PART ONE - Preamble
PART TWO - General Configuration of the Court
Description and Dimensions of a Singles Court
Description and Dimensions of a Doubles Court
PART THREE - Performance Specification
Match Officials
Spectators
Camera Facilities
Court Dimensions and Tolerances
Plan Dimensions
Clear Height
Verticality of Court Walls
Straightness of Court Walls
Plane of Court Walls
The Floor
Court Markings: Generally
Court Markings: Front Wall
Court Markings: Back Wall
Court Markings: Side Walls
Court Markings: Floor
Court Walls
Construction of Court Walls
Strength of Court Walls
Deflection of Court Walls
Wall Finishes
Colour of Court Walls
Reflectance of Walls
Ball Rebound from the Court Walls
Joints in Playing Surfaces
Flank Wall Panels
Wall to Wall Junctions
Wall to Floor Junctions
The Door
Position of the Door
Inside Surface of the Door
Size of the Door
Finger Traps with Transparent Doors
Surfaces Behind Transparent Walls
The Floor of the Court
The Floor Finish
Resilience
Colour and Reflectance
The Ceiling
Shape of the Ceiling
Ceiling Finish
Roof Lights
Out of Court Areas Above Playing Walls
Lighting
Lighting Installation
Ceiling Illumination
Transparent Back Walls
Television Lighting
Heating and Ventilation
Temperature
Ventilation System
Condensation
Location of Grilles and Other Equipment
PART FOUR
WSF Approval Scheme
WSF Approved Companies
PART ONE: PREAMBLE
1. This Specification defines recommended standards for Singles &Doubles
Squash courts for the International Game of Squash; referred to in North
America as "Softball" Squash. It has been drawn up on behalf of the World
Squash Federation (WSF) (previously theInternational Squash Rackets Federation
(ISRF)) as the sole International Federation for Squash recognised by the
International Olympic Committee (IOC).
2. The AIMS of the Specification are:
2.1 to ensure comparability of recommended standards for courts from one
country to another
2.2 to guide manufacturers, builders and designers as to suitable standards
of squash court construction and design.
3. The Specification is in four parts as follows:
-
Part One Preamble
-
Part Two General Configuration of the Court
-
Part Three Performance Specification
-
Part Four WSF Accreditation Scheme
4. The Performance Specification defines the basic characteristics ofsquash
courts without reference to materials or methods ofconstruction.
5. Courts built according to this Specification will be suitable forall types
of play. With effect from 1 November 1983, the following events may only
be played on courts which meet the Specification in all respects:
5.1 International matches between representative teams from different countries
unless agreed in advance by both captains or National Associations
5.2 Individual or World Team Championships Semi-Finals and Finals
5.3 Such matches, events or championships as may be decided from time to
time by the WSF.
6. The WSF reserves the right to amend the Performance Specification at any
time if it is in its view desirable that this should be done.
7. This Specification applies only to courts the construction of which is
commenced after 1 November 1983.
8. The assistance of numerous manufacturers and National Associations in
commenting on drafts and supplying information is acknowledged with grateful
thanks, as is the work carried out by Kit Campbell, former Chairman of the
WSF Technical Committee, in preparing the original specification. The drawing
in Part Two is by Chris Herridge.
PART TWO: GENERAL CONFIGURATION OF THE
COURT
1. The general configuration of the court shall be as shown in Diagram 1,
below.
DIAGRAM 1: General Configuration of the Court
Description and Dimensions of a Singles Court
(Appendix 6 - Rules of the International Game) *
Description
A Squash Court is a rectangular box with four vertical walls of varying height;
being the Front Wall, Side Walls and Back Wall. It has a level floor and
a clear height above the court area.
Dimensions
| mm | |
| Length of court between playing surfaces | 9750 |
| Width of court between playing surfaces | 6400 |
| Diagonal | 11665 |
| Height above floor to lower edge of Front Wall line | 4570 |
| Height above floor to lower edge of Back Wall line | 2130 |
| Height above floor to lower edge of Service Line on Front Wall | 1780 |
| Height above floor to upper edge of Board | 480 |
| Distance to nearest edge of Short Line from Back Wall | 4260 |
| Internal dimensions of service boxes | 1600 |
| Width of all lines and the Board | 50 |
| Minimum clear height above the floor of the court | 5460 |
Notes
1. The Side Wall is angled between the Front Wall line and the Back Wall
line.
