League Rules

NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE

BADMINTON LEAGUE

GENERAL LEAGUE RULES

REVISED MAY 2011

 NSBL.UK  

NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE BADMINTON LEAGUE  |  GENERAL RULES

1.  The League shall be called THE NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE BADMINTON LEAGUE, hereinafter referred to as the League

2.  OBJECTS

To provide and promote competitive badminton on the League Principle for Clubs in the North Staffordshire area and to arrange matches, tournaments, and all other events connected therewith, in accordance with the Laws of Badminton as adopted by Badminton England.

3.  MEMBERSHIP

The League shall be open to one or more teams of clubs affiliated to a County Badminton Association. Any Club desirous of joining the League or of entering an additional team in the League shall apply in writing to the League Secretary not later than 31st July, and the acceptance of their application shall be subject to the sanction of the Committee.

4.  RESIGNATION

A Club desirous of withdrawing a team or teams from the League shall give notice to the League Secretary before 31st July.

5.  SUBSCRIPTIONS

The official year shall commence on 1st September. The Annual Subscription to the League shall be decided at the Annual General Meeting and is payable on or before 1st October each year.

6.  MANAGEMENT

The management of the League shall be vested in a Committee consisting of ex-officio members and six ordinary members, such Committee to have powers to co-opt additional members as considered desirable. The ex-officio members of the Committee shall be the President, the Chairman, the Secretary, the Treasurer and the Results Secretary(s) and an Assistant Secretary if required. All shall retire annually at the Annual General Meeting, but shall be eligible for re-election. The ordinary members, who must be attached to Clubs which are members of the League, shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting, to serve for one year. They shall retire at the following Annual General Meeting and shall be eligible for re-election.

7.  POWERS OF COMMITTEE

The Committee shall have power:-

a)  To sanction or refuse all applications for membership.

b)  To terminate the membership of any Club already in the League.

c)  To determine the constitution of the Divisions

d)  To make decisions with regard to all abandoned matches, through the appropriate Results Secretary.

e)  To co-opt members to the Committee to fill casual vacancies.

f)  To give rulings on all disputes or appeals on any matter connected with the League.

g)  To propose to the Annual General Meeting the election of Honorary Vice-Presidents. Such Vice-Presidents to be entitled to attend, without vote, the Annual General Meeting and Committee meetings.

h)  To penalise breaches of rule by deduction of League points or by fine or any other penalty as may be decided.

i)  To make Bye-Laws to govern any matter not legislated for in League Rules to take effect until the next Annual General Meeting.

j)  All conceded matches will be considered before the AGM by the Committee. If in the opinion of the Committee, league positions have been affected by such concessions, a further penalty will be imposed. This penalty will take the form of a fine, deduction of further points, or relegation, depending on the seriousness of the case.

(Bye-Law 15th May 1989 — Non-attendance by a Club for a match without adequate notice being given to their opponents, will at the discretion of the League Committee, make the Club liable to pay for all or part of any relevant costs incurred by their opponents (home/away).)

8.  SELECTION COMMITTEE

A Selection Committee of three will be chosen at the Annual General Meeting, to choose for representative matches, if required.

9.  COMMITTEE MEETING

Committee Meetings shall be held as called for by the Chairman, the League Secretary, or on application of two or more Committee Members. The Chairman shall have a casting vote in addition to his ordinary vote. A quorum shall consist of Five Members.

10.  ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Shall be held prior to 31st May each year when all general business shall be transacted. The meeting shall be open to all registered players, but each Club represented shall have only TWO votes, irrespective of how many teams the Club may have in the League. The ex-officio members of the Committee of the League, unless they also vote as a Club representative have only one vote, and the Chairman of the Meeting shall have a casting vote in the event of an equality of votes. Any motion for presentation at the Meeting shall be submitted to the League Secretary, in writing, not later than 14th March.

(Bye-Law 15th May 1989 — Each Club must be represented at the AGM. No apologies will be accepted. Failure to attend the AGM will entail a minimum fine of £5.00, amount to be reviewed annually.)

11.  FIXTURE MEETING

A Fixture Meeting shall be held, normally during the third week in September each year, for the purpose of agreeing dates for Home and Away League Matches during the ensuing season. Each Club shall send one representative per team entered to this Meeting with a list of available Home dates.

If a Club has more than one team in the same Division, all matches between these teams must be played before any other fixtures are played.

A Club not fully represented at this Meeting shall be liable to a fine of £2 unless a satisfactory explanation is forthcoming.

