Standing Para badminton: half-court, service and medical exceptions
What the Laws change for standing classes: the half-court, the alternative service and the exceptions to the feet rule.
Why read this
Standing classes follow the standard Laws, except for a few clauses (BWF Laws of Badminton, edition in force 26 April 2025).
Half-court
Standing classes playing half-court use the singles court of Diagram F (Law 1.1.2), which names class SL 3. All other standing classes play the standard court (Diagram A) for singles and doubles. In the half-court classes, the server and receiver serve from and receive in their respective service courts (Law 10.1.3).
Feet on the floor: medical exceptions
In a standard service, some part of both feet of the server and of the receiver must stay in contact with the floor, in a stationary position, from the start of the service until it is delivered (Law 9.1.4). In Para badminton, there can be exceptions for players medically justified by the Head of Classification. The Referee and the Technical Delegate refer to the list of players the Head of Classification provides (Law 9.1.4.2).
Alternative service
For standing classes, "the Alternative Service Laws apply (9.1.6 (a) and (b))" (Law 9.1.6.2).
Limits
- The edition we read prints no paragraph 9.1.6 (a) or (b) under Law 9.1.6. The text of the alternative service is therefore missing from that document, and we do not describe it: check the Para badminton regulations of the competition. This is a gap inside the document, not a point we could settle.
- The Laws do not explain how classification or the list of players works.
- The Laws name only SL 3 for half-court.
General practice advice: play within your limits and stop if something hurts.