Badminton can be played as
singles or doubles. In a single rally,
there will be two players, playing with
each other. While in a double rally,
you can pair up with your friend and
play a game of four. The players are
a set, like the sets of cards.
The basic rule and regulation of
any badminton rally, either Olympics
or your family play is that, the game
always begins with a toss. Before
commencing play, the opposing
sides shall toss a coin and the side
winning the toss shall have the option
of: serving first, not serving first, or
choosing ends. The side losing the
toss shall then have the choice of
any alternative remaining. The start
is only hosted by a toss; the next first
serve depends on who wins the rally.
An official match has to be
played indoors on the proper court
dimensions. The dimensions are
6.1m by 13.4m. The net is situated
through the middle of the court and is
set at 1.55m.
The serve is the basic of any
badminton play. Serve is the term
used according to badminton rules,
to hit the cock during the beginning of
each rally. Serve should always be
done underarm and below the
server’s waist. An overarm serve is
against the rules of badminton, and
would be considered a fault.
When
serving,
you
cannot
randomly choose your side as you
wish. This is one of the basic
badminton rules which needs to be
followed for any rally. When the
server’s score is even, the server
serves from the right service
court. When the server’s score is
odd, the server serves from the left
service court. At the start of the
game, the score is 0-0 hence the first
server serves from right. After the
receiver returns the serve, the player
can hit the shuttle anywhere within
the entire court area.
Ends are changed after games
one and two. A two-minute break
between each game is allowed. If a
third game is necessary, ends are
changed during the game after one
side has scored 11 points. When the
leading score reaches 11 points,
players may take a 60-second break
if needed.
A point is scored when you
successfully hit the shuttlecock
over the net and land it in your
opponent’s court before they hit it.
When the server wins the game, a
point is scored and serve is retained.
When the receiver wins the rally, they
earn the right to serve. A point can
also be gained when your opponent
committed a fault. To win the game
of badminton, you must score points
before your opponent.
A match consists of best-ofthree games to 21 points. At 20 all,
the server which gains a two-point
lead first, wins the game. At 29 all,
the side scoring the 30th point first,
wins that game.
Faults and errors result in a point
for your opponent and you must
surrender the serve to them. As
stated earlier it is a fault if in serving,
the shuttlecock is struck above the
server’s waist. If you hit the shuttle
but it passes underneath the net, it
can be counted as a fault.
Touching the shuttle with your
body or clothing and the net with
your racquet, body, or clothes are
frowned upon among the basic rules
of badminton.
The shuttlecock which is either
served or hit should land inside the
service court. It is a fault if you hit
the shuttlecock into the net or
outside the parameters. As well as
if the server’s and receiver’s feet are
not within the boundaries of their
serving court and receiving court,
respectively. Any shuttlecock which
flew away from the boundaries will
not be counted and the opponent will
score.
Badminton officials share the
officiating roles and responsibilities
during the game. They are a group of
individuals appointed by the sport's
governing body. They play a very
important role in the badminton
matches. They will govern over, and
regulate,
fouls
and
rules
infringements. Understanding the
function of technical officials in
badminton will help you keep control
of players and spectators.
The badminton officials are divided
into different roles or positions. In
most major tournaments, there will
be at least thirteen (13) officiating
officials in badminton. The list
includes one referee, one umpire, a
service judge, and up to ten (10) line
judges.
REFEREE. The Badminton World
Federation (BWF) is the governing
body of the sport. The laws of the
BWF grant overall authority to the
match referee. So, a badminton
referee will have total governance
during any entire tournament or
formal event. Match referees should
ensure the practice schedules,
facilities, playing conditions, and
player's
equipment
meet
the
standards set out by the health and
safety rules and official laws of the
game. It is a tournament referee who
establishes an appropriate panel of
technical officials. It includes those
with several individual umpires or
judges.
UMPIRE.
There
are
many
responsibilities of an umpire in
badminton, but he/she has one main
focus: that is the close monitoring
and governance of all sporting
activities on the court. Match
umpires should apply, authorize, and
regulate the laws of the game.
Umpire roles and responsibilities
apply to the match being played on
the court they are officiating-
reporting to and acting under the
authority of the referee.
Throughout the game, the umpire
must announce the match score to
the players and to any watching
audience after each point. The
same duty would apply as the scores
change throughout a match.
Appointing any particular service
judge and line judges is another
role and characteristic of the umpire.
Match umpires can appoint a team of
judges at their discretion - explaining
how to officiate badminton on his or
her court. They will supervise the
service judge and line judges. But,
the umpire in badminton can use
discretion and overrule calls or
signals
made
by
refereeing
assistants.
A service judge in badminton has
two important roles: calling service
faults and keeping hold of, and
handing out, shuttles. The chief
role for a service judge is watching
over the server and checking
whether the serves made are legal.
The service judge will sit on a low
chair, located at the middle of the
court (directly opposite the umpire).
But, the role of the service judge
would go to the umpire if no service
judge
has
been
appointed.
Monitoring the badminton serve is an
important,
and
sometimes
controversial, aspect of the game.
Hence the need to dedicate a judge
to that particular role.
There are several functions for a
line judge in badminton. They are
responsible for monitoring the
service, side lines, and baseline
during a match. The role in the game
is such that a line judge must decide
and announce - by verbal call and
hand signals for badminton whether the shuttle has landed
inside or outside of the boundary
lines. Line judges have the
responsibility of calling a shuttlecock
“in” or “out” on the line(s) assigned.
And with this, we have arrived to
the end of this post. In it, we have
described the four types of
badminton officials that exist. These
are, first, the Referee, the main
responsible
for
the
whole
tournament. Second, the umpire, the
main
responsible
for
specific
matches. Third, the service judge, in
charge of checking the serves, giving
the shuttlecocks and assisting the
umpire. Fourth, the line judges, in
charge of calling “in” or “out” for shots
very close to the lines they are
responsible for.