Know the standard before you step on court
These guidelines are written for players, guests, volunteers and tournament participants. They set a consistent baseline for behaviour and make it easier for organisers to run safe, welcoming and well-structured sessions.
Social Play Guidelines
Designed for weekly sessions, casual games and visitors joining WBi socials.
- Respect firstNo aggression, harassment or discriminatory behaviour.
- Rotate fairlyWaiting players get priority after each game.
- Safety stops playReport injuries, hazards and unsafe play immediately.
1 Conduct and sportsmanship
The baseline rule: play hard, but keep the environment friendly and safe.
- Arrive on time and check in with the organiser before joining games.
- Use respectful language and avoid aggressive, discriminatory or intimidating behaviour.
- Encourage newer players and keep feedback friendly, brief and appropriate.
- Accept line calls in good faith; replay the point if players cannot agree.
2 Court etiquette
Small habits on and around court prevent injuries and keep games flowing.
- Wait until a rally is complete before crossing behind or beside a court.
- Call the score clearly before serving and ensure opponents are ready.
- Return stray shuttles safely and avoid interrupting neighbouring games.
- Wear non-marking indoor court shoes and keep bags away from playing areas.
3 Fair rotation
Fair court time is one of the most important parts of WBi socials.
- Rotate after each game unless the organiser has set a different format.
- Mix partners where possible so social play remains inclusive and balanced.
- Give waiting players priority before starting another game.
- Match playing levels sensibly when inviting guests to a session.
4 Safety and injury management
If something looks unsafe, pause and tell the organiser or venue staff.
- Warm up before playing and stop immediately if you feel unwell or injured.
- Report injuries, spills, hazards or damaged equipment to the organiser or venue staff.
- Be aware of nearby players to reduce collision risk during rallies.
- Players participate at their own risk and are responsible for their personal belongings.
5 Shuttle and venue care
- Use shuttles until flight is clearly affected; avoid unnecessary replacements.
- Agree with players on court before changing a shuttle during a game.
- Dispose of rubbish properly and leave courts ready for the next group.
- Respect venue facilities, booking times and staff instructions.
6 Disputes and organiser authority
- Raise concerns calmly with the organiser away from active play where possible.
- The organiser may rebalance games, pause play or ask a player to sit out.
- Repeated poor conduct may result in warnings, suspension or removal from sessions.
- Serious safety or conduct issues may be escalated to the WBi committee.
Social sessions should feel competitive enough to improve, but relaxed enough for everyone to feel welcome. Fair rotation and respectful play matter as much as winning.
Tournament Guidelines
Designed for WBi tournaments, published events, registrations, match play and results.
- Eligibility mattersFalse declarations can mean disqualification without refund.
- Refund cut-offFull refunds only up to 7 days before the event.
- Category viabilityCategories need sufficient entries to proceed; affected players will be offered a refund or an eligible transfer option.
- Be match-readyLate arrival after grace period may result in walkover.
- Conduct is enforceableAbuse or intimidation can result in removal or disqualification.
- Medical riskPlayers participate at their own risk and must report injuries.
- Director decision finalThe tournament director may modify formats for safety and fairness.
1Eligibility and casual-player policy
Register only in categories you are eligible for and declare details accurately.
- WBi tournaments are intended for casual and social badminton players unless an event explicitly states otherwise.
- Players must register in the correct category and provide accurate age, gender, membership and contact details.
- For both Men's Doubles and Women's Doubles, a player eligible for the Above 40 age group may instead play in the Below 40 age group, but may enter only one of those age groups in the tournament.
- A player under 40 cannot enter or play in the Above 40 age group.
- Players who have represented at state, national, professional or elite competition levels may be ineligible for casual-player events unless approved by organisers.
- The tournament director may verify eligibility and request supporting information before or during the event.
- False declarations, eligibility misrepresentation or category manipulation may result in disqualification without refund.
2Registration and refund policy
Payment confirms entry; refund rules depend on timing and reason for withdrawal.
- All participants must register and pay the entry fee before the registration deadline.
- Late entries may be accepted only at the organisers' discretion and subject to category capacity.
- Full refunds are available up to 7 days before the event.
- No refunds are available within 7 days of the event unless due to injury or medical reasons, supported by a medical certificate.
- No refunds will be issued for tournament-day no-shows.
- Players disqualified for eligibility misrepresentation, false declarations, unsportsmanlike conduct or rule breaches are not entitled to a refund.