After the Fixture Meeting, Clubs will be allowed 2 weeks to check their dates and correct any mistakes that may have been made. The N.S.B.L. will then issue a fixture list of all the MIXED and LADIES matches to each Club.

12.  ALTERATION OF FIXTURE DATES

Other than in exceptional circumstances, all fixtures must be played on the dates arranged at the Fixture Meeting and published in the Fixture Lists. The occasional non-availability of regular team players is not considered exceptional and Clubs are expected to have sufficient coverage for such an occasion.

Dates may be re-arranged for the following reasons only, and the League Results Secretary must be advised of the re-arranged date by the Home Club:

a)  The withdrawal from the Home Club of the use of its court for the date published in the fixture list.

b)  The cessation of transport due to inclement weather – or industrial dispute – (in which case the Secretaries of both Clubs must make every effort to apprise each other of this fact before the time at which the match is due to be played).

If a club considers it has any other exceptional reason for re-arranging a Fixture, application may be made to the League Results Secretary at least 7 days before the fixture date.

See also 18(e).

13.  LEAGUE TOURNAMENT

No matches shall be arranged on the dates of the Annual League Tournament.

14.  AUDIT

The Treasurer shall submit to the Annual General Meeting for approval, the accounts of the League, duly audited by some other person than a member of the Committee, such auditor to be elected at the Annual General Meeting.

15.  EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING

An Extraordinary General Meeting may be convened by the Committee, or by the League Secretary upon written requisition signed by the representatives of not less than five League Clubs, such requisitions to state the reason and the object for which the Meeting is to be called, and such meetings to be held within twenty-eight days of such requisition being served. Seven days notice shall be given to all the League Clubs of any Extraordinary General Meeting, and a representative from each Club may be sent to such Meeting. The motions or motion to be discussed shall be incorporated in the Notice of the Meeting and no business other than that of which notice has been given shall be discussed.

16.  ALTERATION TO RULES

Any League Club desirous of proposing an alteration to the Rules shall submit the same, in writing, to the League Secretary by 14th March and a copy of such proposed alteration shall be forwarded to each Club with the notice of the Annual General Meeting.

17.  COMPLAINTS

All complaints shall be made to the League Secretary in writing and shall be dealt with by the Committee.

18.  PLAY

The following shall apply to Mixed League Matches and Ladies League Matches as applicable:-

a)  Each team in the League shall play Home and Away Matches with every other team in the same Division.

b)  League Matches shall commence at 7.00 pm in accordance with the suggested order of play unless otherwise arranged by the Clubs concerned. Teams not having the stipulated couples ready to play at the starting time will forfeit the event. If at 7.30 pm the match has not commenced, (or half hour after the agreed starting time), or cannot continue due to non-availability of players the Club in default shall forfeit the next event due to be played. Should the match not have commenced by 8.00 pm (or by one hour after the agreed start time), or continued, the Club in default shall forfeit the match.

c)  All matches played under the jurisdiction of the League must be played with CORK BASED FEATHER SHUTTLES or CORK BASED SYNTHETIC SKIRTED SHUTTLES as defined by the law of Badminton.

d)  If a player is unable to continue play during a match, through any cause, the match shall proceed and the team so handicapped shall lose each game not completed to 21 points, but shall count the points scored up to the cessation of play.

e)  When a match cannot be finished due to circumstances beyond the control of the Home Club, and where a winning score has been reached, the result will stand. Where a winning score has not been reached, the match will, at a future date:

i)  be continued from the existing score (i.e. from the point the game was not finished e.g. the exact point the lights went out)

or ii)  by mutual consent be replayed.

f)  The match result will be the total of events won (game points scored will not affect the League Position of Clubs). The following match points will be awarded on the result of each match:- Win – 2 points. Lose – Nil points. The team which has been awarded the highest number of points in each division shall hold the championship of that division. In the event of a tie on points for any league position, the team having won the greater number of events shall be placed the higher. Should the events won be equal then the team having won the greater number of games shall be placed the higher. Should the number of games won be equal the Committee may require the teams involved to play a deciding match on a neutral court.

g)  Only “bona fide” members of the Club, who pay the Club’s subscription, may represent it in League Matches. Each Club Secretary shall send a complete list of possible team players to the Results Secretary before the first match of the season, and only the players recorded on those lists shall be eligible for League Matches. Additional players should be registered with the Results Secretary at least seven days before playing in League Matches. Players will normally only be allowed to play for one Club in any season, in either the Mixed or Ladies League or both. A player who has played for a Club in a League Match and then moves to another League Club in the same season, may apply to the League Committee, through the appropriate Results Secretary, for permission to play for the second Club. Such a player shall not play for the new Club until:-

a)  so authorised by the League Committee, and

b)  until a period of fourteen days has elapsed since the last match played for the previous Club.

