1. The amalgamation of clubs shall be named "The Bolton Badminton League" (herewith referred to as the League).

2. The League shall be governed by these Rules. No alteration or addition to these Rules shall be made except at the Annual General Meeting, or at an Extraordinary General Meeting specially called for that purpose on a written request signed by a majority of the clubs in membership. Notice of proposed alterations or additions shall be lodged in writing with the League Secretary one month prior to the date of the meeting, and he/she shall forward copies of such proposed alterations or additions to the clubs not less than seven days prior to the date of the meeting.
3. The League shall consist of the clubs named in this handbook and shall be not less than six properly constituted clubs. The clubs shall be amateur organisations.
4. The League and each club shall be affiliated to BADMINTON England (formerly BAofE) and the Lancashire County Badminton Association (LCBA)

5. An entry fee for each team, as laid down by the Management Committee, shall be paid to the League, with entry forms on or before the 1st May.
6. Affiliation fees shall be paid to BADMINTON England and the LCBA. The fees, as laid down by BADMINTON England and the LCBA are payable not later than 31st October.
7. Any club failing to pay the above fees by the dates stipulated shall be automatically suspended from the League. Any games which have been played between the date of suspension and the lifting of the suspension shall be forfeited.

8. New clubs should apply for admission to the League in writing to the Match Secretary as in Rule 5.

9. The AGM shall be held on or before the 30th June and the League Secretary shall give at least fourteen days notice to each member club, of the place, date and time of the meeting. An agenda defining the whole business to be brought before the meeting shall accompany the notice.
10. For an adjourned AGM or a Special General Meeting fourteen days notice must also be given.
11. A printed Income and Expenditure Account duly certified by the Auditor as in Rule 12 shall be submitted to the AGM.
12. The Honorary Auditor shall certify that all the books, accounts, vouchers, receipts and other documents have been produced to him and that all the information and particulars to certify the accounts as presented, show a true and fair view of the League. Any discrepancies discovered by the Auditor shall also, if the Auditor considers it necessary, be included in the report.
13. Business to be included on the agenda for the AGM should be received in writing by the League Secretary at least 28 days before the AGM. This includes :-
    1. Names of proposed officers and officials.
    2. Changes to rules and regulations other than those of a financial nature, which requiring amendment from time to time shall be subject to the sanction of the General Committee.
    3. Names of Vice-Presidents (if any) to be elected for life who shall be entitled to attend but not vote at General Committee Meetings.
    The proposals should contain the name of the proposer and seconder (in each case the name of a member club) and be signed by an official of each club. The Management Committee is also empowered to submit resolutions to the AGM.
14. Each member club may send any number of representatives to the AGM. Only one may vote. No club shall be represented at the AGM unless ALL the previous seasons fees have been paid - Guarantee and Affiliation to BADMINTON England and the LCBA. Clubs not sending a representative to General and Annual General Meetings shall be fined. This fine, as laid down by the Management Committee, shall be paid to the League Secretary by 14 days after the posting of the notice.
15. The quorum required for the AGM as in Rules 9 and 10 shall be 12

16. The League shall be governed by a Management Committee elected annually (except for Vice-Presidents who shall be elected for life) at the AGM as in Rule 13 and shall consist of the following :-
    • President
    • Chairman
    • Hon. Secretary
    • Hon. Treasurer
    • Hon. Match Secretary
    • Assistant Match Secretary
    • Cup Secretaries
    • Tournament Secretary
    • Social Secretary
    • Lancashire Inter-League Secretary
17. The General Committee which shall consist of the officials named in Rule 16, non-voting Vice-Presidents and one representative from each member club, shall meet at least twice per year.
18. Meetings of the Management Committee shall be held on convenient dates.
19. The Management Committee shall have the power to decide all questions relating to the eligibility of players, the interpretation of the League rules and bye-laws, and to hear and adjudicate upon all cases of protests and disputes.
    The Management Committee shall have full jurisdiction over all the matters or business concerning the League, whether covered in these rules or not, and its decision shall be considered final
20. The Management Committee shall have the power to co-opt members, either to the Management Committee or to sub-committee.
21. The quorum for the Management Committee, as in Rule 16, shall be four.

22. All protests and complaints must be in writing to the Secretary within 7 days of the alleged offence or cause for complaint. Such protests and complaints must in addition be presented personally by the party concerned to the Management Committee at 8.30pm at the first meeting held more than seven days after the lodging of the protest or complaint. Thereafter on the instruction of the Management Committee the Secretary will notify all parties to the protest or complaint of the date of a meeting to receive representations from all such parties before arriving at a decision. No barrister or solicitor shall be allowed to represent any club unless he be the Secretary of a club concerned and his name appears in the official list of secretaries or rule book.
23. A deposit, as laid down by the Management Committee, must accompany all protests. The deposit shall be returnable unless the protest shall not be sustained, when the deposit shall be forfeited to the funds of the League.

