One of the duties of umpires is to check the clothing of players. It has to comply with BWF clothing regulations. In all the years of my umpiring I found out that most of the players don’t have a clue about these regulations. Sometimes the players get a T-shirt from his sponsors and they just accept it. Now it is almost the end of January. How many of players and coaches noticed the change of regulations? Today I will summarise these regulations connected with players and coaches.
By Michaela Bencova, BWF-certificated Umpire and Badzine Columnist. Photos: rights reserved.
Nowadays, very often immediately after match point, players go and shake hands or greet with their coaches or team mates and his/her opponent has to wait Now, players can get fined for doing so. So first opponent, umpire and service judge, then the coach, team etc. In team event the team should think twice before they run on court with within point. Otherwise it will lead to a US$100 fine.
NOT CORRECT
David Obernosterer (above)
Name and country are written too small
T-shirts : here are the rules
And now let´s talk about t-shirts – if the player doesn´t follow further regulation he/she will have to pay a fine of 250 USD each time.
19. CLOTHING (General)
19.2 ….. It is not acceptable to tape over nor to pin on advertising nor in any other way to modify such clothing
Do I have to comment that? still today, I can see on t-shirts small adverts attached by safety pins.
21. DESIGNS ON PLAYERS’ CLOTHING
21.2 Abstract designs are permitted when devoid of advertising, commercial or promotional content.
22. LETTERING ON PLAYERS’ CLOTHING
22.1 ….each article of clothing may only have visible lettering …
VISIBLE MEANS ALSO READABLE – not silver or marker colors (sharp pink etc)
22.2.1 Lettering shall be in capital letters in the Roman alphabet, and in one single colour contrasting with that of the shirt.
22.2.2 If there is a pattern on the back of the shirt, the lettering should be on a contrasting panel.
22.2.3 In order that the player´s name be legible from a distance for spectators in the stadium and television viewers, lettering must be a minimum height of 6 centimetres and a maximum height of 10 centimetres.
22.3 Player names
…If used, the player’s name shall include the family name (or an abbreviation thereof) and, if desired, the initials of the given name(s) or nickname and shall correspond with the name on the entry.
That means that if the family name is too long, I can´t use my first name. But still I can make my family name a little bit shorter. But still the height has to be between 6 to 10 cm
22.4 Country Name
The country name, if used, shall be either full country name in English or Olympic approved abbreviation.
CORRECT
Carolina Marin of Spain (right)
NOT CORRECT
Wisnu from Italy (below)
The country is not written in English
22.5 Lettering sequence and use in advertisements
22.5.1 The sequence on the shirt from top to bottom shall be player name (if present), country name (if present), and advert (if present).
A lot of players have small adverts on the back above the name – This is not allowed.
23. ADVERTISING ON PLAYERS’ CLOTHING
23.2.1 Advertisements may appear on the following locations: left sleeve, right sleeve, left shoulder, right shoulder, left collar, right collar, right chest, left chest and centre chest. Each advertisement must be 20 square centimetres or less. Other than front of shirt, only one per location; and there must be no more than five in total. National flags or emblems for the purpose of this regulation count as an advert;
NOT CORRECT
Petr Koukal (right)
too many adverts
can be used for only
for training or victory ceremony
23.3 Other Clothing
23.3.1 Each sock and each shoe may carry two advertisements of 20 square centimetres or less.
23.3.2 Each other article of clothing may carry one advertisement of 20 square centimetres or less.
SOME SOCKS HAVE THE ADVERTS AROUND IN A CIRCLE – too big.
CORRECT
Wang Xin (left)
Max. number of adverts – 5
right sleeve – company, left sleeve – company
front – 2 companies and national flag
only one per location – i.e. on each sleeve can be only one advert
23.4 Restrictions on the advertising
23.4.1 The advertisements may be the clothing manufacturer´s emblem or that of any sponsor.
23.4.2 Each advertisement shall only be of one organisation or product.
23.4.3 The advertisements shall follow the International Olympic Committee principles and shall not contain any political, religious and which is not a commercial brand, registered mark or trade mark. (e.g. I don´t have a sponsor, I am nice, etc.)
