rules
1 AFFILIATION
Application for affiliation to the Evesham Badminton Association must be made in writing to the League and Fixture Secretary no later than 1st August prior to the start of the next season
2 NAME
The competition shall be called the Evesham Badminton League and shall be played under regulations of the Badminton England in accordance with these rules
3 OBJECT
The object of these rules is to enable sportsmen and sportswomen to enter into friendly competition with one another in as fair a way as is possible in the spirit of sportsmanship
4 MEMBERSHIP
(a) Membership of the League shall be open to all clubs affiliated to the Evesham Badminton Association
(b) The Committee shall have absolute discretion to refuse affiliation to the Association or membership of the League
(c ) Application for membership of the League must be made in writing to the League Secretary no later than 1st August prior to the start of the season
5 REGISTRATION FEE
An annual registration fee for membership of the League, payable in respect of each team accepted into the League, shall be agreed upon at the AGM. Payment must be submitted with the registration form not later than 1st August
6 GENERAL MEETINGS AND ACCOUNTS
(a) Three weeks notice in writing of the AGM (which shall be held as soon as is convenient after the end of the season) must be sent to the principal contacts of all affiliated clubs and to all members of the Committee
(b) The accounts of the Association shall be made up to the end of April and shall be presented at the AGM
(c) An EGM may be convened either:
(i) Within 30 days of the receipt of a written request from not less than 25% of all affiliated clubs, or (ii) By the Committee
(d) The quorum for a General Meeting shall be the representation of 50% of all affiliated clubs (e) General Meeting decisions shall be reached by 60% of those present and eligible to vote, voting in favour of the proposal
7 MANAGEMENT
(a) The AGM shall elect the following officers
1. Chairperson 2. Treasurer and Results Secretary 3. League and Fixture Secretary, and four other members to be nominated by the Officers
(b) All members of the Committee shall serve for one year but shall be eligible for re-election for the two succeeding years. Members may be re-elected after a break of one year
(c) The Committee may appoint sub-committees to deal with matters affecting the Association or the League which may arise from time to time
(d) There shall be a minimum of four Committee meetings per year
(e)Committee decisions shall be reached by a simple majority
(f) The Committee shall have full powers to decide upon any points not covered in these rules
(g) The Quorum for a Committee meeting shall be five Officers
8 VOTING
(a) Each club affiliated to the Association shall be entitled to send representatives to any AGM of the Association
(b) Each club shall be entitled to one vote
(c) Each member of the Committee shall be entitled to one vote
(d) Committee members shall be entitled to one vote each at Committee meetings
(e) The Chairman shall have a second or casting vote at all meetings
9 COMPOSITION OF LEAGUE
(a) There shall be three leagues: Ladies doubles, Mens doubles and Mixed doubles. Each league shall be arranged into divisions and each team shall play the remainder of the other teams in their respective divisions twice during the season, once at home and once away
(b) New teams joining the League shall be placed in an appropriate division at the discretion of the Committee, subject to vacancies
(c ) The Committee shall have absolute discretion in arranging divisions
(d) The number and composition of the divisions shall be decided by the League and Fixture Secretary, in consultation with members of the Committee as necessary
10 FIXTURES
(a) All fixtures shall be arranged at the Fixture Meeting which shall be held in August or September. All member clubs must be present.
(b) By the end of the fixture meeting, the League and Fixture Secretary must have a list of the complete fixtures for each team entered in the League. All fixtures must be played before the 18th April
(c ) Any changes to fixtures must be agreed by both clubs concerned and the defaulting team must advise the Fixture Secretary, in writing, on the form provided for that purpose, not later than five days after the original date. The only acceptable reasons for the postponement of a match are withdrawal of playing facilities, bad weather or by mutual agreement
(d)
11 LADIES DOUBLES LEAGUE (Rotating pairings)
Teams shall comprise four players, numbered 1 to 4. Matches shall comprise 6 rubbers the first team to win two games winning a rubber; each game to be played to 21 points with setting at 20 points all; then by two clear points until 29 all when the first to 30 points wins the game. The order of play is as shown on the score card.