24. 1. to call and minute meetings of members, General Committee and Management Committee.
    2. to deal with the general correspondence and to perform such other duties necessary for the conduct of the League under the direction of the Chairman.

25. 1. to receive individual club entries, on the official forms, duly completed, together with the appropriate fees.
    2. to receive all registrations, and with the assistance of the Assistant Secretaries, to compile league fixtures, collate results and league tables, and be responsible to the Management Committee for the efficient running of the League fixture programme. The Match Secretary shall keep a list of all registered and starred players which may be seen upon request with reasonable notice.

26. The Treasurer shall keep the accounts, and be generally responsible for the finance of the League. At the end of each season in each year, and by the 31st May, the Treasurer shall prepare an income and expenditure account, which, together with the books and vouchers, shall be submitted to the Auditor for examination, approval and report as in Rules 11 and 12. The Treasurer shall pay accounts on behalf of the League and subsequently submit to the Management Committee for its approval and obtain the initials of the Chairman presiding at the meeting when they are presented
    
    Remittances - Postal orders or cheques should be made payable to the Bolton Badminton League.

27. To be responsible for the efficient running of the Jane Fletcher Memorial Cup and Robert Cup competitions.

28. To be responsible for the organisation of all League Tournaments.

29. To be responsible for the League Inter-League Teams competing in the Lancashire Inter-League League.

30. It shall be the responsibility of the Honorary Secretaries in Rules 27 to 29 to prepare accounts of their various functions and, after receiving the approval of the Management Committee, submit them to the Treasurer for inclusion in the overall accounts.
31. If at any time there should cease to be an effective Management Committee, the Chairman or immediate past Chairman shall notify the President who shall immediately call a meeting of the General Committee as in Rule 17; this General Committee to act as a caretaker Management Committee until such a time as a new Management Committee is elected as in Rule 16. Any club not represented at this General Committee Meeting shall be deemed to be immediately suspended from the League until an application, if any, for the lifting of this suspension is considered by the General Committee.

32. All players must be properly registered on the forms provided which must be signed in ink by the competitor (or the Chairman or the Secretary of the club concerned, on his/her behalf) and countersigned by the BBL secretary as stated on the registration form. These forms shall be returned to the Match Secretary, together with the appropriate registration fee, as laid down by the Management Committee.
33. Only registered players may compete, and the playing of unregistered players in matches will result in the opposing team being awarded the match 18-0, unless the unregistered player is declared before the match is commenced and those games in which he or she is concerned be awarded to their opponents 21-0.
34. A bona fide registered player is one for whom a receipt has been received from the Match Secretary. Note: this can be via email.
35. After the commencement of the season additional players may be registered throughout the season and will be eligible to play in matches from the day after registration and payment of the relevant fee. Any player of sufficiently high standard should be starred / specially starred.
    Note: without the relevant fee being received by the deadline, the player will not be eligible to play.
36. A member having once competed for any club shall be considered to belong to it, and shall not be allowed to compete in the same League for any other Club during the same season except on personal appeal by the player and under mitigating circumstances and then only with the express consent of the Management Committee, which shall be satisfied that the cancellation of a registration is not against the interest of the other competitors. Each request for cancellation and re-registration must be accompanied by the appropriate cancellation fee.
37. Any club having more than one team in the League shall before the start of the season submit to the Match Secretary the names of their starred players in order of merit. A starred player is a player who is ineligible to play in a lower team. Each team shall consist of one starred man and one starred lady and two men and two ladies (nominated) who may play in their own and next lower team, but NOT in the same week. If their own and next lower team are playing on the same night, the nominated player may not play in the lower team. In a re-arranged match, or in a fixture where a higher team has an open week, no nominated player from a higher team be allowed to play. Any member of a lower team may play in a higher team without restriction. All starred players should be reviewed each calendar month and any re-starrings (on the appropriate form) should be in the hands of the Match Secretary by the last Wednesday in each calendar month - to take effect from the following Monday. Any registered member of a club not regularly available to play for a team, but of sufficiently high standard should be starred by their clubs to their required standard, such players to be referred to as additionally starred players.
    NOTE - It is not expected that clubs will enter more than one team in the Competitions unless they are able by reason of membership to maintain distinct teams.
    NOTE - Where a league match is re-arranged to be played in a cup week, the selection of players for the cup team should take priority. Teams should select their cup team according to the submission made to the league and subsequently select their league teams according to the starrings. Rule 37 will be considered to apply only to the league match teams selected for the week.
    NOTE - No more than two nominated player may be played down in their next lower team in any one match. This can either be a combination of 1 man and 1 lady, or 2 men, or 2 ladies.