2. The Service Box is a square formed by the Short Line, the Side Wall and
two other lines marked on the floor
3. The Length, Width and Diagonal of the court are measured at a height of
1000 above the floor.
4. It is recommended that the Front Wall line, Side Wall line, Back Wall
line and Board are shaped so as to deflect any ball that strikes them.
5. The Board shall not project from the Front Wall by more than 45 mm.
6. It is recommended that the door to the court is in the centre of the Back
Wall.
7. The general configuration of a Squash Court, its dimensions and its markings
are illustrated on Diagram Number 1.
Construction
A Squash Court may be constructed from a number of materials providing they
have suitable ball rebound characteristics and are safe for play; however,
the WSF publishes a Squash Court Specification which contains recommended
standards. The standards must be met for competitive play as required by
the appropriate National Governing Body of Squash.
Description and Dimensions of a Doubles Court
(Appendix 6.1 - Rules of the International Game)*
The Description, Dimensions & Notes and Construction shall be the same
as for the International Singles Court except for:
Width of court between playing surfaces 7620 mm
* The above Appendices to the Rules of the International Game contain
descriptions which do not come into effect until 1 May 1997. However, there
is no change to the dimensions specified in Appendices 6 and 6.1 to the Rules
effective 1 May 1997.
PART THREE: PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATION
Match Officials
1. There shall be space provided for a marker and a referee, who shall be
able to see the whole of the court and shall be able to hear the play and
the players and be heard by them.
2. The space for the marker and the referee shall be behind the plane of
the back wall.
Spectators
3. Spectator areas may be located behind the plane of any wall of the
court.
Camera Facilities
4. Play may be televised, filmed, photographed or recorded in any way from
above the court or through any of the walls, provided that:
4.1 no camera or other equipment may project into any part of the court or
below the minimum clear height above the court specified in paragraph 8 below
4.2 players inside the court are not aware of any camera or other equipment, or any persons operating the cameras or other equipment, behind either the front or the side walls during play.
5. Camera panels may be incorporated in any part of the court playing walls
provided that any such panel shall:
5.1 be flush with the adjacent wall surfaces on the court side
5.2 match as closely as possible the colour of the adjacent surfaces on the
court side
5.3 have similar rebound characteristics to the surrounding court playing
surface
5.4 be fixed in such a way as to withstand indefinitely the impact of the
ball, rackets and players in normal play
5.5 be constructed of a material (for example safety glass) which will not
be liable to cause serious injury to players or spectators if it breaks.
COURT DIMENSIONS AND TOLERANCES
Plan Dimensions
6. The plan dimensions of the court, measured 1 metre above finished floor
level, shall be:
6.1 Length: 9750 mm plus or minus 10 mm
6.2 Width: 6400 mm plus or minus 10 mm
6.3 Diagonals: 11665 mm plus or minus 25 mm
6.4 It is recognised that on occasions where the wall playing surface has
deteriorated beyond economic repair then the use of a wall renovation system
might be considered. In these circumstances, it is recommended that the court
plan dimensions are not reduced by more than 80 mm from those noted in clauses
6.1 and 6.2.
Clear Height
7. The clear height above finished floor level (ie the height to the underside
of the lowest obstruction) over the whole of the court shall be not less
than 5.64 m.
Verticality of Court Walls
8. The Court Walls shall be vertical to within plus or minus 5mm in a height
of 2 metres when measured:
8.1 within 250 mm of each corner of the court
8.2 at three additional intermediate points evenly spaced along the length
of each wall.
Straightness of Walls
9. The walls of the court shall be straight to within plus or minus 15 mm
in the length of any wall when measured horizontally at a height of 1 metre
above finished floor level.
Plane of Court Walls
10. The walls of the court shall be plane and:
10.1 have no more indentations, holes or open joints of more than 2 mm across
in any dimension in the plane of the wall
10.2 have no variations from the true surface of more than 3 mm when measured
in any direction with a 1800 mm long straight edge.
The Floor
11. The floor shall be level to within plus or minus 10 mm in the length,
width and on the diagonals of the court.
12. Any joint in the floor finish shall be plane to within 0.25 mm. Any open
joint shall not be more than 2 mm wide, except that an expansion gap not
more than 6 mm wide shall be allowed at the juncture of the floor with any
wall.
