Technical officials
Technical officials are a critical part of badminton.
They demonstrate our commitment to ensuring fair match play in accordance with
the Laws of Badminton and the various competition regulations.
There are three categories of technical officials in
badminton (click on the link for each role to view):
·
The referee has the overall responsibility for the tournament.
·
The umpire has authority over a particular match in the tournament.
·
The line judge is responsible for calling if the shuttle landed “in” or “out” relative to the
line(s) that they are assigned to.
Why become a technical official
Becoming a technical official is a valuable and rewarding
way of supporting and being connected to the sport of badminton and the player
community. Badminton officials are dedicated volunteers who are passionate
about our sport. All officials must remember that the game of badminton is for
the players.
Through hard work, dedication and experience, some officials
go further to higher international qualifications, which allows them to travel
to higher level events. Travel subsidies, accommodation and / or daily
allowance may be available, depending on the level of the tournament and other
factors.
Western Australian officials of the past and present have
achieved the very top of the ranks, earning their place in the best seats at
the most prestigious arenas. They officiated at Olympic and Commonwealth Games,
World Championships, Thomas, Uber and Sudirman Cups, BWF World Tour events and
every other level of badminton tournaments imaginable.
How to become a technical official
From time to time, Badminton WA conducts training courses
for anyone interested in becoming a referee, umpire, or line judge. Please
contact toc@badmintonwa.org.au if
you would like to know more, and we will inform you about the next development
opportunity. Alternatively, feel free to speak to any of our qualified
technical officials at Badminton WA events. We are always supportive of anyone
who is interested in finding out more, trying it out as an umpire or a line
judge, and eventually proceeding towards an official qualification.
A technical official’s journey starts at local / state level
tournaments. Candidates looking to achieve their first national
qualification need to attend a training course and pass a theory exam, followed
by practical assessment at one of the tournaments. The officials must remain
active to maintain their qualification and continue to build their skillset
and gain lots of practice in order to progress to higher qualifications.
Some of the more experienced officials can also become
Referee, Umpire or Line Judge Assessors, and provide training and
mentoring to their colleagues.
Various qualification levels and key requirements are
summarized in Badminton
Oceania’s Technical officials' pathway.
