Synergy Cup 2026 Men’s & Junior Doubles Badminton Competition

Rules, Regulations, Terms and Conditions

Official Tournament Guidelines, Rules & Policies

Organised by Synergy Sports Club
Date: Saturday, 17 October 2026
Venue: Sports Arena, Clyde North

1. PURPOSE

The Synergy Cup 2026 is organised to promote badminton, healthy competition, friendship, community participation and good sportsmanship.

All players, officials, volunteers and spectators are expected to contribute to a safe, respectful and enjoyable tournament environment.

2. TOURNAMENT CATEGORIES

The tournament will consist of the following Men’s Doubles categories:

Junior Doubles -Under-15

U15: Players must be older than 10 on 1st January 2026 and under 15 on 31st December 2026.

Men’s Doubles Open (15+)

Players must be at least 15 on 1 January 2026.

Men’s Doubles – 70+

Combined age must be at least 70 on 31st December 2026. Every Player must older than 30 on 1st January 2026.

Men’s Doubles – 90+

Combined age must be at least 90 on 31st December 2026. Every Player must older than 40 on 1st January 2026.

Combined Age 70+ & 90+: Players who, at any time during the previous three (3) years, have exceeded 1,600 Badminton Australia (BA) ranking points, been graded Badminton Victoria (BV) Grade A or above in any category, or won a recognised State or National Masters/Veterans Championship are not eligible to participate.

Players must satisfy the eligibility requirements specified by the organising committee for this category.

The organising committee reserves the right to verify player eligibility before or during the tournament.

3. AGE ELIGIBILITY

For age-restricted categories:

• Age will be determined according to the eligibility date established by the organising committee.
• Both players' ages will be considered when calculating combined age.
• Players may be required to provide valid proof of date of birth.
• Providing false or misleading age information may result in disqualification.
• Any eligibility dispute must be referred to the Tournament Committee.

The committee's decision regarding eligibility will be final.

4. TEAM REGISTRATION

A team consists of two registered players.

Players must:

• Register before the published closing date.
• Provide accurate names and required details.
• Enter only categories for which they are eligible.
• Pay the applicable entry fee before the registration deadline.
• Accept these tournament rules and policies as a condition of entry.

Registration is confirmed only after acceptance by the organising committee.

5. PLAYER SUBSTITUTION

After registration closes, player substitutions will normally not be permitted.

However, the Tournament Committee may approve a substitution in exceptional circumstances such as injury, illness or withdrawal.

Any substitute must satisfy the eligibility requirements of the relevant category.

No substitution will be permitted once a team has commenced its first match unless specifically approved by the Tournament Committee.

6. PARTICIPATION IN MULTIPLE CATEGORIES

Each player is permitted to participate in one category only in the Synergy Cup 2026 Men’s & Junior Doubles Badminton Tournament.

A player who is registered in one category cannot participate in, substitute for, or represent another team in any other category during the tournament.

Once the final registration is confirmed, players cannot change categories unless specifically approved by the Tournament Organising Committee before the commencement of the tournament.

Tournament Organising Committee’s decision will be final.

7. TOURNAMENT FORMAT

The competition will consist of:

Stage 1 – Round-Robin & Promotion Rules to next stages

• All Round-Robin Stage matches will be played as one single game to 21 points.
• The first team to reach 21 points will win the match. No two-point winning margin is required.
• Rally-point scoring will apply, meaning a point is awarded after every rally.
• The winning team will be credited with one match win for the purpose of determining the group standings.
• Promotion to next round are based on ranking and applying tie breaking rules mentioned in Section 11.
• Following are the promotion rules for events
  • MD Open
    • Top 2 in each group go through to the Knockout.
  • MD 70+
    • Top 2 in each group go through to the Championship Knockout; 3rd and 4th to the Challenger Knockout.
  • MD 90+
    • Top 8 across the groups go through to the Championship Knockout; 9th to 16th across the groups to the Challenger Knockout.
  • U15
    • Top 8 across the groups go through to the Knockout

Stage 2 – Knock out – Quarter

• MD90+, MD Open and Under 15 will have Quarter Finals
• The first team to reach 30 points wins the match. A two-point winning margin is not required.
• All matches will be played as one single game to 30 points.
• Rally-point scoring will apply, meaning a point is awarded after every rally.
• Teams will change ends/courts when the first team reaches 15 points.
• The winning team will progress to the next knockout round.

