If the server serves before the receiver is ready.
• During service, both the receiver and server commit a fault.
• After a returned service, the shuttle:
  • Caught on the net and remains suspended
  • After passing over the net, is caught in the net.
• During play, the shuttle disintegrates and the base separates.
• Play is disrupted or a player is distracted by a coach.
• A line judge cannot see the shuttle, and the umpire or review cannot make a decision.
• Any unforeseen or accidental situation occurs.
• When let occurs, play after service does not count, and the last server serves again.

Shuttle Not in Play

• The shuttle is not in play when:
  • It hits the net and falls towards the striker's side.
  • It hits the surface of the court.
  • A fault or let occurs.

Continuous Play, Misconduct & Penalties

• Play is continuous from the first service until the match is concluded, unless laws 16.2, 16.3, and 16.5.3 apply.
• Intervals in play:
  • Not exceeding 60 seconds during each game when the leading score reaches 11 points.
  • Not exceeding 120 seconds between the first and second game, and between the second and third game.
• Suspension of play:
  • The umpire can suspend play in circumstances outside the players' control.
  • The referee can instruct the umpire to suspend play under special circumstances, including repairs to Para badminton equipment.
• If a player commits an egregious, repeated, or persistent fault, they may be penalised.