13. The floor surface shall be true to within plus or minus 3 mm in 3
metres.
Court Markings Generally
14. All court markings shall be 50 mm wide and coloured bright
red.
15. All court markings shall be straight to within plus or minus 2 mm in
3 metres.
16. The maximum variation from the correct position of any court marking
at any point shall not exceed 5 mm, except that the board shall not be more
than 2 mm from the correct height at any point.
Court Markings: Front Wall
17. There shall be three horizontal court markings on the front
wall:
17.1 the front wall line
17.2 the cut line
17.3 the board, with the 'tin' beneath it for the full width of the
court.
18. The lower edge of the front wall line shall be 4570 mm above finished
floor level. The line shall not project into the space above the court but
shall be so shaped as to deflect any ball striking it.
19. The lower edge of the cut line shall be 1780 mm above finished floor
level. The line shall be marked on the surface of the wall and shall not
deflect in any way any ball striking it.
20. The upper edge of the board shall be 480 mm above the finished floor
level. The board shall project into the court by not more than 15 mm at the
top and 45 mm at the bottom and shall be shaped so as to deflect any ball
striking it. All edges of the board shall be rounded. Between the board and
the floor, for the full width of the court, the 'tin' shall be constructed
in such a manner as to make a distinctive noise when struck by the ball.
Court Markings: Back Wall
21. There shall be one horizontal court marking on the back wall, the back
wall line. The lower edge of the line shall be 2130 mm above finished floor
level except that if the court has a transparent wall 2130 mm (plus or minus
5 mm) high above finished floor level the back wall line shall be
omitted.
22 If the court has a transparent back wall which is 2180 mm or more high
above finished wall level, the back wall line shall be marked on the inside
(court) face of the wall. No transparent wall with a height of between 2130
mm and 2180 mm (both dimensions plus or minus 5 mm) high above finished floor
level shall be allowed.
23. If the court has a solid back wall, the back wall line shall be so shaped
as to deflect any ball striking it or shall be marked on the bottom edge
of a sounding board not less than 200 mm deep across the full width of the
court. Any such sounding board may project up to 5mm into the court.
Court Markings: Side Walls
24. There shall be one court marking on each side wall, the side wall line.
The line shall join the ends of the front wall line and the back wall line.
If the back wall line is omitted as allowed by paragraph 21, above, the side
wall line shall join the ends of the front wall and an imaginary back wall
line. The side wall lines shall not project into the court but should be
so shaped as to deflect any balls striking them.
Court Markings: Floor
25. There shall be four court markings on the floor:
25.1 the Short Line
25.2 the Half Court Line
25.3 the Service Boxes (2).
26. Court markings on the floor shall be flush with the finish.
27. The Short Line shall be parallel to the front and back walls of the court.
The distance to the nearest edge of the Short Line from the Back Wall shall
be 4260 mm. The Short Line shall be marked for the full width of the
court.
28. The Half Court Line shall be parallel to and equidistant from the side
walls. It shall run from the back wall to the Short Line.
29. There shall be two Service Boxes, one on each side of the court behind
the Short Line. Each service box shall be square with internal sides of 1600
mm and shall be bounded on three sides by lines (one of each shall be a part
of the short line) and on the fourth side by one of the side walls).
COURT WALLS
Construction of Court Walls
30. Each wall of the court shall be of the same construction over the whole
of the playing area except as allowed under paragraph 6, above.
Strength of Court Walls
31. The walls of the court and all components of them shall be capable of
withstanding all the stresses which may be placed upon them in normal play
and shall not suffer any breakage nor any permanent or temporary damage as
a result of:
31.1 The impact of balls or rackets:
31.2 The impact of players defined as equivalent to that of a human body
with a mass of 100kg and a coefficient of absorption of 47% (ie 47% of the
impact energy is absorbed by the body and 53% transmitted to the wall),
travelling at the moment of impact at a speed of 4.5 metres per second and
striking the wall at right angles to it over an area of not more than 0.25
square metres at a height to the centre of the impact area of 1.47 metres
(plus or minus 50 mm) over the whole of its length.
Deflection of Court Walls
32 The walls of the court shall not deflect under the impact of the ball
in normal play to such an extent or in such a manner than the rebound of
the ball is affected.
