BADMINTON
OFFICIATING
OFFICIALS - THEIR DUTIES AND
RESPONSIBILITIES
REFEREE
Most important official of the whole tournament
In charge of the competition
Ensures that the tournament is conducted
following the Laws of Badminton that might be
relevant in that specific competition
Has the last word if there is an argument between
the umpire and a player/team
In charge of the approval of the schedule of
matches
UMPIRE
The maximum authority in a particular match and
is also in charge of the court
Make sure that the particular match is conducted
following the Laws of Badminton that might be
relevant in that specific competition
Responsible in judging players faults
Reports players’ misbehaviour or incident to the
referee
Responsible in keeping the match score, which
will be announced after each point of the match
Responsible in filling out the score sheet of a
particular match.
Service Judge
Responsible for making a “service fault” call
Provide shuttles to the players
In a local / commercial tournaments where there
is no service judge, the umpire takes its role
Line Judge
Responsible in judging whether the shuttle lands
“in” or “out” near the lines he/she is assigned to
control
Depending on the level of the tournament, there
ay be as many as 10 line judges assigned to a
court for a particular match, as recommended by
BWF
THE COURT
SINGLES AND DOUBLES PLAY
SIMPLIFIED RULES IN BADMINTON
SCORING SYSTEM
• A match consists of the best of 3 games of 21 points
• Every time there is a serve – there is a point scored
• The side winning a rally adds a point to its score
• At 20 all, the side which gains a 2 point lead first, wins the
game
• At 29 all, the side scoring the 30th point, wins the game
• The side winning a game serves first in the next game
INTERVAL AND CHANGE OF ENDS
• When the leading score reaches 11 points, players have a
60 seconds interval
• A two-minute interval between each game is allowed
• In the third game, players change ends when the leading
score reaches 11 points
SINGLES PLAY
• At the beginning of the game (0-0) and 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.
• 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. He serves from the appropriate
service court – left if the score is odd, and right if the score
is even.
DOUBLES PLAY
• A side has only one service.
• The service passes consecutively to the players.
• At the beginning of the game and when the score is even,
server serves form the right service court. When it is odd,
the server serves from the left service court
• If the serving side wins a rally, they score a point and the
same server serves again from the alternate service court.
DOUBLES PLAY
• If the receiving side wins a rally, they score a point and
become the new serving side
• The players do not change their respective service courts
until they win a point when their side is serving.
• If players commit an error in the service court, the error is
corrected when the mistake was discovered.
OFFICIALS’ HAND SIGNALS
SERVICE JUDGE
UNDUE DELAY OF SERVE
Any delay in the start of the
service shall be considered to be
an undue delay.
SERVICE JUDGE
FOOT FAULT
At the start of the service, both feet
of the server and receiver should
remain in contact with the surface
of the court in a stationary position.
Foot touching the line
Dragging of foot by the server
Lifting of foot by the server
SERVICE JUDGE
SERVER FAILS TO HIT THE BASE OF
THE SHUTTLE
The server’s racket shall initially hit
the base of the shuttle.
SERVICE JUDGE
SERVICE TOO HIGH
The shuttle shall be below the server’s
waist in the execution of service.
SERVICE JUDGE
RACKET VIOLATION
The shaft and the head of the racket
shall be pointing in a downward
direction during the execution of the
service.
LINE JUDGE
SHUTTLE IS “IN”
The shuttle landed inside the playing
area.
LINE JUDGE
SHUTTLE IS “OUT”
The shuttle landed outside the playing
area.
LINE JUDGE
SHUTTLE IS “OUT”
The shuttle landed outside the playing
area. The line judge shall shout “out”
while executing the hand signal.
LINE JUDGE
UNSIGHTED
The line judge does not see where the
shuttle actually landed.
