Umpire's Guide to Badminton South Africa BWF Laws All Ages 2027

Only when it's beyond reasonable doubt that the line judge has clearly made a wrong call (Law 17.5.1 of the BWF Laws of Badminton). Otherwise the line judge's decision on their line is final.

• Your overrule, or the result of a player's challenge where an Instant Review System is in operation, replaces the line judge's original call (BWF Instructions to Technical Officials 8.2).
• Where an Instant Review System is in use, it decides any line call challenge (Law 17.5.2).
• If a line judge is unsighted (hands over eyes), make the call yourself if you can. If you can't, and the Instant Review System can't decide either, call a let (Laws 17.6.6 and 14.2.6).
• Where no line judge is appointed, arrange for the duty to be covered or do it yourself (Law 17.6.5); the service judge may be asked to call the nearest sideline.

The service judge sits on a low chair by the net post, opposite the umpire, and calls service faults by the server (Law 17.3, covering Laws 9.1.2 to 9.1.8). On a fault, call "Fault" loudly and give the approved hand signal; the umpire then acknowledges it and explains the fault.

What to watch, under Law 9.1:

Where the BWF alternative service law is used, the height test is instead: whole shuttle below the server's waist (level with the lowest rib), with the racket shaft and head pointing downwards at contact.

Other duties (BWF Instructions to Technical Officials): handle shuttle changes as the umpire instructs and keep enough shuttles ready; extra tasks the umpire assigns, such as checking the posts are on the doubles sidelines, the service height device is in place and level, the net height, or calling the nearest sideline when there's no line judge; check Instant Review challenges are administered correctly; and alert the umpire straight away to any potential mistake, standing up and crossing the court if necessary.

Under the BWF Instructions to Technical Officials (section 8) and Law 17.4:

• A line judge is entirely responsible for the line(s) assigned and indicates whether the shuttle landed "in" or "out".
• Line judges sit looking directly down their lines at the ends and sides of the court, preferably on the side opposite the umpire unless the referee says otherwise.

• Don't call or signal until the shuttle has touched the floor or something outside the court (other than a player).
• Call without anticipating the umpire's decisions about faults, such as the shuttle touching a player or racket first.
• Remember that lines are part of the area they mark, so a shuttle touching the line is in.

If a line judge is unsighted, the umpire makes the call or plays a let.

The 2027 BWF Laws of Badminton, adopted on 25 April 2026, take effect on 4 January 2027. Until then the 2025 Laws (21-point games) apply.

Matches are still best of three games unless otherwise arranged, and the winner of a game serves first in the next. If a change of ends is missed, change as soon as it's discovered with the shuttle not in play; the score stands.

For a televised match the referee may decide before the match that the intervals are mandatory and of fixed length.

Law 16.7 of the BWF Laws of Badminton: for a breach of the interval rules (16.2), delay (16.4.1), leaving the court without permission (16.5.2) or misconduct (16.6), the umpire:

1. warns the offending side; or
2. faults the offending side if it has already been warned; or
3. faults it straight away for a flagrant offence.

On faulting a side you must report it immediately to the referee, who can disqualify it from the match.

Cards and calls (BWF Instructions to Technical Officials):

• Misconduct during an interval is dealt with immediately, as if during a game.
• Misconduct on the field of play before "Play" is first called gets a card that doesn't change the score but counts towards later offences.
• Misconduct after the match on the field of play is carded and reported.
• Offences include deliberately delaying play, damaging the shuttle, offensive or inappropriate behaviour, and a player's phone or electronic device ringing or being used for communication on court.

Record and report every incident and the action taken to the referee.

The Law (BWF Laws of Badminton):

• Players may receive advice only when the shuttle is not in play and until they've taken up position to serve and receive (Law 16.5.1).
• If, in your opinion, play is disrupted or a player of the opposing side is distracted by a coach, call a let (Law 14.2.5).

BWF Instructions to Technical Officials (part of BSATO umpire training):

• No coaching from the moment the players are in position for the next serve, or while the shuttle is in play.
• Coaches stay in their designated seats and don't stand courtside except during the intervals; they may not move their chairs without the referee's permission.
• Coaches must not distract or disrupt play, communicate with opposing players, coaches or the on-court officials, or use electronic devices courtside.
• A maximum of two coaches per side courtside.
• If a coach's disruption is repeated, call the referee immediately.

Under Law 16.3 of the BWF Laws of Badminton:

• The umpire may suspend play, for as long as they consider necessary, when circumstances outside the players' control require it.
• The referee may, in special circumstances, instruct the umpire to suspend play.
• When play resumes, the existing score stands and play restarts from that point.

The BWF Instructions to Technical Officials add:

• If the court or its surrounds need repair or become temporarily unplayable, call the referee (or the referee comes on court) and suspend play until it's fit again.
• Call "Play is suspended" and note "S" on the score sheet or scoring device.
• On resuming, note how long the suspension lasted, check the players are at the correct ends and in the correct service courts, then call "Are you ready?", the score and "Play".

Suspension isn't a rest break: under Law 16.4 play is never delayed for a player to recover strength or wind or to get advice, and the umpire is the sole judge of delay.

Under Law 17 of the BWF Laws of Badminton:

• An official's decision is final on points of fact they're responsible for (e.g. a line judge on their line, the service judge on service faults), except that you overrule a line judge who has clearly made a wrong call, and an Instant Review System decides challenges where one is used.
• You give a decision on any appeal about a point of dispute, as long as it's made before the next serve is delivered.
• You refer to the referee any unsatisfied appeal on a question of law only. It must be made before the next serve or, at the end of a match, before the appealing side has left the court.
• You also record and report to the referee everything relating to Law 16 (continuous play, misconduct and penalties).

The referee is in overall charge of the tournament; you're in charge of the match, the court and its immediate surrounds, and you report to the referee.

Badminton South Africa's technical officials committee (BSATO) sets these grades in its commissions, in effect from 1 July 2026. Every grade needs an active BSA number and affiliation, in good standing, to a province or corporate.

Courses use the Laws in the BWF Statutes, and BSATO's guideline is that they run for at least 12 hours. You must pass a practical "found competent" assessment before you qualify. If you fail the Certificated Umpire theory exam first time, you do a refresher and resit within the course.

To start, contact the BSATO committee member responsible for your province. Officiating in South Africa is volunteer work and unpaid. A technical official attending a BSA sanctioned tournament as a coach may not officiate at it.

Under the Badminton South Africa Technical Officials (BSATO) commissions, in effect from 1 July 2026:

To stay active

• Umpires: officiate at a BSA sanctioned tournament and be listed on the BSATO report at least once every two years, and stay affiliated and in good standing with a province or corporate.
• Referees: act as Referee or Deputy Referee at at least one BSA sanctioned event every two years.
• Officiating at an international event sanctioned by Badminton Confederation of Africa (BCA) or BWF counts as a BSA sanctioned event for staying active.
• If you go inactive, you must do a refresher course for your grade and then, within three months, officiate at one BSA sanctioned tournament (umpires) or act as Referee/Deputy Referee at one BSA sanctioned event (referees).

Minimum time in grade before upgrading

To upgrade, meet all the criteria and have your provincial BSATO committee member send a signed letter requesting the upgrade at least six weeks before the evaluation. You can't apply directly to BCA for continental evaluation: BSATO nominates candidates. It's your own responsibility to gain experience and upgrade. BSATO recommends every umpire and referee is appraised by an assessor at least once every three years.