Stage 3 – Semifinals → Grand Final

• MD90+ and MD 70+ Challenger Semi Final’s will have single game of 30 points like Stage 2.
• For all other Semifinals and Final matches following rules apply
  • Use 21-point, best-of-three-games format.
  • Each match will consist of a maximum of three games. The first team to win two games will win the match. If a team wins the first two games, the third game will not be played.
  • Each game will be played to 21 points.
  • Rally-point scoring will apply.
  • If each team wins one game, a third and deciding game will be played.
  • Teams will change ends/courts when the first team reaches 11 points.

The Tournament Committee may modify the competition structure depending on the final number of registered teams.

8. GROUP ALLOCATION & DRAW

All registered teams will be allocated to their respective groups using the Baddy Play tournament management software.

• Group allocation will be generated through Baddy Play.
• The Tournament Committee will use the software-generated allocation to prepare the official tournament groups and fixtures.
• Teams are expected to accept the group allocation and draw once officially published.
• Requests from teams to move to a different group or exchange positions with another team will not be permitted.
• If a team withdraws before the tournament, the Tournament Committee may make necessary adjustments to the groups or draw to ensure the smooth running of the competition.
• Any correction required because of an administrative error, duplicate entry, eligibility issue or other exceptional circumstance may be made by the Tournament Committee.
• The final group allocation and fixtures published by Synergy Sports Club will be regarded as the official tournament draw.

9. MATCH SCORING

Matches will be played according to the scoring format announced by the Tournament Committee.

The committee may use different scoring formats for the group and knockout stages to ensure that the tournament can be completed within the available court time.

The scoring format will be communicated to players before the tournament begins.

10. GROUP-STAGE POINTS SYSTEM

Unless otherwise announced, group standings will be based primarily on matches won.

Recommended system:

Win – 2 points
Loss – 0 points

A walkover may be treated as a loss for the team unable to play and a win for the opposing team.

11. TIE-BREAKING RULES

If two or more teams finish the group stage with the same number of competition points/match wins, qualification will be determined using the following order:

• Most match wins
• Total points scored, if required.
• Points difference – points scored minus points conceded.
• If teams remain inseparable, the Tournament Committee will determine the appropriate final tie-break procedure.

The Tournament Committee's calculation will be final.

12. KNOCKOUT STAGE

Knockout matches are elimination matches.

The winning team progresses to the next round, and the losing team is eliminated from the competition.

The knockout draw will be determined based on group positions and the tournament structure.

Where practicable, teams from the same preliminary group may be placed in different sections of the first knockout round.

13. REPORTING TIME

Players must report to the tournament registration/control desk by the announced reporting time.

Teams should be ready to play whenever their match is called.

Players are responsible for monitoring:

• Court allocations
• Match announcements
• Draw updates
• Tournament notice boards or electronic updates.

14. LATE ARRIVAL

Once a match is called, players should report promptly to the allocated court.

A reasonable grace period may be provided by tournament officials.

If a team fails to report within the permitted time, the Tournament Committee may:

• Issue a warning;
• Award a walkover;
• Reschedule the match where circumstances justify it; or
• Take any other action necessary to maintain the tournament schedule.

Repeated lateness may result in disqualification.

15. WARM-UP

Players will be allowed a short warm-up period before each match.

The warm-up period may be restricted depending on the tournament schedule and court availability.

Players should complete general stretching and preparation before entering the court.

16. REST BETWEEN MATCHES

The Tournament Committee will endeavour to provide reasonable recovery time between matches.

However, because this is a one-day tournament, players may occasionally be required to play matches within relatively short intervals.

17. SHUTTLECOCKS

Aeroplane Black Label 51 feather shuttlecocks will be used as the official shuttlecock for all matches at Synergy Cup 2026.

