GWENT BADMINTON ASSOCIATION
LEAGUE RULES
June 2019
1. CONSTITUTION AND OBJECTIVES
1.1 The league shall be called the Gwent Badminton League (the League).
1.2 A League Fixture Secretary, responsible to the Executive Committee of the Association and elected annually in accordance with the Rules of the Association, shall manage the affairs of the League.
1.3 The League shall consist of four sections, one for each of Men’s, Ladies and Mixed Doubles plus a 2 by 2 competition.
1.4 Each section shall be divided into divisions, each division consisting of (as far as possible) six teams. Where this is not possible, the tendency shall be to have larger rather than smaller divisions.
1.5 The objectives of the League shall be to administer an annual series of matches between teams from eligible clubs and generally to foster and encourage the game of badminton in the former County of Gwent, encompassing Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Monmouthshire, Newport and Torfaen, (the Area).
2. ELIGIBILITY
2.1 For a club to be eligible to compete in the League, the club must :
2.1.1 Have a home playing venue, with at least two courts available for match play, within the Area (where recommended by the League Fixture Secretary, a club with a home playing venue outside the Area, may be deemed eligible at the discretion of the Executive Committee of the Association), and
2.1.2 Be affiliated to the Association (or, in the case of a club with a home playing venue outside the Area, have paid to the Association a fee equal to the club affiliation fee), and
2.1.3 Be affiliated to the Welsh Badminton Union (the Union).
2.2 No player may represent more than one club in any one section of the league competition in a single season except by the permission of the League Fixture Secretary if it is considered that a particular exception to this rule should be made.
2.3 For a player to be eligible to represent a club in league competition, he must have been registered with both the Union and the Association as a member of that club prior to the date of any match in which he is to compete.
3. ADMINISTRATION
3.1 Any eligible club wishing to enter any teams in the League competition shall :
3.1.1 Notify details of all teams to be entered to the League Fixture Secretary at the Annual General Meeting preceding the season of competition.
3.1.2 The form of notification of league team(s) shall be made available by the League Fixture Secretary to each eligible club prior to the AGM preceding the season of competition.
3.1.3 Acceptance of any notification of any team received by the League Fixture Secretary other than in accordance with Rule 3.1.1 shall be at the discretion of the League Subcommittee: any club wishing to appeal against any such decision shall have the right of appeal to the Executive Committee of the Association and should do so in writing to reach the Secretary of the Association within seven days of receipt of the decision of the League Subcommittee.
3.1.4 Any club giving any notification of any team(s) in accordance with this Rule 3.1 shall be bound to pay the registration fee in accordance with Rule 4.2 for each team so notified even if any such team should subsequently be withdrawn for any reason.
3.2 Where any club enters a team which did not compete in the preceding season, that team shall be placed in the lowest division of the relevant section.
3.3 Where any club had two or more teams entered in any one section in the preceding season and wishes to withdraw one team (or more), it shall be the lowest placed team(s) which withdraw.
3.4 The League Fixture Secretary shall prepare the formation of the divisions within each section. This formation shall be published to the Fixture Secretary of each competing club at the League Fixtures Meeting.
3.5 The League Fixtures Meeting shall be held annually prior to the start of the season. Notification of the date, time, and venue of the meeting shall be sent by the League Fixture Secretary to the Fixture Secretary of each club which has entered any team(s) not less than 14 days prior to the date of the meeting.
3.6 Where any competing club enters two or more teams in the same section, players shall be nominated for each team other than the lowest, as follows :
3.6.1 In the mixed section, three players, 1 lady and 2 men OR 2 ladies and 1 man. In the men’s section, three players. In the ladies’ section, two players. In the 2 by 2 section, two players, 1 lady and 1 man.
3.6.2 Nominations must be made in writing and must reach the League Fixture Secretary prior to the date of the earliest match to be played by the club in the relevant section.
3.6.3 Each nominated player must play in two of the first three matches played by the team for which they are nominated.
3.6.4 A nominated player shall not be eligible to play for any team in the same section which is placed lower than the team for which they are nominated. Any player who plays more than three times for any higher team(s) shall not be eligible to play for any lower placed teams in the same section.
3.6.5 Failure to comply with rules 3.6.3 or 3.6.4 will result in the appropriate rubbers being awarded to the opposing team in the relevant matches.
