Towel Break

**pcll99** · 08-19-2011, 01:13 AM

Just curious, what standard will the Umpire use to allow a request for towel break?

Only when there is sweat on the court?

**jerby** · 08-19-2011, 04:28 AM

It can be a lot of reasons, sometimes players will take their time when one of them breaks strings, sometimes it'll be because of sweat on the court. But after a long rally and especially if the players have been on court for almost an hour or so, the umpire will allow a short towelbreak.

The rules aren't really set except for a vague "play must be continuous" (which it clearly almost never is) and a (paraphrasing here) "players shall not distrubt the rythm of play" or something along those words...

In reality, the umpire has to make a judgement-call, at 10-9 he probably won't allow it since there's a break coming up. The same for 11-10. And he/she should try and judge the intentions of the players asking for a break: does he want to dry off, or is he trying to influence his opponent.
A common refusal to toweldown is at 20-18 or so when a players asks for a break as soon as the other one(or he) has a game/match-point

**logicalguy** · 08-19-2011, 06:08 AM

But there was such a towel break at the world championships finals last sunday.

**pcll99** · 08-19-2011, 08:13 AM

I just re-watched the LCW vs LD match again (after re-watching it a million times)..

It seems LD was the one who requested a towel break immediately after his first championship point.... But, based on the TV live broadcast, I am not 100% certain ... maybe it was LCW who initiated the request...

Can someone please confirm?

**CantSmashThis** · 08-22-2011, 12:17 AM

For towel breaks, I would usually allow one after a long rally if requested by the player and not near any intervals. Or I will allow it in the 2nd or 3rd game at a close score and the 1st game was pretty long. If a player scores around 5 consecutive points, and his opponent requests a towel break, I will usually not give it as it seems to me as a way of trying to break the opponent's momentum.

**BaoQingWang** · 08-22-2011, 01:42 AM

MS final in last week world championship, the towel break seems requested by LD. And if you listen to Morten Frost comment during the break "not so good decision by the umpire". Which is true.
Normally, after 20 all, play has to be continues, maybe unless they fight till 25 or 26 all, a break maybe be reasonable.

**pcll99** · 08-22-2011, 09:17 AM

thanks..... maybe they should make the towel break official... like volleyball...

right now, it's mostly discretionary....

as i understood it, the umpire usually allow a towel break if only requested by the winner of the just concluded rally....

a request by the loser is usually not allowed, right?

**BaoQingWang** · 08-22-2011, 09:36 AM

Hi pcll99,

to be frank, there is no hard and fast rule on this break nor covered in the law of badminton. it is really depending on the umpire. some yes some say no :-)
i guest that makes badminton an interesting sports

**a|extan** · 08-22-2011, 10:14 AM

can i ask?

have any1 watched on tv....seeing 1...player go on toilet breaks?

**pcll99** · 08-22-2011, 10:15 AM

well, come to think of it.... as long as the laws of badminton is based on English law, there will never be any hard and fast rule... English law is all about substance over form...

but thanks BQW!!

**BaoQingWang** · 08-22-2011, 11:38 AM

pcll99, not at all, i supposed this forum let us learn something new together :-)

alextan, not on the tv :-) but we did raise this question to a senior and experienced umpire, the answer is yes. during interval 1 or 2 minutes, player could go for toilet break BUT must be back on time.
i supposed if the player is not back by the end of interval, a card might be flying :-)
for big events (international standard), player will need to pay fine for card(s) she/he received during the match(es)
from own experience, whenever we are playing sports (badminton,etc) the body will adjust and stop any 'leakage'. I guest that is adrenalin!!!

**CantSmashThis** · 08-22-2011, 09:22 PM

Yeah, I prefer that it be the person who wins the point to ask for a break as I am more likely to say yes. But if it's close and the loser asks, then I will say okay. If it's probably like 3-4 more points, that's a no as I feel like it will break the opponent's momentum.

I have thought about going to the bathroom before. What if you were in the superbowl, down by 6 in the last 2 minutes of the game, but you need to take a dump, do you continue to play, or put in the backup or what would you do. But I've never heard of it happen in a game.

If someone requests to go to the bathroom during an interval, they must come back in time. If they are not seen within the 1st 15 seconds after the interval ends, a red card must be issued.

**AlanY** · 08-23-2011, 03:09 AM

what about for every 5 points the person who wins the last point has an option to take a short break or not. fair?

**pcll99** · 08-23-2011, 03:25 AM

AlanY,

yes, sounds like a good idea!! I know for sure that BaoCL would approve...

whoever reaches 15 or 16 first has an option to take a 30-second break... (maybe 60 seconds, i don't know)...

and whoever reaches game point 20 first should also has that option... and again at 25 (if deuces)....

if the above is implemented, umpire should not entertain any other request for breaks... (except injuries and obvious sweat spot on the court floor).

Do you think TV broadcaster would like the idea? Should TV commercial be ran during those breaks??

**BaoQingWang** · 08-23-2011, 03:33 AM

AlanY, i would say this is solely depending on the umpire :-)

**AlanY** · 08-23-2011, 03:33 AM

never like the TV breaks myself. if during the break coaching is allowed i rather have a look of the coach's body language.
at the moment with breaks at 11 points, sometime its already too late for advice if you're 5-6 points behind.