h)  A Club with more than one team in the same League must nominate in order of strength, the six players for each team except the lowest team. A nominated player will not be able to play in a team lower than the one for which he or she has been nominated. The names of all nominated must be forwarded to the Results Secretary concerned before the start of the first match. Should any special circumstances arise during the season whereby a Club may wish to alter the nominations made under this rule, application, giving full details should be made in writing to the Results Secretary. Any such application may be placed before the Committee for consideration.

i)  Any Club which does not play a nominated player for three consecutive matches may be asked to explain the circumstances to the Committee who have the power to order the nominations to be altered.

j)  All match scores shall be checked by a member of each team and a completed score sheet shall be sent by the Home team to the Results Secretary within twenty four hours. The time at which the match commenced shall be stated on the sheet and the sheet signed by both Home and Visiting Captains.

k)  Visiting teams shall abide by the playing rules and bye-laws of the Home Club, provided these do not contravene the Laws of Badminton, and it shall be incumbent upon Home players to declare to the Visitors, before the match, such rules or bye-laws which are likely to affect the play.

l)  All disputes and appeals on any matter connected with League Matches shall be submitted, in writing, to the Committee, through the League Secretary, within fourteen days of the Match being played. The opposing team Secretary or Captain must be informed of the intention to lodge a complaint.

m)  On the day of the Match, both team Captains must exchange the names of their team couples before the first event.

n)  Scorers shall be used for all games if requested by a player, and should be neutral if possible, otherwise the games to be scored alternatively by a member of each Club.

o)  In the event of one Club sending an incomplete team, the missing player(s) shall be deemed to be second man and/or lady. The events unplayed shall be forfeited to the opposite team. In the event of both teams being incomplete, the unplayed events shall not count in the final score. (see also rule 18r)

p)  Every Mixed League Match shall be played by teams consisting of three ladies and three men, playing five mixed doubles events, two ladies doubles events and two mens doubles events. Each event to consist of ‘best of three games’ to 21 points (playing 2 clear points at 20 all, then first to reach 30). In each team one man (No.3) and one lady (No.6) will form a third mixed couple who shall play the corresponding couple in the other team’s mixed doubles pairings only. The man (No.3) from the third mixed doubles couple will play in turn with each of the other two men (No.1) and (No.2), the two mens couples so formed to be placed in order of strength and each couple to play the corresponding couple in the other team’s mens doubles pairings only. The same formation will apply to the ladies forming the ladies doubles pairings, the ladies to be numbered 4, 5 and 6. The two men (No.1) and (No.2) and the two ladies (No.4) and (No.5) who are not in the third Mixed Doubles couple shall form two Mixed Doubles couples (A and B) who shall both play the other team’s corresponding couples (A and B). A suggested order of play will be shown overleaf.

q)  Every Ladies Doubles League Match shall be played by teams consisting of six ladies forming three pairs (No’s 1, 2 and 3) to play nine ladies doubles events, each event to consist of ‘best of three games’ to 21 points (playing 2 clear points at 20 all, then first to reach 30). A suggested order of play will be shown overleaf.

r)  The penalty to be imposed on a Team which fails to turn out a full side for a match will be the automatic deduction of 3 events. If the incomplete side manages to win all of the other 6 events they will be awarded 1 point only. If they lose any of the 6 events played then they will be awarded no points.

(Bye-Law 15th May 1989 — Persistent offenders will also be fined.)

N.B. The other side must win at least 2 of the 6 events played in order to gain any points (i.e. 2 points for a win).

19.  PROMOTION AND RELEGATION

At the end of each season the bottom two teams in each Division, other than the lowest, shall be relegated; and the top two teams in each Division except the first, shall be promoted.

