The League shall be known as the WEST DORSET BADMINTON LEAGUE (WDBL) with the objective of providing competitive league and tournament play for the membership.
A2 Membership Eligibility
Membership of the WDBL shall be open to any team whose court is situated within a radius of 30 miles of the trigonometrical station on Abbotsbury Hill and known as Ashley Chase. However any team whose court is more than 20 miles from that point must provide at least two courts for matches. A team’s application must be accepted and approved by the Annual General Meeting (AGM).
A3 General Meeting
There will be an Annual General Meeting of the membership on a date determined at the previous AGM and shall comprise at least one representative from each member team participating in the WDBL. Voting at general meetings is limited to one vote per member team.
The current Chairman of the Executive Committee shall act as Chairman of the AGM.
To ensure a representative of all member teams is present at the AGM to arrange the next seasons fixtures, absence may be penalised at the discretion of the Executive Committee.
Extraordinary General Meetings may be convened following a written request to the Secretary supported by a minimum of five member teams, such a meeting to be arranged within five weeks of the receipt of the request.
Member teams and Honorary Life Members have the right to vote by proxy at any General Meeting. Instruction on the use of a proxy vote must be given to the Secretary in writing.
At least 60% of member teams must attend General Meetings to form a quorum. Proxy votes accepted under Rule A3(e) are not deemed as attending members.
Any matter to be discussed at the AGM, including rule amendments, new entries, withdrawals and amalgamations must be received by the Secretary not later than two weeks prior to the date of the AGM.
All decisions made by a General Meeting of the WDBL shall come into force immediately unless otherwise agreed at that meeting.
A4 Finances
A current account shall be maintained at a bank to be approved by the Executive Committee and any cheque drawn on this account shall be signed by any two of the following Committee members - the Chairman, the Secretary, or the Treasurer.
All expenses incurred by the Secretary and Treasurer shall be submitted to the AGM at the end of each season.
All teams participating in the WDBL shall pay a league entrance fee to the Treasurer before a prescribed date. The amount of this fee and the prescribed date shall be agreed annually by the AGM before the start of the season.
The accounts of the WDBL shall be subject to an independent examination at the conclusion of each season.
Each AGM shall appoint an Honorary Independent Examiner to examine the accounts and any other pertinent document at the conclusion of the season to ascertain their correctness.
The Independent Examiner shall submit a signed Certificate to the AGM detailing their satisfaction, or otherwise, with the accounts.
The Balance Sheet (incorporating the Income and Expenditure Accounts) shall be presented to the AGM together with the Independent Examiner’s Certificate relating to the accounts.
A5 Management
The WDBL’s affairs will be managed by an Executive Committee with reference to the Rules and any motions carried at General Meetings of the WDBL.
The Executive Committee will comprise of Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Immediate Past Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer together with any additional Secretaries as determined.
The Treasurer and Secretaries will be elected at the AGM to serve for appropriate periods with a view to giving continuity of management.
In the event that the post of Vice-Chairman is not filled at the AGM, the post will be filled by a member of the next club on a rota (Appendix D1) that will be maintained by the Executive Committee. That person will serve on the Executive Committee for 3 consecutive years as Vice-Chairman, Chairman and Immediate Past Chairman respectively. It is the responsibility of the club whose turn it is to nominate a member of their club to fill the post and to replace that member if for any reason the original member is unable to continue.
The rota (Appendix D1) will have one entry per team to ensure proportional representation of membership of the league. The order of teams within the rota will initially be determined by lot by the Executive Committee. Additions to and removals from the rota shall be determined by the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee reserves the right to make adjustments to the rota where necessary in order to ensure a fair distribution of clubs within the rota.
Failure of any club to fulfil its obligations to provide a member to fill the posts of Vice-Chairman, Chairman or Immediate Past Chairman for any season will be penalised with the club concerned being required to pay an additional league fee for that season. In addition, said club will be required to fill the post of Vice-Chairman in the following season.
Should a club be unable to fill the post of Vice-Chairman at their turn on the rota, the next club on the rota will be requested to fill the post.
