While watching a badminton match, your eyes must have glued to the shuttlecock flying back and forth. It’s intriguing to watch the gameplay, isn’t it?
But there are a few people who keep even closer watch at the shuttlecock or birdie. And they are not any ordinary individuals.
So who are they? Well, they are the line judges tasked with a specific job.
This article will cover all details about a line judge, including their role and how they make calls.
Line Judges and their Responsibilities in Badminton
Many sports have line judges, though their role differs a lot from those of badminton line judges. You see, line judges in badminton have one important task: keeping a watch on the shuttle.
What matters for them is where the shuttle lands on the court, irrespective of how the player executes the shot except for the serve. The line judges on the sidelines will signal if the shuttle has landed inside or outside the playing area.
Now there are some line judges who keep tabs on the services executed by shuttlers. They make sure that the serve is legal and lands in the receivers area.
That’s the main role of a line judge in a badminton match, and it’s quite a crucial one, as their call can decide the fate of a match. So one needs a high level of concentration to succeed as a line judge in badminton.
How many line judges are present on the badminton court?
As many as 10 line judges are present on the badminton court in matches played at major tournaments. The number of line judges may vary in lower-level tournaments.
Also Read | How Many Officials Are Present During a Badminton Match?
Where are the line judges positioned on the court?
Of the 10, six line judges are stationed at both ends of the court – three on each side. And the remaining four occupy the spots opposite the chair umpire.
The two line judges sitting close to the service umpire near the net have the responsibility of checking the legality of the serve, while other judges monitor if the birdie lands in or out.
All of them sit about 2.5 to 3.5 meters away from the court, and there should be no obstruction around them. This ensures that the line judges have a clear view of the court.
How do line judges make calls?
Now a line judge’s responsibility doesn’t end with monitoring the shuttle. They also need to make calls based on where the shuttle lands.
There are certain signals that they make once the shuttle comes into contact with the surface. Suppose a shuttle lands inside the playing area, then the respective line judge will point their right hand towards the line while looking at the chair umpire.
On the other hand, if the shuttle frays outside the legal area, then they will extend their both arms horizontally and call ‘Out’ while looking at the umpire. The call should be loud so the umpire, players, and spectators can hear it clearly.
Now there will be situations when the line judges may not have a clear view of the shuttle. So in that case, the judges cover their eyes with both hands, signalling that they couldn’t watch the shuttle.
If this happens, then the chair umpire will make the final call with the help of a replay system if it’s available.
Read Next | Unforced Errors in Tennis – Explained