SUGGESTED ORDER OF PLAY

Mixed Doubles

Pairings

Event

Home

Away

1

Mens 1st

v

Mens 1st

2

Ladies 1st

v

Ladies 1st

3

Mens 2nd

v

Mens 2nd

4

Ladies 2nd

v

Ladies 2nd

5

Mixed A

v

Mixed A

6

Mixed B

v

Mixed B

7

Mixed 3rd

v

Mixed 3rd

8

Mixed A

v

Mixed B

9

Mixed B

v

Mixed A

Players

Event

Home

Away

1

1 & 3

v

1 & 3

2

4 & 6

v

4 & 6

3

2 & 3

v

2 & 3

4

5 & 6

v

5 & 6

5

(C) 1 or 2 & 4 or 5

v

(C) 1 or 2 & 4 or 5

6

(D) players excluded from A couples

v

(D) players excluded from A couples

7

3 & 6

v

3 & 6

8

C above

v

D above

9

D above

v

C above

Ladies Doubles — Pairings

Event

Home

Away

1

1

v

2

2

3

v

1

3

2

v

3

4

1

v

1

5

2

v

2

6

3

v

3

7

2

v

1

8

1

v

3

9

3

v

2

20.  BOURNE SPORTS TROPHY COMPETITION

The Competition shall be played to the General League Rules with the following exceptions:-

a)  All the teams playing in the Ladies League are eligible to participate in the Competition.

b)  Each team shall have a handicap which will be decided by the Committee prior to the drawer.

c)  The Committee shall be empowered to adjust the handicap of any team should that team be strengthened by the addition of players or weakened by the loss of players after the initial award of the handicap.

d)  The result of the match shall be decided on aces scored plus the allowed handicap.

e)  The Competition will be played on a knockout basis.

f)  The drawer for the Competition will be made by the Committee prior to the fixture meeting.

g)  First round fixtures shall be arranged at the fixture meeting.

h)  Higher named teams in the draw are responsible for arranging all fixtures after the first round. These must be played before the stipulated closing date for each round.

i)  The higher named team in the draw has the choice of providing the court or the shuttles. The lower named team provides the other requirement.

j)  In the event of a tie the match is to be replayed within 14 days with the opposite choice of courts and shuttles.

k)  Players re-registering after playing in any Bourne Sports Trophy Competition match WILL NOT be eligible to play in any further rounds for their new club.

l)  All complaints regarding Trophy matches shall be referred to the Committee.

m)  The Committee shall decide the date and venue for the playing of the Final, making sure it is played on neutral courts.

n)  The type of shuttle used in the Final match shall be decided by:-

i)  mutual agreement of both teams, or

ii)  the spin of a racket, carried out by a Committee Member with representatives of both teams present.

NB Cup matches will consist of 18 games to 21 points (no setting).

21.  MIXED CUP COMPETITION

The competition shall be played to the General League Rules with the following exceptions:-

a)  All the teams playing in the Mixed League are eligible to participate in the competition.

b)  Each team shall have a handicap which will apply to each game of the match and be decided by the committee prior to the drawer.

c)  The drawer for the competition will be made by the committee prior to the fixture meeting.

d)  The committee shall be empowered to adjust the handicap of any team should that team be strengthened by the addition of players or weakened by the loss of players after the initial award of the handicap.

e)  The match shall consist of 9 events of Mixed Doubles with each event consisting of 2 games to 21 with no setting. (Mixed Cup score sheets will be issued at the Fixture Meeting)

f)  The winner of the match shall be determined by the team with the most aces at the end of each match (not including any aces required to get from a negative starting score to 0).

g)  The competition will be played on a knockout basis.

h)  First round fixtures shall be arranged at the fixture meeting.

i)  Home Clubs are responsible for arranging all fixtures after the first round and these must be played before the stipulated closing date for each round.

j)  The team that is drawn as the away team in each match will provide the shuttles for the match.

k)  In the event of a tie the match is to be replayed within 14 days with the opposite provision of courts and shuttles.

l)  Players re-registering after playing in any Mixed Cup Competition Match WILL NOT be eligible to play in any further rounds for their new club.

m)  All complaints regarding Cup Matches shall be referred to the committee.

n)  The committee shall decide the date and venue for the playing of the Final, making sure it is played on neutral courts.

o)  The type of shuttle used in the Final match shall be decided by the toss of a coin, carried out by a committee member with representatives of both teams present.

22.  DISSOLUTION CLAUSE

If the committee, by a simple majority, decides at any time to dissolve the NSBL, it shall give at least 21 day’s notice of a meeting to all members of the NSBL who have the power to vote. If such a decision is confirmed by a majority of those present and voting at the meeting, the management shall have the power to dispose of any assets held by the NSBL. Any assets remaining after the satisfaction of any proper debts or liabilities shall be given or transferred to such charitable groups or groups having similar objects to the NSBL as the committee may decide.