The Executive Committee will meet periodically throughout the year.
A quorum for Executive Committee meetings shall be 50% of the voting members.
The Executive Committee shall have power to nominate Members to form an advisory Sub-Committee to deal with any matter. Any Sub-Committee so nominated shall include the Chairman and Secretary of the Executive Committee.
Interpretation and application of the Rules shall be at the discretion of the Executive Committee to cover exceptional circumstances.
A6 Honorary Life Members
The AGM shall have the power to invite any person who has made an outstanding contribution to the WDBL to be an Honorary Life Member, one of whom may be nominated as Honorary Life President.
Honorary Life Members have the right to attend General Meetings of the League as a voting member.
The Executive Committee may resolve that Honorary Life Members shall be invited to attend any or all of the meetings of the Executive Committee as a non-voting participant.
A7 Issue Of Rules
A current copy of the Rules shall be provided to each team representative prior to the start of each season.
A8 Liability
The Executive Committee of the WDBL hereby gives notice that all arrangements made by the WDBL for any person to visit any badminton court or other place, including arrangements for transport in connection with such visits, are made by the WDBL as agents for such persons. Such arrangements are made on condition that the WDBL shall not be liable for any injury, loss, damage, theft, or inconvenience caused to, or suffered by, such persons or their property in consequence of, or in connection with, such visits.
Section B - Competition And Tournament Management
In providing friendly yet competitive competitions the following rules will be used unless specifically waived or modified by special instruction or tournament schedule.
B1 Competitions And Tournaments - General
The WDBL will organise a number of Competitions/Leagues each season in which clubs may enter as many teams as they wish.
In addition a number of Tournaments will be organised each year.
The number of teams in each division of a particular League shall be nominally the same and will be decided by the Executive Committee prior to the AGM.
League fixtures will be organised with the intention that teams shall play each of the other teams in a division twice per season, once at home and once away.
Promotion and relegation between divisions of each League at the end of the season will be on the principle of the top team in the lower division being promoted and the bottom team in the higher division being relegated.
A team withdrawing from a League without completing its fixtures will remain placed in the division on the basis of points won at the time of withdrawal and stand for promotion or relegation on the basis of this points total. Points won by opponents of a team withdrawing during the season will be deducted from that team’s total. Only after promotion or relegation will the withdrawals be considered.
After withdrawals and new admissions have been considered, the Executive Committee shall make the minimum number of additional promotions or relegations to achieve sizes of divisions as specified in Rule B1(c). Only in exceptional circumstances, at the discretion of the Executive Committee, and with the full agreement of the teams involved will promoted or relegated teams be returned to their original divisions to adjust the size of a division.
Any team applying to join a League will be treated as a new team even if that team has previously taken part in the League and has been forced to withdraw. Initial entry in the League will be into a division appropriate to their standard of play.
In considering promotions, relegations, withdrawals and new entries, the season shall be considered to start from the final date for submissions to the AGM.
Should a club having two or more teams entered in a League choose to withdraw a team, the remaining teams of that Club will remain in their respective divisions and be renumbered as applicable.
Clubs seeking to amalgamate individual teams to operate as one must make a submission to the AGM in accordance with Rule A3(g). If amalgamation is ratified by the AGM the re-identified teams will remain in their respective divisions.
The AGM will approve additional Competitions and Tournaments to be arranged during the next season.
Where any Competition or Tournament is over-subscribed, players or teams will be included in order of receipt of entries with current title holders given priority.
Any player entering a tournament and failing to notify the Tournament Secretary of their inability to play shall be excluded from any future tournaments for such a period as may be determined by the Executive Committee.
The Executive Committee shall determine the handicaps or seeding which may be applied in any Competition or Tournament.
If a team withdraws from a League between the final date set for submissions to the AGM and the AGM itself such a team shall not be considered eligible to re-enter that League until the AGM for the following season.
The Knock-Out Competition consists of both Cup and Plate competitions. The Cup competition is open to all teams participating in the WDBL. The Plate competition will run concurrently with the Cup competition for teams that lose their first Cup match. Any team that concedes their first Cup match shall not be eligible for entry into the Plate competition.
