What are the wheelchair rules in badminton?
I · Intermediate · Classes and equipment · 1 of 3Players may be strapped in at the waist or thighs; feet are fixed to the footrest. When the shuttle is hit, part of the trunk must touch the seat. It is a fault if a foot comes loose or touches the floor, or if the shuttle is caught in the net. The seat may tilt back, never forward.
How it works
- Strap: waist, thighs or both.
- Feet: fixed to the footrest.
- At the hit: part of the trunk on the seat.
- Seat: horizontal or tilted back.
- Rear wheel: may extend beyond the main wheels.
- No electric help: for moving or steering.
- Net catch: a fault, not a let.
- Catheter break: one extra interval, with an official.
The glossary has the wheelchair (para badminton), the wheelchair faults, the catheter break, the wheelchair service, the para court set-up and the adaptive equipment by class.
Tricky cases
The shuttle hits the chair. Whose point?
The opponent's. The chair is part of the player.
A shuttle hangs on top of the net. Let?
No. In wheelchair badminton it is a fault.
How do players change ends?
Under the net; only its top third is tied to the post.
Is a motorised chair allowed?
No.
Why the rule exists
Keeping the trunk on the seat stops players gaining reach by standing up. The foot rules stop them pushing off the floor.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net catch | Fault, not let | L 13.3.10, 14.2.3 |
| Leaving the court | Catheter break | L 16.5.3 |
| Chair | Part of the player | L 13.3.4.1 |
From the rule book
BWF, Laws of Badminton, version 6.0 (in force 4 January 2027), Laws 5.2, 13.3.4.1, 13.3.10, 13.4.6, 14.2.3 and 16.5.3, with Additional Equipment for Para Badminton, version 2.0, section 1. Checked 14 October 2026. Official documents: BWF Statutes, Sections 4.1 and 5.5.