Rules Of Badminton – Common Questions

So there are a lot of great areas in the rules of badminton. Some are quite generic in their description that it cannot always be interpreted clearly, while others are simply not clearly understood by fans of the sport.

Recently on Instagram, I put out a request that you ask me anything regarding Badminton rules. There were a few questions in there that highlighted that there are misconceptions and confusion about some of the rules. So let’s clear some of these up!

Your Leg Can Go Under The Net

Yes, you read that right! Generally, during the course of a match, this will rarely happen and most commonly occurs on a net kill.

If during a shot or rally, your leg goes under the net and into the opponent’s side, this is perfectly legal as long as you don’t touch the net itself. You wouldn’t put your leg, or any part of your body under the net at any other time unless of course you are Mohammad Ahsan…

Your Racket Can Cross The Net

Like with the above, your racket can cross over the net as long as:

1. It’s during the course of playing a stroke
2. The shuttle is struck on your side first.

There’s little other reason for your racket to go over the net unless you’re deliberately trying to distract your opponent, in which case this would be a fault and probably a yellow card.

Striking the shuttle before it crosses the net is a fault and therefore the point awarded to your opponent.

The Card System

You might not be aware of the card system in badminton, given how rarely the umpire chooses to use them. At least, it’s not that often I’ve seen them on streamed matches! However, there are certainly instances of this. There are three coloured cards.

1. Yellow – this is used as a warning for misconduct and generally unsportsmanlike behaviour. This could be causing undue delay to the match, throwing rackets or general bad on-court attitude.

2. Red – This is used when the player continues with their misconduct despite being warned with a yellow card. A red card awards a point to the offender’s opponent. In essence, it is like a fault.

3. Black – The most severe punishment. A black card is a disqualification from the match and the win is awarded to the other player/pair. This most famously occurred at the 2012 Olympics when 8 pairs were disqualified for  ‘not using one’s best efforts to win a match’ and ‘conducting oneself in a manner that is clearly abusive or detrimental to the sport.’

Along with the brandishing of cards, there will also be further disciplinary action generally in the form of fines from the BWF and the national Badminton body as well as internal disciplinary action by the same.

A Serve Can Touch The Net In Badminton

I assume the question evolves from the exposure to Tennis, in which a service is a let if the ball touches the net. However, in badminton, if the shuttle touches the net on the serve, this is not a let and play should continue as normal. If it falls short, it’s considered a short serve and the point is awarded to the receiver. If it lands in, then it is a valid point to the server.

In fact, every shot in badminton is allowed to touch the top net without the consequence of a let or fault, as long as the shuttle travels over the net to the opponent’s side of the court and lands in. It is really just bad luck if you’re on the receiving end of it!

What Happens When The Shuttle Gets Caught On The Net?

This is one of those surreal experiences as a badminton player and one I have not yet achieved! As I understand from the rules, there are two different scenarios in which this can happen!

The first is when serving. If the shuttle gets caught on the net when serving it is a fault. If the shuttle goes over the net and still gets caught, it’s also a fault as the shuttle would have not made it into the opponent’s service box.

If however, the service has been returned and the shuttle gets caught on the top of the tape it is considered a let according to the official rules. The point is replayed. You can’t do what many players try to do and blow the shuttle over! Although it’s not in the rules…so who am I to contest it! Just kidding, don’t do that!

What Happens If The Shuttle Touches The Ceiling?

This would never happen in a professional match, given the height requirements and the arenas that the top professionals play in. however the rules do state that if the shuttle strikes a ceiling or wall, then it is a fault. But some amateur clubs have very low ceilings which prevent big lifts and high clears and can change your whole game.

Many clubs have their own rules of when the shuttle hits the ceiling! Most clubs I’ve played at will make some concessions depending on the layout of the sports hall. For example, if you hit a beam running below the ceiling it’s a let, however, the roof would be a fault. It’s really up to the club to decide. Some clubs will accept it as a let a replay the point.

Most clubs I’ve played at seem to have it as a fault because of time constrictions and I suspect – perhaps cynically, due to home advantage! There’s also the view that should a player be in trouble during a rally, they’d simply hit the shuttle into the roof and claim a let over and over!

You Can Switch Hands During A Rally

If you’re lucky enough to be ambidextrous, there’s nothing in the rules of badminton that says that you can’t switch your racket to your other hand during a rally! However, this is probably not the best use of your training time as you’d have to relearn your footwork and techniques as well in order to go along with the opposite hand! If, however, it’s a one-off if you drop your racket mid rally or something, then yes, you can play the next shot with whatever hand you choose!

You Can’t Return A Serve To Your Partner In Doubles

I have been asked about this previously by quite a few beginner players. In many of these instances, the situation arises where the receiver is flicked served so that they cannot receive the shuttle and their partner retrieves the shuttle. You cannot return a serve which was made to your partner. This would be considered a fault and the point awarded to the opponents.

The full list of rules can be found here. Are there any other badminton rules you are confused about? Let me know in the comments! Don’t forget to subscribe to the blog and follow me on Instagram and Facebook for other posts and updates!