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Most common fouls and faults in the game of badminton

What are the Most Common Fouls & Faults in Badminton?

Badminton is a fast-paced competitive game played for a maximum of 3 sets. Every point is important to keep going. Any type of foul that gives your opponent an advantage will hurt you badly and may break your rhythm. These unintentional mistakes are more common at the beginner’s level because they may not be aware of the tricky rules in badminton. To make it helpful for them, this article presents the 6 most common fouls and faults in badminton and how to avoid them.

Service Fault in Badminton

Service fault in badminton
Correct execution of badminton serve

This is the common scenario that ends with a gifted point to your opponent. 

  • The racket head and the shaft must be pointed downwards at the instant of delivering the service.
  • The shuttlecock must be hit below your waist.
  • The swing of the racket must be upward.

Deviation from the above instructions generally occurs when you attempt a low serve. To force your opponent to deliver a weak return, your plan for low serve may often backfire.

Striking Shuttlecocks Over the Net

According to rule 1.3.4.2 mentioned in the BWF handbook

Invades an opponent’s court over the net with racket or person except that the striker may follow the shuttle over the net with the racket in the course of a stroke after the initial point of contact with the shuttle is on the striker’s side of the net

rule 1.3.4.2
Hitting over the net, one of the  faults in badminton
Correct execution of a badminton shot

The simplified explanation is that you are not allowed to hit a shuttlecock over the net within the territory of your opponent’s court. This type of foul generally occurs when you approach a net kill.

But if you take the shuttlecock on your side, the follow-through of your racket may pass beyond the net. It is not a fault because you strike the shuttlecock on your side.

Contact faults in Badminton

Shuttle Contact: You must contact the shuttle with your racket only. If the shuttlecock gets in touch with your body or dress during play, it is a foul and the point goes to the opponent.

Net Contact: You are not allowed to touch the net during play either by your racket, body, or dress.

Double Hit

“Double Hit” means hitting a shuttle twice in succession. It is a fault in badminton. 

The shuttlecock may suspend loosely on the string bed before it is slung for the execution of shots. It is also a case of “Double Hit”.

In doubles, only one of the players is permitted to hit the shuttlecock for the continuation of the rally. If you and your partner hit the shuttle on succession, it is a fault.

Foot Faults in Badminton

  • You are not allowed to move while serving
  • The receiver also is not allowed to move before the server hits the shuttlecock while serving.
  • At the time of delivering service, some parts of both feet of the server and receiver must be in touch with the ground until the shuttlecock is hit.
  • The server and receiver must stand within their respective service courts (which are diagonally opposite) without touching any of the lines.

Fault for Hitting Feather First

Your racket must strike the base of the shuttle, i.e. the cork during serving. 

You are not allowed to hit feathers and take advantage of the huge amount of spins during service.

Most Common Queries

1. Is it a fault if the shuttlecock clips the net but drops inside the service box?

This occurrence generally happens during the low serve in badminton when you have to be precise on the shuttle trajectory. In this case, there is no deviation from standard rules. If the shuttlecock falls short of the short service line, your opponent wins the point, otherwise, it is perfectly right when the shuttlecock is inside the service court.

2. Is it a fault if the shuttlecock lands on the line?

All lines of a service court are parts of the service area. When you hit a shuttlecock, the head of the shuttle lands first. If the head of the shuttlecock touches the lines of a service court, it is considered in.

3. What does it mean by “Double fault”?

There is no such terminology in badminton. The term, ‘double fault’ is specifically used in tennis.

Also Read: “Decoding Let in Badminton: Everything You Need to Know

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