38. All matches shall be played according to the Laws of Badminton and the Rules, Regulations and Bye-laws of BADMINTON England.
39. A fixed night shall be allocated by each club for match play and no deviation shall be made without the permission of the Management Committee, who shall have seven days notice of such change. Any club having to change its venue and/or match night from that printed in the handbook (having first obtained the authority of the Management Committee), the Secretary of that club must inform the Secretary of the opposing team, of the change of venue and/or match night, 14 days prior to each match fixture.
40. The only automatically acceptable reason for the postponement of matches shall be non-availability of courts, and seven days notice should be given to the Match Secretary and opposing team's Club Secretary. Note: throughout the following process, the Match Secretary must be kept informed of the decisions made at all times. Within fourteen days, at least three alternative dates must be offered, by the home team, to the opposing club Secretary for the re-arranged fixture, other than those covered by times upon which the opposing team already has a Bolton League / Cup match. One of the dates offered must be accepted within seven days. Matches cannot be postponed because of non-availability of players, unless sanctioned by the Management Committee at least seven days prior to the match. In the event that concerns are raised regarding the safe playing of the match, the issues must be agreed by both teams as being a problem. Both teams will agree how to progress the match either by remedial actions to correct the issue or, as a last resort, the re-arrangement of the match, as set out in Rule 40. Failure to comply with these conditions will result in the loss of match points and other such action decided by the Management Committee.
41. In the event of matches being cancelled through weather or other circumstances over which the clubs have no control, the matter shall at once be reported to the Match Secretary and the opposing Club Secretary. Three alternative dates must be offered as set out in Rule 40.
42. The Management Committee shall have the power to arrange teams into such sections as they think best.
43. A team shall consist of 6 players - 3 women and 3 men. The 6 players will contest 5 mixed doubles, 2 women's doubles and 2 men's doubles. All the mixed games to be played first. All matches to be of 18 games. Rally point scoring will be used to 21 points each game, with setting to a maximum of 30 points if required. The nine sets to be made up of two games each and forming the match. The points and number of games won must be entered on the Score Card, and the order of play shall be :-

    Home		Away
    1 mixed	v	2 mixed
    2 mixed	v	1 mixed
    3 mixed	v	3 mixed
    1 mixed	v	1 mixed
    2 mixed	v	2 mixed
    1 & 3 women	v	1 & 3 women
    1 & 3 men	v	1 & 3 men
    2 & 3 women	v	2 & 3 women
    2 & 3 men	v	2 & 3 men

    Where there are three courts available, and by mutual consent by all, an alternative order of play is permissable:

    Home		Away
    1 mixed	v	2 mixed
    2 mixed	v	1 mixed
    3 mixed	v	3 mixed
    1 & 3 women	v	1 & 3 women
    1 & 3 men	v	1 & 3 men
    2 mixed	v	2 mixed
    2 & 3 women	v	2 & 3 women
    2 & 3 men	v	2 & 3 men
    1 mixed	v	1 mixed

    A player is not allowed to play in more than one match on the same night.
44. League matches shall be home and away.
45. The points awarded to decide the League shall be as follows :-
    A MATCH WON - 2 points
    A MATCH DRAWN - 1 point
    determined by the aggregate games from possible 18 in a match.
    
