Every sport has certain rules and regulations in place for player conduct. And if any player breaches the rules, then they find themselves on the receiving end of harsher penalties.

The Badminton World Federation (BWF) has severe rules in place to punish players for their misconduct during a match. The chair umpire and the referee who oversees badminton matches have the authority to penalise players for their on-court misconduct.

You will often see the umpire giving yellow, red, or even black cards if they find a player not adhering to rules. But what do these cards signify? And when does the umpire issue it?

In this article, we’ll learn about yellow, red, and black cards used in badminton.

Yellow Card in Badminton

Let’s begin with the yellow card, which acts more like a warning for a player to not repeat an offence. If the chair umpire comes across any breach of official laws by a player, they will issue a yellow card.

The umpires generally caution players about their on-court behaviour before raising a yellow card. They only do so if they feel the concerned player is making the offence again and again. But, sometimes, the umpire may issue a yellow card on the first instance as well.

Once a player receives a yellow card, the umpire announces it as a ‘warning for misconduct’ while BWF will impose a monetary fine on them.

Red Card in Badminton

The red card comes second when a player receives two yellow cards. This might be a result of a repeat offence conducted by the player.

The umpire calls out the concerned player’s name and announces a ‘fault by misconduct’. If a player receives a red card, then their opponent will receive one point for making a fault. Plus, the player will have to pay a hefty fine.

A player may receive another red card if they continue to breach the rules and regulations.

Black Card in Badminton

The black card tops the above two cards and comes with a severe penalty. So a player wouldn’t like to receive a black card,

Why so? If a player goes to extreme lengths during their behaviour on the court, they may face immediate disqualification from the match and the tournament. Plus, the BWF may impose a ban on the player for a certain period.

If the umpire reckons a player is engaging in excessive misconduct, they will call the referee, informing them about the breach and a possible disqualification. Following that, if the referee thinks the player needs to be disqualified, then they will hand over the black card to the umpire.

The chair umpire will raise the black card, announcing the player’s name along with ‘disqualified for misconduct’. Then the player will be disqualified from the whole tournament immediately.

What comes under misconduct?

There are a few actions a player needs to refrain from doing in a match. If they get involved in any one of them, then the umpire will issue any one of the cards.

So the umpire will consider the following actions as misconduct.

• If a shuttler delays the game for unnecessary reasons.
• If a player distracts their opponent by shouting or making any gesture.
• If the player leaves the court without seeking the umpire’s permission.
• If a player throws the racket in any direction on the court.
• If the player damages the shuttle purposefully.
• If a player threatens the opponent, umpire, referee, or line judge.
• If the player receives coaching during a rally.

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