What happens if I misbehave or delay play?
Rule- South Africa
- Badminton South Africa
- BWF Laws of Badminton 2027
- 3x15 scoring
- Club badminton
- Senior
- 2027
- Players
Under Law 16 of the BWF Laws of Badminton, a player must not:
- deliberately delay or suspend play, or delay play to recover strength or wind or to get advice;
- deliberately damage or modify the shuttle to change its speed or flight;
- behave in an offensive or inappropriate manner;
- leave the court during a match without the umpire's permission (except in the intervals);
- commit any other misconduct.
Where there's an umpire, the penalties are:
| Step | Penalty | Card |
|---|---|---|
| First offence | Warning | Yellow |
| Offence after a warning, or a flagrant offence | Fault (the rally goes to your opponents) | Red |
| Referee decides to disqualify | Disqualification from the match | Black |
After a red card the umpire must report you straight away to the referee, who can disqualify you. (Card procedure from the BWF Instructions to Technical Officials.)
The umpire is the sole judge of delay. At BWF level, a phone or other electronic device ringing on or near the court, or being used to communicate during a match, is treated as misconduct.
Added 22 Oct 2026