• The official shuttlecocks will be provided/controlled by the tournament organisers.
• Players must not substitute the official shuttlecock with another brand or model without approval from a Tournament Official.
• If a shuttlecock becomes damaged or unsuitable for play, it may be replaced with another official tournament shuttlecock.
• Players should not intentionally damage or alter the feathers or speed of a shuttlecock.
• Any disagreement regarding the condition or replacement of a shuttlecock should be referred to the Tournament Official.
• The decision of the Tournament Official regarding shuttlecock replacement will be final for that match.

18. BADMINTON RULES

Unless modified by these tournament regulations, matches will generally be played in accordance with the recognised Rules of Badminton.

Any special Synergy Cup rules announced before the tournament will take precedence for this event where appropriate.

19. LINE CALLS & OFFICIATING

Where official umpires or line judges are provided, their decisions must be respected.

For self-officiated matches:

• Players must make line calls fairly and honestly.
• A player should clearly call the shuttle when responsible for the call.
• Players must not deliberately influence or intimidate opponents regarding line calls.
• Where a dispute cannot be resolved, a tournament official should be called.

Good sportsmanship is expected at all times.

20. SCORE REPORTING

At the conclusion of each match, both teams should verify the final score.

The winning team, or the person nominated by tournament officials, must report the result promptly to the tournament control desk.

Once a result has been officially entered, corrections should be requested immediately.

21. CODE OF CONDUCT

All participants must behave respectfully.

The following behaviour will not be tolerated:

• Abusive or offensive language
• Threatening behaviour
• Physical aggression
• Deliberate cheating
• Racist, discriminatory or derogatory comments
• Intimidation of opponents or officials
• Deliberate damage to venue property
• Repeated arguing with officials
• Throwing or intentionally damaging racquets or equipment
• Conduct that brings the tournament or Synergy Sports Club into disrepute

Depending on the seriousness of the behaviour, consequences may include:

Warning → Point/Game Penalty → Match Forfeiture → Disqualification → Removal from Venue

Serious incidents may result in immediate removal without a prior warning.

22. SPORTSMANSHIP

Players are expected to:

• Respect opponents.
• Respect officials and volunteers.
• Play honestly.
• Shake hands or appropriately acknowledge opponents before/after matches.
• Accept decisions respectfully.
• Avoid deliberately delaying matches.
• Maintain appropriate behaviour on and around the courts.

Winning is important, but fair play and respect are fundamental to the Synergy Cup.

23. DISPUTES & PROTESTS

Players should first attempt to resolve minor on-court disagreements respectfully.

If the issue cannot be resolved, play should be stopped and a tournament official contacted.

Formal protests relating to:

• Eligibility
• Scoring
• Group standings
• Tournament rules
• Player conduct

must be submitted to the Tournament Committee as soon as reasonably possible.

The committee will consider the available information and make a determination.

The Tournament Committee's decision will be final for the purposes of the tournament.

24. INJURY & MEDICAL CONDITIONS

Players participate at their own risk and are responsible for ensuring that they are physically capable of participating.

Any injured player should immediately inform a tournament official.

Reasonable time may be allowed to assess an injury.

If a player cannot safely continue, the match may be retired or forfeited.

Serious injuries or medical emergencies should be referred immediately to venue staff/emergency services as appropriate.

25. SAFETY

Players and spectators must comply with all venue safety requirements.

Participants must:

• Wear appropriate non-marking badminton shoes where required.
• Keep bags, bottles and personal belongings away from court boundaries.
• Immediately report wet or unsafe court surfaces.
• Avoid entering active courts.
• Follow instructions from venue staff and tournament officials.

Safety takes priority over continuation of play.

26. ALCOHOL, SMOKING & PROHIBITED BEHAVIOUR

Smoking, vaping, alcohol consumption and any prohibited substances must comply with venue rules and applicable laws.

Any person whose behaviour creates a safety risk may be asked to leave the playing area or venue.

27. CHILDREN & SPECTATORS

Spectators are welcome subject to venue capacity and tournament requirements.

