Badminton is one of the more popular and competitive sports in the world, as evidenced by its inclusion as an Olympic sport in 1992. Similar to tennis in that it uses rackets and also to volleyball in that it uses a raised net, badminton has its own distinctive rules called “laws.”
Player and Equipment Rules
As in tennis, badminton can be played with one or two players on either side of the net. Each player uses a racket that is regulated to be no more than 26.7 inches in length. The head of the racket cannot exceed 11 inches long by 8.6 inches wide, according to the World Badminton Federation. Instead of a ball, the rules require the use of an object known as a “shuttle.” The shuttle consists of a rubber ball enclosed by plastic feathers which allow it to float when hit up in the air. The top of the net stands 5 feet from the playing court, which measures approximately 44 feet long by 20 feet wide.
Game Play Rules
The rules of badminton state that play shall begin by a coin toss to determine which player will serve first. Players earn points by winning a rally. Unlike volleyball, a player does not have to have service to score a point. Players win a rally by the opposing player committing a fault or when the shuttle touches any part of the in-bounds portion of the court on the opponent’s side. The player to first score 21 points wins the match. If the score becomes 20-20, the first player to score two more points than his opponent wins, unless the score becomes 29-29. In that case, the first player to score 30 points wins. Matches consist of the first player to win two games.
Faults
There are a number of different scenarios which constitute a fault and result in a point for the opposing player or team. A shuttle that is hit by a player and lands anywhere on the player’s side of the court or out of bounds is considered a fault. Serving the shuttle incorrectly—the shuttle must be below the waist when hit on the serve, and the shaft of the racket must be pointing down—or failing to get the service over the net also results in a fault. A fault also occurs when the shuttle touches any part of the body or clothing of a competitor.
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