- Refund requests must be submitted in writing to admin@westernbadminton.com and approved refunds will be processed within 14 business days.
- If WBi cancels or reschedules due to venue unavailability, insufficient entries or other unforeseen circumstances, full refunds will be provided where applicable.
- Insufficient category entries: If too few players or teams register for a category to run it safely, fairly or competitively, the organisers reserve the right to cancel or, where appropriate, combine that category before the draw is finalised.
- If a category is cancelled for insufficient entries, each affected player or team will be offered either a full refund of the applicable category entry fee or the option to transfer to another category with sufficient entries, subject to eligibility, available capacity and the player or team's agreement.
- No player or team will be moved to another category without consent. Any entry-fee difference resulting from an agreed transfer will be clearly communicated and either charged or refunded, as applicable.
3Tournament format and rules
Formats may change when needed to keep the event safe, fair and on schedule.
- All matches follow BWF principles unless the tournament-specific rules state otherwise.
- Matches are played as a single game to 30 points using rally scoring unless a different format is published for the event.
- The tournament format may be round-robin, knockout, group plus knockout, or another structure announced before the event.
- Players must be ready at the assigned court when called.
- A 5-minute grace period may apply; failure to appear may result in a walkover.
- Organisers may modify match format, court allocation, match order, point limits or time caps to keep the tournament running safely and on schedule.
4Code of conduct
Poor conduct can affect match status, refunds and future event participation.
- Participants must display good sportsmanship before, during and after every match.
- Abusive language, aggression, intimidation, harassment, discrimination or deliberate unsporting play may result in immediate disqualification without refund.
- Players must respect umpire, scorer, organiser and tournament director decisions.
- Disputes must be raised calmly; the tournament director's decision is final and binding.
- Spectators must not coach players during matches or interfere with play.
- Serious misconduct may result in removal from the venue and exclusion from future WBi events.
5Equipment and attire
- Players must wear appropriate badminton attire and non-marking indoor court shoes.
- Players not meeting dress or footwear requirements may be asked to change before playing.
- Approved shuttlecocks will be provided by organisers for tournament matches.
- Players must bring their own rackets and are encouraged to bring a spare racket.
- Players should bring water, towels and any personal first-aid or support items they may need.
6Safety, medical and liability
Safety concerns should be raised immediately and medical limits apply during matches.
- A first aid kit will be available at the venue and injuries must be reported to the tournament director immediately.
- Players with pre-existing medical conditions must notify organisers via the registration process before the event.
- If a player is injured during a match, a maximum 5-minute medical timeout may be allowed.
- If the player cannot continue, the match may be forfeited.
- All participants acknowledge that badminton is a physical sport and voluntarily assume the risks of injury, illness or loss associated with participation.
- Western Badminton Inc., organisers, volunteers and venue operators are not liable for personal injury, property damage or loss sustained during the tournament.
- By registering, each participant agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Western Badminton Inc. from claims, damages or expenses arising from their participation.
7Privacy and data
- Personal information collected during registration is used for tournament administration, communication and safety purposes.
- Registration information may include name, email, phone, date of birth, emergency contacts, membership details and category selections.
- Data will not be shared with third parties except where required for tournament operations or by law.
- Photographs and videos may be taken for promotional purposes. Participants should notify organisers before the event if they wish to opt out where practical.
- For full details, refer to the WBi privacy policy.
8Prizes and awards
- Prizes may be awarded to winners and runners-up in each category.
- Prize details will be announced before or during each tournament.
- Winners should be present at the award ceremony to collect prizes.
- Uncollected prizes may be forfeited at the organisers' discretion.
- If a player is later found to be ineligible, prizes, awards or results may be forfeited and reallocated to the next eligible player or team.
9General terms
- These guidelines and any disputes arising from the tournament are governed by the laws of Victoria, Australia.
- Western Badminton Inc. reserves the right to refuse entry, disqualify participants or modify tournament rules when necessary for safety, fairness or smooth event operation.
- Guidelines may be updated at any time. The version published on this page at the time of registration applies.
- WBi is not liable for cancellation or changes caused by events beyond reasonable control, including venue emergencies, extreme weather, pandemics or government restrictions.
- If any provision is found to be unenforceable, the remaining provisions continue in full force.
- By completing registration, participants acknowledge that they have read, understood and agree to follow the tournament guidelines, terms and conditions.
WBi may modify draws, schedules, formats or category arrangements when required for safety, fairness, venue availability or event timing.