3.6.6 Where any competing club enters two or more teams in the same section, more than one of those teams may be placed in the same division provided that the club agrees that the “home” and “away” fixtures between those teams shall be played before any matches against other teams in that division.
3.7 The League Fixtures Meeting shall be attended by the Fixture Secretary of each competing club, who shall be responsible for reaching mutual agreement with the Fixture Secretary of each other club against which fixtures are to be played in the following season. For the purposes of this rule, the season shall be deemed to terminate on 30th April annually. Any fixture arranged for any date after that shall be void and no points awarded to either team.
3.8 Where a club has more than one team in any section of the league, the higher placed team(s) shall play its (their) third match of the season before that next lower team plays its third match of the season.
3.9 Where any club has entered two or more teams in the same section, then 70% of the fixtures of each team other than the lowest placed team must have been played before the fixtures of the next lowest team have been completed.
3.10 Within 7 days of the League Fixtures Meeting, the Fixture Secretary of each competing club shall send to the League Fixture Secretary a complete list of all fixtures for all teams entered by the club. Clubs failing to comply shall forfeit all matches played before the fixtures list is received by the League Fixture Secretary.
3.11 Once a fixture date has been agreed between two clubs, the date may only be altered due to the unavailability of suitable courts at the instigation of the home team or adverse weather conditions at the instigation of the away team.
3.11.1 Where there is mutual agreement between the opposing clubs, the revised fixture date shall be notified immediately by the Fixture Secretary of the home club to the League Fixture Secretary.
3.11.2 Where mutual agreement cannot be reached between two competing clubs regarding the revised date, this must be referred to the League Fixture Secretary for consideration, who shall refer any dispute not resolved within 14 days of referral to the Executive Committee of the Association whose decision shall be final.
3.12 Where a competing club fails to attend a mutually agreed away fixture without at least 48 hours notice, that club shall be liable for the cost of courts booked by the home team for that fixture. If this liability has not been discharged by the end of the season, the defaulting club shall be excluded from the League competition until the liability has been cleared. When eligibility for entry has been re-established the team entered shall be dealt with in accordance with Rule 3.2.
4. FEES
4.1 The fees payable for each team entered in the League competition shall be determined in accordance with the Rules of the Association.
4.2 All club affiliation fees payable by a club to the Union shall be paid to the Union in accordance with the Union’s rules.
4.3 All team registration fees payable by a club to the Association, together with any fees payable in respect of the League competition, shall be paid to the League Fixture Secretary (or to such Officer of the Association as shall be notified from time to time) on or before the date of the League Fixtures Meeting. Failure to observe this requirement may lead to rejection of any team(s) entered by the defaulting club.
4.4 All player affiliation fees payable to the Union shall be paid to the Union before any player competes in a league match.
4.5 All players must be registered with the Association before competing in a league match. If a player competes in a league match before registration, those games in which the player participated will be forfeit. If the same player competes in a second match before being registered then the match shall be forfeit. A club shall have a right of appeal to the League Committee in respect of the application of this rule.
5. RULES OF COMPETITION
5.1 All play shall be in accordance with the Laws of Badminton. The competing clubs may provide scorers.
5.2 In the mens and mixed sections, each team shall consist of three pairs: in play, all shall play all. Each match shall consist of nine rubbers, each rubber shall consist of the best of three games and setting shall be permitted in all games.
5.3 In all matches the team captains shall, prior to the commencement of play, exchange a list of players in order of merit; after this, no player may be substituted, nor may pairs be changed. Throughout the match the visiting team shall, as far as possible, play in the same sequence as its order of merit.
5.4 In the ladies section, each team shall consist of four players. Six rubbers shall be played, each rubber shall consist of the best of three games and setting shall be permitted in all games.
5.4.1 Before the commencement of play both teams shall be declared and entered on the official match card strictly in accordance with the order of play as follows :
Rubber Home Players Away Players
1 1+2 1+2
2 3+4 3+4
3 3+4 1+2
4 1+2 3+4
5 1+3 1+3
6 2+4 2+4
5.5 In the 2 by 2 section, each team shall consist of four players, 2 ladies and 2 men. Six rubbers shall be played, each rubber shall consist of the best of three games and setting shall be permitted in all games.