    No club shall have the power to award points to another club by default of fixture. Forfeiture of two points and a fine, as laid down by the Management Committee, would be incurred by a team leaving a match unfinished without a reason acceptable to the Management Committee. Under any scoring system, a tie affecting championship, promotion or relegation places will be decided by a play off on neutral ground, on a date decided by the Management Committee. Match costs to be shared equally by the competing teams.
46. The score for each game should be kept by the participating players. Teams have the right to request another mutually agreed scorer, if deemed necessary.
47. The home club shall be responsible for providing the match shuttles. Shuttles specified by the Management Committee shall be used.
48. Matches must start at the time stated by the home side in the handbook. This should be no earlier than 7.00pm or later than 8.00pm. The first couple (or two couples if requested in the handbook) must be available to start play at this time, if not then these games to be conceded. The third couple must be available to play 15 minutes after the start time if a match court is available, if not, then these games to be conceded. If after the first 3 sets, or 30 minutes after the start time, any player is still not available to play then all their games shall be conceded. If a match has not started by 45 minutes after the posted start time then the match shall be conceded by the defaulting side.
    A player required to play 2 sets in succession is entitled to a maximum 5 minutes break between sets.
    No agreement reached between Secretaries or Captains regarding players arriving late will be allowed in any dispute arising from the match in which the Management Committee has to adjudicate.
49. Players full names must be entered on the match card before the first game is started. Both captains must see and sign the completed match card at the close of play. The home captain is responsible for posting / providing a legible image of the match card to the appropriate Assistant Match Secretary. Should it be incomplete and/or incorrect having been signed by both captains, then each club shall be fined. Should it not reach the Assistant Match Secretary within 2 days of the fixture being played, the home club shall be fined. Should either of the above fines remain unpaid for more than 14 days of the posting of the notice of the fine, the offending club shall have its relevant team suspended until the fine has been received by the BBL and any matches failing to be played during that period of suspension shall be awarded to the opposition.
50. The regulation size of court is 13.4 metres in length by 6.1 metres in width. Where a court is shorter than the regulation length, this shortage should be equally divided and taken from the back service line to the base line. All obstructions shall be faults unless stated prior to the start of the match.
51. Each club shall play its full strength in all matches, unless some explanation be offered. In the event of the explanation not being considered satisfactory, the Management Committee shall have the power to deal with offenders as they deem expedient. Should any club at any time play a player or occasional player in a lower team / division than his/her usual standard, in circumstances which suggest an attempt to gain an unfair advantage, then the Match Secretary, on consultation with the Management Committee, has the right to penalise (ie. Deduct points from) the offending club.
52. Trophies will be presented to the winners of the sections :-
    • Section A
    • Section B
    • Section C
    Plus any additional trophies awarded for additional sections as and when required.
53. The trophies shall be held by the winning club for a period of 1 season and cannot be won outright. It shall be the responsibility of all Club Secretaries to return all trophies won by their clubs to the Management Committee not later than February.

54. Knock-out competitions for the Jane Fletcher Memorial and Robert Cups will be run each season, the competition to be based on a straight draw. The Management Committee, depending on the number of teams, shall decide which teams shall compete for which trophy. All matches of League Cup Finals should be financed by the League and played on a neutral ground.
55. All cup matches shall be played under the rules governing normal match play. Results of cup matches to be based on the total number of points scored in the match overall. In the case of a drawn match the away team shall be awarded one extra point. In the case of a cup match played on a neutral ground, the home team shall be considered to be that in the top half of the draw. In the case of a drawn final played on a neutral ground, the cup to be held jointly.

55.1. The AWAY team is to provide all the shuttles to complete the match, and HOME team will pay the court costs. Cup match shuttles shall be deemed suitable insofar as they are the same shuttles used on a regular basis in the away team's own home league matches. Failure to supply shuttles for the cup match competitions will result in the match being conceded and a fine incurred, as per Rule 65, by the away team.

56. Each team will be allocated a handicap prior to the commencement of each round.
57. All clubs wishing to enter Cup competitions must state so on the application form to enter the League. Clubs shall submit names of individuals forming the teams on the official form provided and return to the Cup Secretary as required, each team to comply with starrings at the date of submission.
58. For each round of the Cup competitions no player shall be nominated to play in a lower team than that for which the player is then starred. Being nominated to (also) play in a higher team will not tie a player to that higher team for the current or subsequent rounds of the Cup competition.
59. To be eligible to represent a club in any Cup competition of the League, a player must have played in at least ONE League match before the form submission date for the first and subsequent rounds, except for the Semi-final and Final when a player must have played in at least FOUR league matches. No additionally starred players should be brought into a cup team after the initial nominations have been accepted.

60. All League matches to be completed on or before the date stipulated by the Management Committee for that particular season. Any departure from this rule will be dealt with as the Management Committee deem necessary.
61. No League matches shall be played on Sundays, Christmas Day or Good Friday.
62. In the case of a club failing to complete its fixtures, the Management Committee shall have the power to expunge its record.
63. Each club shall, if required, place its court at the service of the League for the purpose of playing matches of the League. Any costs to be agreed prior to the use of the court.
64. Any matter not provided for in the foregoing rules shall be dealt with by the Management Committee as they may deem fit.
65. An away team failing to fulfil a fixture will be fined £20, of which £18 will be forwarded to the non-offending team and £2 will be retained by the League to cover administration.
66. Any club that wishes to drop a team from the Bolton Badminton League is not automatically bound to drop the bottom team but allowed flexibility in which team they choose. Subject to the discretion of the Management Committee.

Shuttles for use in all League and Cup Matches will be Feathers.