What do I need to know to mark or referee a squash match in South Africa, at any age level? Marker and referee duties, calls, lets and strokes, appeals, timing, injuries, distractions and conduct penalties.
A match is normally run by a referee, or a referee and a marker (World Squash Singles Rule 3). Both keep a record of the score, the server and the correct service box. They sit at the centre of the back wall, as close to it as possible and just above the out-line.
The marker
The referee (whose decision is final)
One official only: you are both marker and referee, and players can appeal your marker calls to you as referee.
World Squash Singles Rule 3.5 and Appendix 2.
Calls during play
| Call | When |
|---|---|
| Fault | A serve isn't good |
| Down | Ball hit the tin, the floor before the front wall, or the front wall then the tin |
| Out | Ball hit on or above the out-line, a fixture above it, the top of a wall, or left the court or went through a fixture |
| Not up | Not struck correctly, bounced twice, or touched the striker or their clothing |
| Stop | Players must stop immediately |
If you're unsure about a serve or return, make no call.
After each rally, call without delay, in this order:
Examples: "Not up. Hand out, 4–3." "Stroke to Jones, 10–8, Game ball."
Match and game announcements
Also tell players which box to serve from if they're unsure or in the wrong one. After an appeal, wait for the referee's decision before calling the score. Use family names where possible.
After a reasonable follow-through, each player must make every effort to give the opponent a fair view of the ball, access to it, room for a reasonable swing and freedom to hit to any part of the front wall. Normally only the striker may request a let ("Let, please", without undue delay); a request for a let includes a request for a stroke. If you're unsure why a player is asking, ask them.
Work through the general tests in World Squash Singles Rule 8.6:
Other points:
These apply on top of the general let/stroke tests (World Squash Singles Rules 8.8 to 8.13).
Access
Racket swing (reasonable backswing, strike and follow-through)
Further attempt (and the striker could have made a good return)
Turning (the player loses sight of the ball or opponent, or the ball passes behind them)
You can also allow a let or award a stroke without any request, stopping play if necessary, especially for safety.
Ball hits the non-striker on its way to the front wall (Rule 9.1), stop play:
Ball hits a player on its way back from the front wall (Rule 9.2):
Striker holds up rather than hit the opponent (front-wall interference, Rule 8.11):
If a striker hits the opponent with the ball, always consider whether it was deliberate or dangerous.
Players appeal by saying "Appeal, please" (World Squash Singles Rule 10). Either player may stop during a rally to appeal a lack of call; the loser of a rally may appeal any call or lack of call. Nothing before the latest serve can be appealed except a broken ball, and an appeal on the last rally of a game must be immediate. If it's unclear which return is being appealed, ask; if there are several appeals, consider each one.
| You find | Decision |
|---|---|
| The marker's call (or no call) was correct | The rally result stands |
| The marker's call was wrong | Let, unless the call interrupted a winning return by either player, in which case that player wins the rally |
| The marker didn't call a serve or return that wasn't good | Rally to the other player |
| You're unsure whether the serve was good | Let |
| You're unsure whether a return was good | Let, unless the marker's call interrupted the other player's winning return, in which case that player wins the rally |
Your decision is final. The marker waits for it and then calls the score. If you disagree with a marker's call or lack of call without any appeal, rule immediately, stopping play if necessary.
The referee enforces all time rules, announcing "15 seconds", "Half-time" and "Time" (World Squash Singles Rules 3.6.7, 4 and 7). Players are responsible for being close enough to hear.
| Period | Maximum | Call |
|---|---|---|
| Warm-up | 4 minutes, sides changed after 2 | "Half-time" at 2 minutes, "Time" at 4 |
| End of warm-up to start of play | 1 minute | "15 seconds", then "Time" |
| Between games | 2 minutes | "15 seconds", then "Time" |
| Changing damaged equipment (including glasses, eyewear, a contact lens) | 2 minutes |
Under World Squash Singles Rule 13, first decide whether the injury is genuine and which category it is, then tell both players the category and the recovery time. Recovery time starts from that decision, applies only when the injury happens, and if given at the end of a game includes the game interval. The score at the end of the injury rally stands.
| Category | Recovery time | If not ready |
|---|---|---|
| Illness (cramp, nausea, blister, breathlessness, asthma) | None | Play on, or concede the game and use the interval, then play on or concede the match |
| Self-inflicted injury | Up to 3 min | Concede the game, use the interval, then play on or concede the match |
| Contributed (both players, accidental) | Up to 15 min | Concede the match |
| Opponent-inflicted, accidental | Up to 15 min (you may also apply Rule 14) | Award the match to the injured player |
| Opponent-inflicted, deliberate or dangerous | Any time needed means the match is awarded to the injured player; if they play on, apply Rule 14 | |
| Recurrence of an earlier injury, or not genuine | None | Play on, or concede the game, then play on or concede the match |
Blood injury (enough blood flow to transfer to the opponent or the court): the player must leave the court; get them back as quickly as possible, clean the court and have bloodstained clothing replaced.
A graze with no blood flow, or blood visible through a dressing, is not a blood injury. If the court becomes unplayable from vomiting, award the match to the opponent. It's always the injured player's decision whether to resume.
World Squash Singles Rule 12:
Distraction (the let request must be immediate)
Fallen objects
Court conditions
The ball: a ball breaking during a rally is a let; a ball wedged in the court is a let; no let for an unusual bounce. A player who stops play claiming a broken ball that isn't broken loses the rally.
If a player's conduct is unacceptable you must penalise it, stopping play if necessary (World Squash Singles Rule 14).
Penalties, chosen by severity: Conduct Warning, Conduct Stroke, Conduct Game, Conduct Match. For a later similar offence you can give the same penalty again, but never a lighter one. You can penalise at any time, including the warm-up and after the match.
Offences include: audible or visible obscenity; verbal, physical or other abuse; unnecessary physical contact (including pushing off the opponent); deliberate or dangerous play, including an excessive swing and turning; dissent; trying to influence the referee; abuse of equipment or court; unfair warm-up; delaying play (including being late back); deliberate distraction; receiving coaching during play. Players also can't leave the court during a game without permission, place objects in the court or ask for an official to be changed.
Effect on the score:
Calls (Appendix 2), for example: "Conduct Warning Smith for delaying play"; "Conduct Smith, Stroke to Jones for delay of game"; "Conduct Jones, Game to Smith for abuse of opponent".
Complete any required paperwork after a conduct penalty. If someone other than a player is disruptive or offensive, suspend play until it stops or they leave.