NOT CORRECT :
Dmytro Zavadsky
This expresses feelings
Some changes are prepared also from 1st January 2013 so please, check it.
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Is there any BWF regulations on tatoos?
surely the FedEx Express advertising is larger than 20 square centimetres? It is definitely larger than the maximum of 10cm wide by 2cm high or similar dimensions! How do they get away with that?
The article said: CORRECT on C. Marin’s shirt.
Is SPAIN = ESP in English?
ESP is Olympic approved abbreviation and thus accepted.
No, actually I should not say that loud but I am surprised that none of the players came with anything like that. In the Laws it is covered advertisement on clothing – everything what is worn during the match. So generally to say tattoos or bodypainting should be ok because it is not written anywhere. I remember once I saw boy with yonex logo shaved into his hair.
For: duong phan
Country can be in Olympic approved abbreviation. So it is correct. It is these short versions of the countries usually appearing behind the flag or name in tv – country codes. It is always 3 letters.
i.e. China – CHN, Canada – CAN
So i.e. Great Britain has to be GBR, not only GB
You can find it in internet as a List of IOC country codes.
Michaela
For Mike:
when I say that Chinese actually have the right sizes all the time – in the past they used to have more adverts but now they really follow the regulations. The picture is from close up and the girl is not tall so it is a little bit tricky on the picture but it is 10 cm band including Express. So it is measured from top of FedEx to bottom of Express.
You would be suprised how large is 10 cm high band. Sometimes even on court we think it is too large and we messure it. In this case you have to believe me
Michaela
Thanks for your reply Michaela, but does the advertisment not have to be “Each advertisement must be 20 square centimetres or less” ? This would mean that the maximum advert would be 10cm wide by only 2cm high or the other way around wouldn’t it?
It is two different regulations – 3 adverts of max.20 cm2 and also they can have the band of height 10 cm. The band can be on front of the t-shirt and back of the t-shirt and always only one commercial (it means they can´t put 10 small adverts of different companies together and say it is the band). So generally to say it is allowed to have one dominant advert in a band of 10 cm in a width of the t-shirt.
FedEX logo on Wang Xin’s shirt complies to GCR Regulation 23.6.
23.6.1 Member Associations may use an area not exceeding fifty square centimeters on their players‟ shorts or lower part of dresses or skirts.
23.6.2 The area shall typically be used for a Member Association‟s logo or an advertisement for a Member Association‟s sponsor provided it conforms to Regulation 23.4.2.
Hi Michela,
In the picture of Wang Xin doesn’t she technically have four adverts on the front of her shirt ? Both the maufacturers logo and her national flag are classed as adverts for the purposes of the regulations as I understand them.
For Mackinglis: Sorry to say but you are wrong because that regulation as you mention allows extra assocciation advert on shorts, skirts or dresses – that is that kind of long dress for girls when they don´t have t-shirt and shorts/skirt separately but it is only one long piece. So this regulation doesn´t speak about t-shirt what she has.
For Martyn Davis: good question but answer is no
. In the article I didn´t mention the band so I copy it here complete. So they can have combination of 23.2.1 plus 23.2.2 as below. So She can have 3 small adverts in front plus one band of 10 cm height.
23.2 The shirt may carry advertising as in Regulations 23.2.1 to 23.2.2.
23.2.1 Advertisements may appear on the following locations: left sleeve, right sleeve, left shoulder, right shoulder, left collar, right collar, right chest, left chest and centre chest. Each advertisement must be 20 square centimetres or less. Other than front of shirt, only one per location; and there must be no more than five in total. National flags or emblems for the purpose of this regulation count as an advert; and
23.2.2 Advertising contained in a band of uniform width not exceeding 10 centimetres on the front and not exceeding 5 centimetres on the back; such a band may be at any angle and may be on the front of the shirt, the back of the shirt, or both(On the back implementation from 1 Jan 2013 )