B2 Fixtures
All League fixtures for the coming season and all matches in the 1st round of the Knock-Out Cup competition shall be arranged at the AGM and published immediately following that meeting. For all subsequent Knock-Out competition matches it is the responsibility of the home team to contact the away team and to offer alternative dates for the match. Once a date has been agreed the Knock-Out Tournament Secretary must be informed.
The Secretary must be notified in writing of any errors in, or alterations to, the published fixture list within 14 days of its issue.
All fixtures must be agreed by both teams involved before they can be included in the fixture list.
Fixtures may only be postponed for the reasons of serious inclement weather or non-availability of court. However a team involved in a Knock-Out competition match may postpone a home League fixture that clashes but may not seek to postpone an away League fixture.
The date of any re-arranged fixture must be agreed by both teams involved and the home captain should notify the Results Secretary of the re-arranged date within 14 days of the original postponement.
All matches must be played between the dates set by the AGM.
If a team fails to play a match it shall be awarded to the opposing team as a walk-over.
A team that fails to attend a League match without fair reason may be penalised at the discretion of the Executive Committee.
A team that fails to play more than one League match may, at the discretion of the Executive Committee, be relegated to a lower division. This penalty relegation will take place after normal promotion and relegation movement at the end of the season.
All fixtures shall be arranged to play on weekday evenings (Mondays - Fridays inclusive) and only in exceptional circumstances, and with the complete agreement of both team captains, shall matches be arranged for weekends or any other day (e.g., Bank Holiday).
B3 Players
In all matters concerning registration of players, each Competition will be considered to be independent of all others.
A player will be recognised as a member of the club in each Competition for whom he/she plays his/her first match in that particular Competition. A player may not play for any other club in that Competition during the season unless subject of exceptional circumstances and at the discretion of the Executive Committee after consultation with the team representatives concerned.
Where a club has more than one team participating in a particular Competition then, prior to the first match of ANY of those teams in that competition, players for all but the lowest ranked team shall be nominated with the Results Secretary and will be registered for that team. Thereafter unless a specific team is nominated and recorded on the score-sheet a player will be registered for the lowest ranked of the teams in that Competition of the club for whom he/she first appears. If the first appearance is NOT for the team for which the player is being registered then that appearance will be regarded as a play-up under rule B3(d).
A player may play for a more senior team in the club within a Competition, known as "playing up". All occasions of playing up must be recorded on the appropriate results sheet. Under no circumstances will a player be permitted to play for a lower ranked team.
Within a League, a player may play up on two occasions without penalty. On the third playing up occasion, the player will be re-registered for the team for which he/she played up on the third occasion. The player will not be permitted to play up again in that League during the season.
Within the Knock-Out Competition, a player may play up only once. The player will not be permitted to play up again during the remainder of the Competition.
If a club has more than one team in the same division the seniority of the respective teams must be specified before the first match of the season, and playing up controlled as if they were in separate divisions.
A team fielding an ineligible player shall forfeit the rubbers in which that player participated.
B4 Results And League Tables
Match results shall be recorded on the results sheet provided. The home team Captain shall be responsible for completing the results sheet, including matches that are forfeit, and sending it to the Result Secretary within 48 hours.
The result sheet for matches played shall be signed as correct by the Captains of both teams.
League positions shall be decided by the following criteria:
Most games won or if equal then
Least games lost or if equal then
Least points conceded.
If a division winner or promotion or relegation remains undecided then the teams involved shall play off.
B5 Equipment And Hall
The home team shall decide which type of shuttlecock (plastic or feather) is to be used with the following limitations:-
The shuttlecock must comply with all current requirements of the WDBL.
The shuttlecock must have a cork base.
In respect of Division One of any League, the shuttlecock must be of a natural feather construction.
Local rules regarding lets shall be followed; any local rules being advised prior to commencement of the match.
B6 Abandonment Of Matches
Should a match be abandoned with the consent of both captains after it has been started, then the match shall be replayed in its entirety in accordance with rule B2(e).