Parents/guardians remain responsible for supervising children attending the event.

Spectators must not:

• Enter courts during matches.
• Interfere with play.
• Abuse players or officials.
• Make deliberate distracting noises during rallies.
• Disrupt tournament operations.

Tournament officials may ask disruptive spectators to leave.

28. PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO

Photography and video recording may occur during the Synergy Cup for tournament, club and promotional purposes.

Participants should inform the organisers if they have legitimate privacy concerns.

Photography or recording must not interfere with matches or compromise participant safety.

Additional consent requirements may be followed where children are involved.

29. PERSONAL PROPERTY

Players and spectators are responsible for their own racquets, bags, phones, wallets and other belongings.

Synergy Sports Club and tournament organisers cannot accept responsibility for lost, stolen or damaged personal property except where liability cannot legally be excluded.

30. VENUE & FACILITY RULES

All participants and spectators must comply with Sports Arena's applicable venue rules.

Food and beverages should only be consumed in permitted areas.

Players must help keep courts and surrounding areas clean.

Any person causing deliberate damage may be held responsible for the resulting costs.

31. WITHDRAWAL & REFUND POLICY

Teams wishing to withdraw should notify the organisers as early as possible.

Recommended policy:

• Withdrawal before the registration closing date – refund may be provided, less any stated administration costs.
• Withdrawal after the registration closing date – entry fees will normally be non-refundable.
• No-show on tournament day – no refund.

The committee may consider exceptional circumstances at its discretion.

If the tournament is cancelled by the organisers, the committee will communicate the applicable refund or rescheduling arrangements.

32. WALKOVERS

A walkover may be awarded where:

• A team fails to appear.
• A team withdraws.
• A player is unable to continue before a match starts.
• A team is disqualified.
• A team does not report within the permitted time.

The Tournament Committee will determine how walkover scores are recorded for group-ranking calculations.

33. RETIREMENT DURING A MATCH

If a player/team retires after a match has commenced, the opposing team will normally be declared the winner.

The Tournament Committee will determine the appropriate recorded score for tournament-ranking purposes.

34. PRIZES & AWARDS

Prizes/trophies will be awarded according to the arrangements announced by Synergy Sports Club.

Awards may include:

Champions
Runners-Up

Additional awards may be introduced by the organising committee.

Players should attend the presentation ceremony.

35. SCHEDULE CHANGES

The Tournament Committee reserves the right to change:

• Match times
• Court allocations
• Group arrangements
• Match order
• Scoring format
• Knockout structure

Where necessary because of delays, withdrawals, court availability, safety concerns or other unforeseen circumstances.

Any changes will be communicated as quickly as reasonably possible.

36. UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES

The organisers may modify, postpone, suspend or cancel part or all of the tournament due to circumstances beyond reasonable control, including:

• Venue closure
• Power failure
• Emergency situations
• Unsafe playing conditions
• Government restrictions
• Other significant unforeseen events.

The organising committee will determine the fairest practical course of action.

37. PRIVACY

Registration for Synergy Cup 2026 will be managed through the Baddy Play tournament management software.

Personal information required for tournament registration will be entered into and collected through the Baddy Play platform.

Players registering through Baddy Play are responsible for reviewing the Baddy Play Privacy Policy, Terms of Service and any other applicable terms or notices displayed by Baddy Play at the time of registration.

Tournament draws and results may display player’s names.

38. ORGANISER'S AUTHORITY

The Synergy Cup Tournament Committee has authority to administer and interpret these tournament regulations.

Where an issue arises that is not specifically addressed by these guidelines, the committee may make a decision based on:

• Fairness
• Player safety
• Sportsmanship
• Consistency
• Recognised badminton rules
• The efficient running of the tournament.

Such decisions will apply for the purposes of Synergy Cup 2026.

39. ACCEPTANCE OF TOURNAMENT RULES

By registering for and participating in Synergy Cup 2026, players acknowledge that they have read, understood and agreed to comply with the tournament guidelines, eligibility requirements, code of conduct and applicable venue rules.

Failure to comply may result in penalties or disqualification.