The reference is the floor, not the server’s waist
Badminton Denmark’s June 2026 laws, listed as applicable from July, specify the whole shuttle below 1.15 metres at racket contact for the stated BWF and Danish competition categories. Para categories have stated alternatives. This is not a universal waist-height test based on the server’s body.
Two players of different heights can have very different waist positions. Applying the same fixed floor reference to both therefore need not make their service actions look identical. A waist-high release on one player is not a reliable visual template for the other.
Keep contact height separate from toss height
The relevant moment is racket contact with the shuttle. A player can hold it higher during preparation, then lower it before striking. A photograph from that preparation phase cannot establish the contact height.
The word whole matters too: measuring only the shuttle’s cork would omit part of its height. The original comparison explains the measurement reference rather than prescribing a service technique. Use the event’s applicable service law before comparing footage, particularly when a Para or alternative service provision is identified.
Questions answered
Is the player’s waist the fixed-height reference?
No.
Does the height during preparation alone decide it?
No. The specified test concerns racket contact.
Sources & further reading
Official references for the subjects discussed. Service terms and device software can change.