B7 Court Officials
A player can request the appointment of a score-keeper for any rubber in which he/she is playing. The official chosen must be agreed by all players playing in the rubber.
Section C - Rules Of Play
To maintain a high standard of sportsmanship, play in all competitions organised by the WDBL shall follow the Laws of Badminton, with the following additions and amendments, or details set out by special instruction or tournament schedule.
C1 Rules for the Mixed League
NOTE: These rules apply until the 2021/22 season. Thereafter the Mixed League will follow the rules set out in section C4.
A team shall comprise three ladies and three men forming three mixed doubles pairs.
A match shall comprise nine rubbers, with each pair from the home team playing each pair from the away team in the following order unless agreed by both captains:-
For single court halls:
Rubber No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Home Pair
1
2
3
2
1
2
3
1
3
Away Pair
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
3
2
For multi-court halls:
Rubber No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Home Pair
1
2
3
2
3
1
3
1
2
Away Pair
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3
Absence of pairs
Pairs should be ready to play at the appointed venue within the following periods (minutes) after the time fixed for the commencement of the match or they shall forfeit their first rubber. Ready to play will be deemed as on court to serve or receive service for the first point of the rubber.
Pair No.
Number of courts available
1
1 +1 shared
2
2 +1 shared
3
1
10
10
10
10
10
2
30
30
10
10
10
3
50
30
30
30
20
Should a team forfeit their first three rubbers then they shall forfeit the whole match.
If a pair are not ready to play their second or third rubbers in the order designated above within five minutes of a court becoming available and having completed/forfeited their previous rubbers, they shall forfeit the rubber in question. Note: Every effort should be made by competing teams to ensure that all matches are completed.
Should a player be unable to continue to play they shall forfeit all of their unfinished games.
A match shall be forfeited should a match be played not using an approved shuttlecock ie as per rule B5(a).
Each rubber shall consist of the best of 3 games and shall be played using the rally points scoring system.
C2 Rules for the FourTwo League
A team shall comprise two ladies and four men.
A match shall comprise nine rubbers. Irrespective of the number of courts available, the rubbers will be played in the following order unless agreed by both captains:-
Rubber No.
Home Players
Away Players
1
M1 L1
M1 L1
2
M2 L2
M2 L2
3
M4 L1
M3 L2
4
M3 L2
M4 L1
5
M1 M2
M1 M2
6
M3 M4
M3 M4
7
L1 L2
L1 L2
8
M1 M2
M3 M4
9
M3 M4
M1 M2
Absence of pairs
Pairs should be ready to play at the appointed venue within the following periods (minutes) after the time fixed for the commencement of the match or they shall forfeit their first rubber. Ready to play will be deemed as on court to serve or receive service for the first point of the rubber.
Pair No.
Number of courts available
1
1 +1 shared
2
2 +1 shared
3
1
10
10
10
10
10
2
30
30
10
10
10
3
50
30
30
30
20
Should a team forfeit their first three rubbers then they shall forfeit the whole match.
If a pair are not ready to play their second or third rubbers in the order designated above within five minutes of a court becoming available and having completed/forfeited their previous rubbers, they shall forfeit the rubber in question. Note: Every effort should be made by competing teams to ensure that all matches are completed.
Should a player be unable to continue to play they shall forfeit all of their unfinished games.
A match shall be forfeited should a match be played not using an approved shuttlecock ie as per rule B5(a).
Each rubber shall consist of the best of 3 games and shall be played using the rally points scoring system.
Should a team be unable to field a full complement of players for any match then the absent payers shall be regarded as the lowest ranked (i.e. the highest numbers under rule C2(b)).
C3 Rules for the Knock-Out Cup/Plate Competition
NOTE: These rules apply until the 2021/22 season. Thereafter the Knock-Out Cup/Plate Competition will follow the rules set out in section C5.
A team shall comprise three ladies and three men forming three mixed doubles pairs.
