LAWS OF BADMINTON
http://www.worldbadminton.com/rules/
MSDBA REGULATIONS FOR ALL SENIOR COMPETITIONS (Amended 2023)
1) These competitions shall comprise such league competitions as the committee shall determine, and shall be confined to clubs within the Mid Sussex area. Competitions are restricted to affiliated clubs only.
2) The competitions shall be managed by one, or more, sub-committees of not more than four Association officials, to be appointed by the committee. The sub-committee(s) shall have the power to decide all questions relating to competitions. Any club being dissatisfied with any decision shall have the right of appeal to the committee, whose decision shall be final and binding.
3) Entry fees shall be fixed by the committee. Clubs wishing to compete must apply to the League Secretary by the 15th of August each year or any alternative date specifically announced by the League Secretary, giving information about the playing strength of the team(s) they wish to enter, as will assist the sub-committee(s).
4) The arrangement of divisions in any of the league competitions shall be made by the sub-committee(s), on or before the first of September in each season, and copies shall be circulated to clubs as soon as possible thereafter. Current League scores and positions will be available on the MSDBA Webite for all competitions as soon as the first matches are played.
5) The League Secretary shall organise a Fixtures Evening to take place in September each season. The Match Secretaries of participating clubs shall attend and agree with the appropriate Match Secretaries of the other clubs, the dates, start times and venues for all the matches to be played by clubs’ teams. The Match Secretaries shall also pay their clubs’ affiliation and entry fees during the Fixtures Evening.
6) Each club shall play home and away matches with each of the other clubs in the same division. When a club has two teams in the same division, matches between these teams shall be completed within three months of the Fixture Evening. Subject to any regrouping that may be necessary, one club will be promoted and one club relegated between all of the divisions in all competitions at the end of each season. In the event of a club, with several teams in the league, withdrawing one or more of these they shall remove their most junior team.
7) In all matches, each team shall score one point for each rubber won (ie . maximum of three games between the same pairs). If two, or more, clubs have the same number of points at the end of the season, final positions will be decided in favour of the club winning the highest number of matches, then games and finally, points won.
8) Qualification to play for a club shall be bona-fide membership of that club, including payment of the usual subscription for playing members for the current season. Except where clubs are entering a joint team with another club in the MSDBA, in which case players must be bona-fide members of either club.
A player should not represent more than one club in any competition.
9) In each competition, participating clubs who enter more than one team in the same league shall nominate the players they propose to play for their first team and any lower team, except their lowest.
a) When two teams from the same club are playing in the same division, a player nominated for one team cannot play for the other.
b) A list of nominated players will be made available to any affiliated club by the League secretary on request.
c) A player who has played more than 2 matches in any division will no longer be eligible to play in any matches in a lower division in that league.
10) Rally Point Scoring System – The side winning a rally shall add a point to its score in every rally and keep or gain the service. The rules of play, lets and faults apply. If the score reaches 20-all setting shall be used and the winning side shall be the side that gains a two point lead. If the score reaches 29-all the side scoring the 30th point shall win the game.
11) The first pairs shall be ready to play within five minutes of the start time and the other pairs shall be ready to play within thirty minutes of the start time. Teams failing to comply shall forfeit two games in each case, unless the captains mutually agree otherwise. Teams failing to arrive after an hour will be regarded as absent and a walkover awarded.
a) If a match is adjourned, it may, at the discretion of the sub-committee, be replayed and the composition of the teams be changed.
12) Postponement of a match shall be made at least 7 clear days before the date arranged, If a postponed match cannot be rearranged, points will be allocated by the league sub-committee. Postponement of a match within 7 days of the date arranged may result in a walkover for the opposing club. The home team must send an e-mail or letter to the League Secretary explaining the reason for the postponement or cancellation. In every case, costs incurred by a postponement or cancellation are to be paid by the cancelling club, unless shared by mutual agreement.
13) The home team must offer their opponents at least two dates. Offers to begin before 6.45pm on weekdays or on Saturday and Sunday afternoons shall not be regarded as an offer unless agreed in advance by the league committee. The home team shall provide and bear the cost of the court and shuttles. League matches shall be played with cork-based shuttles. All matches shall be played according to the Laws of Badminton.
14) Secretaries, or match secretaries, of home teams are responsible for ensuring that all match results are sent by e-mail or post (on MSDBA score sheets) to the League Secretary, within forty eight hours of the match being played. Failure to do so may result in the loss of league points.
15) Secretaries, or Match Secretaries, of the home team shall confirm matches at least three days prior to playing.
16) Membership
“All clubs and players must be affiliated to Badminton England”
(Updated addition to Rule 5 in the Constitution as voted during the EGM held on 22nd September 2015)
(A requirement of affiliating to Badminton England is that clubs & players must also affiliate to their county association i.e. Sussex)