12 MEN'S DOUBLES LEAGUE (Rotating pairings)
Teams shall comprise four players, numbered 1 to 4. Matches shall comprise 6 rubbers the first team to win two games winning a rubber; each game to be played to 21 points with setting at 20 points all; then by two clear points until 29 all when the first to 30 points wins the game. The order of play is as shown on the score card
13 MIXED DOUBLES LEAGUE (Static pairings for mixed games)
Teams shall comprise two ladies and two men playing each other once in a mixed formation and once as a ladies doubles and mens double formation; matches shall comprise 6 rubbers the first team to win two games winning a rubber; each game to be played to 21 points with setting at 20 points all; then by two clear points until 29 all when the first to 30 points wins the game. The order of play is as shown on the score card
14 PLAY
(a) A club entering more than one team in any League must nominate players for each team entered except for the lowest one. Nominations - two for ladies league, two for men's league and one man and one lady for the mixed league. Nominated players must play in two of the first four matches of the team for which they are nominated
(b) All nominations must be in writing and sent to the League and Fixture Secretary and be post marked prior to the club’s first fixture in any division of that League or by 30th September, whichever is sooner
(c ) A nominated player cannot play for a team in a lower division or another team in the same division in instances where clubs may have two teams or more teams in one division. If a nominated player plays for a higher team three times, then that player is no longer eligible to play for the team in the lower division and/or the same division if the club has more than two teams in the same division. The club must write the League and Fixture Secretary to confirm that players commitment to the higher/other team
(d) If a club has two teams in the same division of any League, they must play each other twice before either team plays any other team
(e) No player may play for more than one club in each League during the season unless prior sanction has been given by the League and Fixture Secretary who may consult with other members of the Committee as necessary, but whose decision is final
(f) Players may play for a different club in a different League
(g) Team parings and playing order must, without exception, be exchanged simultaneously by the team captains before commencement of play
(h) For each teams last match of the season, all players must have already played at least twice for that club during the current season unless prior sanction has been given by the League and Fixture Secretary, whose decision shall be final
15 RESULTS(
(a) (i) The result of all matches shall be entered on score cards provided and it is the responsibility of the captain of the home team to post it. If a match is drawn or conceded, it is the home team's responsibility to post the card. In each case it should arrive with the Treasurer and Results Secretary post marked within five days of the match date
(ii) In the event of a score card not being sent within five days, or no notification of a rearranged fixture date being notified to the Treasurer and Results Secretary, one written warning will be sent to the first named contact. Subsequent late score cards by that club or a further failure to notify a rearranged fixture date will be dealt with under ‘Penalties’ in section 17
(b) All competitions of Mens, Ladies and Mixed – one point is awarded to the winner of each rubber (maximum 6 points a match) and the total number of rubbers won in the season shall determine the position of each team in the division.
(d) In the event of a team not being able to put out a complete team, they shall forfeit all of the unplayed games. This shall also apply where a team plays ineligible players
(e) In the event of teams having an equal number of rubbers the final position will be determined as follows:
i Matches won, which proving indecisive
ii Matches drawn, which proving indecisive
iii Most points for, which proving indecisive
iv Least points against
16 PROMOTION AND RELEGATION
At the conclusion of the competition:
(a) The bottom team from Division 1 shall be relegated and the top team from Division 2 shall be promoted
(b)The bottom two teams from Division 2 and below shall be relegated to the division below
(c) The top two teams from Division 3 and below shall be promoted to the division above
(e) Special cases shall be dealt with by the Committee, on appeal
17 PENALTIES
(a) Failure to notify the League and Fixture Secretary of alterations to fixture (see rule 10c) may result in the defaulting team having 4 points deducted from their aggregate total
(b) In the event of a team being unable to fulfil a fixture other than for the reasons in Rule 10c, their opponents will be awarded a score equal to their average score registered for all games that season, rounded up to the nearest whole point, plus one a additional point. (Subject to a maximum penalty of 12 points). The final value will be not being calculated until the end of the season but interim values may be shown on the league tables for information purposes during the course of the season. The defaulting team shall have 4 points deducted from their aggregate total. Should any team contravene rule 10c more than twice in a season, they may be disqualified
(c) In the event of a nominated player not playing for the team for which they had been nominated (rule 14a), then that player will not be eligible to play for any lower team in the League during the season unless prior sanction has been given by the League and Fixture Secretary, whose decision is final
(d) Failure to nominate players in time (rule 14b) may result in the team having 4 points deducted from their aggregate total
(e) ) In the event of a nominated player playing in a team for which they are ineligible (rules 14c,14e,14h), then the team will forfeit all games in which that player is involved and, unless the player is playing with the consent of the opposing captain (rule 15c), 4 points will be deducted from their aggregate total
(f) Late posting of the score card (rule 15a(i)and(ii)) may result in the defaulting team having 4 points deducted from their aggregate total
(g) In the event of a club with two teams in the same division not playing each other twice before playing any other team in that division (rule 14d), 4 points will be deducted from their aggregate totals of each team and the games must be completed without further delay
(h) Failure to return a perpetual trophy to the nominated officer(s) by the times set out below will result in a fine of £25 being levied on the club or individual(s) concerned:
(i) League trophies must be returned by 15th March (or at the AGM)
(ii)Tournament trophies must be returned by 30 days before the same event in the following season
(i) Any other breach of these rules will be dealt with on an individual basis by the League and Fixture Secretary, whose decision is final
18 ALTERATION TO THESE RULES
(a) An alteration to these rules may be proposed by either:
(i) Any affiliated club, or
(ii) The Committee
(b) In the case of (a) above, the proposed amendment shall be sent in writing to the League and Fixture Secretary to be received six weeks before a General Meeting.
(c) In either case, the proposed amendment shall be sent to the principal contacts of all affiliated clubs and to all members of the Committee with the notice of the AGM
(d) Any such proposed amendment shall be subject to the approval of the General Meeting of the Association and, if passed, shall operate from the start of the following season, except as in (e) below
(e) In the event of an immediate change being proposed, then 80% of those eligible to vote must vote in favour of the proposal
19 DISCLAIMER
The Committee and members of the Evesham Badminton Association accept no responsibility or liability for any accident or damage which occurs during club play, match play, tournaments or meetings and recommend that clubs and individuals make their own arrangements regarding insurance and public liability cover
Updated August 2009
Future rule changes to be considered 2010
Penalty for arriving late to matches
Define “late”