For every match in the Knock-Out Cup/Plate Competition, team captains must advise the Knock-out Tournament Secretary of the players playing in the match giving as much notice as possible of any late changes. The Executive Committee will then assign each team a handicap for the match based on the playing strengths of the players involved. The handicaps will be sealed in an envelope and given to the home team captain. The handicaps will be kept secret until after all rubbers are complete.
A match shall comprise nine rubbers, with each pair from the home team playing each pair from the away team in the following order unless agreed by both captains:-
For single court halls:
Rubber No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Home Pair
1
2
3
2
1
2
3
1
3
Away Pair
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
3
2
For multi-court halls:
Rubber No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Home Pair
1
2
3
2
3
1
3
1
2
Away Pair
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3
Absence of pairs
Pairs should be ready to play at the appointed venue within the following periods (minutes) after the time fixed for the commencement of the match or they shall forfeit their first rubber. Ready to play will be deemed as on court to serve or receive service for the first point of the rubber.
Pair No.
Number of courts available
1
1 +1 shared
2
2 +1 shared
3
1
10
10
10
10
10
2
30
30
10
10
10
3
50
30
30
30
20
Should a team forfeit their first three rubbers then they shall forfeit the whole match.
If a pair are not ready to play their second or third rubbers in the order designated above within five minutes of a court becoming available and having completed/forfeited their previous rubbers, they shall forfeit the rubber in question. Note: Every effort should be made by competing teams to ensure that all matches are completed.
Should a player be unable to continue to play they shall forfeit all of their unfinished games.
A match shall be forfeited should a match be played not using an approved shuttlecock ie as per rule B5(a).
Each rubber shall consist of 2 games only and shall be played using the rally points scoring system. However, there will be no setting allowed - play continues until one pair scores 21 points.
At the end of the match the hidden handicap will be opened and the points awarded to each team will be added to the total number of points each team scored during the match. The winning team will be the one with the greatest total score. In the event of a tie the team with the more severe handicap will be the winner (e.g. 0 would beat +200). A tie between teams of equal handicap will be decided in favour of the away team.
C4 Rules for the Mixed2x2 League (2 pairs)
NOTE:These rules are applicable to the Mixed League from the 2022/23 season.
A team shall comprise two ladies and two men.
A match shall comprise six rubbers. Irrespective of the number of courts available, the rubbers will be played in the following order unless agreed by both captains:-
Rubber No.
Home Players
Away Players
1
M1 L1
M2 L2
2
M2 L2
M1 L1
3
M1 L1
M1 L1
4
M2 L2
M2 L2
5
M1 L2
M2 L1
6
M2 L1
M1 L2
Absence of pairs
All pairs should be ready to play at the appointed venue within 10 minutes after the time fixed for the commencement of the match or they shall forfeit their first rubber. Ready to play will be deemed as on court to serve or receive service for the first point of the rubber.
Every effort should be made by competing teams to ensure that all matches are completed.
Should a player be unable to continue to play they shall forfeit all of their unfinished games.
A match shall be forfeited should a match be played not using an approved shuttlecock ie as per rule B5(a).
Each rubber shall consist of the best of 3 games and shall be played using the rally points scoring system.
C5 Rules for the ThreeOne League
A team shall comprise three men and one lady.
A match shall comprise six rubbers. Irrespective of the number of courts available, the rubbers will be played in the following order unless agreed by both captains:-
Rubber No.
Home Players
Away Players
1
M2 L1
M2 L1
2
M1 M3
M1 M3
3
M1 L1
M1 L1
4
M2 M3
M2 M3
5
M3 L1
M3 L1
6
M1 M2
M1 M2
Absence of pairs
All pairs should be ready to play at the appointed venue within 10 minutes after the time fixed for the commencement of the match or they shall forfeit their first rubber. Ready to play will be deemed as on court to serve or receive service for the first point of the rubber.
Every effort should be made by competing teams to ensure that all matches are completed.
Should a player be unable to continue to play they shall forfeit all of their unfinished games.
A match shall be forfeited should a match be played not using an approved shuttlecock ie as per rule B5(a).
Each rubber shall consist of the best of 3 games and shall be played using the rally points scoring system.
