Service fault?

**StefanDO** · 06-15-2012, 05:42 AM

Hi!

Sometimes just before I wanted to serve, I accidently touched the shuttle with the back side of the racket head and the shuttle fell on the ground. This may have happened due to a slight backward movement of the racket face (but I did not start moving the racket face forwards). So far I passed the shuttle over to the opponents, automatically admitting a service fault. But was it really a service fault? I never wanted to argue on that as I wasn't sure. On the one hand the racket face touched the shuttle, on the other hand it was the back side of the racket head, and I had not started a forward motion with the racket face. Could I just have picked up the shuttle and served as if nothing had happened?

**amleto** · 06-15-2012, 09:40 AM

since the serve hasn't started, it cannot be a fault if my reading of the rules is correct.
http://www.worldbadminton.com/rules/#9

**StefanDO** · 06-15-2012, 10:05 AM

Okay, I only hope in case it happens again, the opponent will accept it if I say that the service hasn't even started... Well, I should really print out the laws of badminton and carry them with me.

**diverdan** · 06-15-2012, 03:54 PM

Download them onto your phone!

**extremenanopowe** · 06-16-2012, 09:10 AM

try not to take the risk by putting it too near. be safe.

**diverdan** · 06-24-2012, 04:50 PM

Its always good to have a disagreement on court. It gets the blood going and may put your opponent off. They should know the rules! If you don't say anything then they will keep doing it.