5.5.1 Before the commencement of play both teams shall be declared and entered on the official match card strictly in accordance with the order of play as follows :
Rubber Home Players Away Players
1 Man 1 + Man 2 Man 1 + Man 2
2 Lady 1 + Lady 2 Lady 1 + Lady 2
3 Man 1 + Lady 1 Man 1 + Lady 1
4 Man 2 + Lady 2 Man 2 + Lady 2
5 Man 1 + Lady 2 Man 1 + Lady 2
6 Man 2 + Lady 1 Man 2 + Lady 1
5.6 A match score card shall be provided by both teams. Both teams shall be responsible for completing the cards and forwarding them to the League Fixture Secretary, to arrive within 10 days of the match. If no card is received, the match will be deemed as not played and no points awarded. The match score will be awarded on the receipt of any one card.
5.7 If either team is unable to offer at least one pair per available court by the expiry of fifteen minutes after the agreed match start time, the defaulting team shall forfeit one rubber per available court. Thereafter a further rubber shall be forfeit by the defaulting team for each additional period of fifteen minutes that it is still unable to offer a further pair when a court is available for play. Unless both captains agree otherwise, the order of play will be as displayed on the score card at all times.
5.8 If one of two competing teams fails to attend a mutually agreed fixture, then the match will be awarded to the attending team with a score of 9-0 in the men’s and mixed sections and 6-0 in the ladies and 2 by 2 sections.
5.9 If any match cannot be completed within the court time available, then the games which are unfinished shall be awarded to the visiting team each with a score of 21-0. The home team shall have the right of appeal to the League Fixture Secretary if it feels that the lack of time was due to delaying tactics by the opposing team or to circumstances beyond its control; any such dispute which is not resolved within fourteen days shall be referred by the League Fixture Secretary to the Executive Committee of the Association whose decision shall be final.
5.10 The provisions relating to shuttlecocks are as follows :
5.10.1 The home team shall be responsible for making available for the match an adequate supply of shuttlecocks which shall be tested before the match by the team captains and shall meet the requirements of the International Badminton Federation.
5.10.2 All matches shall be played with feather shuttlecocks.
5.11 In the men’s and mixed sections, a league point shall be awarded for each rubber won and an additional 4 (four) league points to the winning team. In the ladies and 2 by 2 sections, a league point shall be awarded for each rubber won and either an additional 4 (four) league points to be awarded to the winning team or, in the event of each team winning the same number of rubbers, an additional 2 (two) league points to each team.
5.12 The winning team shall be the team with the highest aggregate points score at the completion of the league competition, save that :
5.12.1 If two or more teams have the same aggregate points score, the final order shall be determined by the number of rubbers won; if this fails to resolve the tie, the winning team shall be determined by games difference. If a tie still results, the matter shall be referred by the League Fixture Secretary for resolution by the Executive Committee of the Association, whose decision shall be final.
5.13 At the completion of the League competition, a full league table shall be prepared by the League Fixture Secretary and the winning team in each division of each section shall be promoted to the next higher division (if any). The lowest placed team in each division of each section shall be relegated to the next lower division.
5.14 Any unresolved dispute between competing clubs shall be notified to the League Fixture Secretary and to the other clubs involved, by the Secretary of the complaining club. Any such complaint shall be made in sufficient time for the League Fixture Secretary to take any action appropriate to the circumstances. Where the dispute relates to a match already played, a protest fee of £5.00 shall accompany the notification, which shall be forfeit if, in the opinion of the League Fixture Secretary, the complaint is of a frivolous nature. Any club having reasonable grounds may appeal against the decision of the League Fixture Secretary by submitting its case in writing via the Secretary of the Association to the Executive Committee of the Association, whose decision shall be final.
5.15 Where a team concedes 50% or more of its fixtures, all that team’s fixtures will be declared null and void regardless of whether they were played or not. No points will be awarded.
6. GENERAL
6.1 Any points not covered by these rules shall be determined by the Executive Committee of the Association whose decision shall be final.
6.2 Any dispute with regard to the interpretation of these Rules shall be resolved by the Executive Committee of the Association, whose decision shall be final.
6.3 A copy of these Rules shall be provided by the League Fixture Secretary to each competing club.
6.4 To promote interest in badminton in general and in the League in particular, the League Fixture Secretary shall provide brief reports and League Tables periodically to the local press for publication.