33. The walls may deflect under the impact of players if it is necessary
for their structural integrity that they should do so; however, they should
not deflect to such an extent or in such a manner so as to affect the safety
of the players or spectators alike.
34. Any wall which deflects as above shall return to its original static
position within one second of the initial impact and shall not suffer any
breakage nor any permanent or temporary damage as a result of the
deflection.
Wall Finishes
35. All playing walls of the court shall have a hard smooth finish.
36. Any front or side walls, or any transparent panel in the playing surface
of the front or side walls, shall be treated and/or lit in such a manner
as to make it non-reflecting when viewed from inside the court.
Colour of Court Walls
37. The front and side walls of the court shall be of the same colour and
reflectance. If the back wall is a solid wall, it shall be the same colour
and reflectance as the front and side walls.
Reflectance of Walls
38. The average reflectance of the front and side walls shall not be less
than 60% at any point when in a clean condition.
39. The reflectance of the front and side walls shall not vary at any point
by more than plus or minus 5% of the average reflectance.
Ball Rebound from the Court Walls
40. The ball shall rebound truly on striking all parts of the playing walls.
The ball rebound shall be consistent over the whole area of each wall.
Joints in Playing Surfaces
41. Any open joint in the finish of a wall of panel construction
shall:
41.1 not deflect the rebound of the ball in any way
41.2 not be wider than 2 mm in the plane of the wall surface
41.3 be constructed in such a manner as to ensure that adjacent areas of
the finish cannot move relative to one another at right angles to the plane
of the wall following the impact of the ball, a racket or a player, except
in the case of doors in transparent walls as allowed by paragraph 50 of this
Specification.
Flank Wall Panels
42. The plane of the side walls of the court shall be extended behind a
transparent back wall for a distance of not less than 900 mm and to a height
of not less than 2130 mm above finished floor level inside the court by means
of fixed or movable panels of the same colour and texture as the side wall
of the court.
Wall to Wall Junctions
43. There shall be no protrusions of any kind into the court at the junction
of one wall with another.
Wall to Floor Junctions
44. There shall be no protrusion of any kind into the court at the junction
of any wall of the court with the floor. An expansion joint may be provided
at the junction of any wall of the court with the floor, but this shall not
exceed 6 mm in any dimension or at any point.
THE DOOR
Position of the Door
45. It is preferred that the door to the court is located in the middle of
the back wall, but in any event should be in the middle third and shall open
into the court.
Inside Surface of the Door
46. The inside surface of the door shall be plane and shall be flush with
the adjacent wall surfaces when the door is closed. It shall be fitted with
a flush handle and a restraining device which shall stop the door opening
through 180 degrees and hitting the court wall.
47. The door shall match the colour, texture and ball rebound characteristics
of the adjacent wall surfaces as closely as possible and shall be fitted
with a latch or other mechanism which will prevent the door opening following
an impact of a player with it on the court side.
Size of the Door
48. The door shall not be more than 900 mm wide and 2130 mm high.
Finger Traps with Transparent Doors
49. The amount by which the edge of any transparent door, or adjacent
transparent
panel, deflects relative to any part of the frame or edge of any adjacent
panel following an impact equivalent to that of a simulated human body with
a mass of 100 kg and a coefficient of absorption of 47% (ie 47% of the impact
energy is absorbed by the body and 53% transmitted to the wall) striking
the door or the transparent panel at right angles to it shall not exceed:
49.1 the thickness of the transparent panel plus 2 mm at an impact velocity
of 3 metres per second
49.2 the thickness of the transparent panel plus 12 mm at an impact velocity
of 4.5 metres per second.
SURFACES BEHIND TRANSPARENT WALLS
50. All surfaces behind a transparent wall which will be seen by a player
looking downwards at an angle of 55 degrees below the horizontal from an
eye height of 1500 mm and from a position 300 mm inside the court shall not
be darker in colour or tone than the floor of the court.
THE FLOOR OF THE COURT
The Floor Finish
51. The floor shall be hard, smooth, able to absorb small amounts of moisture
without becoming slippery, have limited spring and provide a firm footing
in normal play.
Resilience
52. The bounce of the ball shall be of even height and pace over the whole
area of the floor.
53. When viewed from vertically above the line of flight of the ball, the
linear path of the ball shall not be affected when it bounces on the floor.
Colour and Reflectance
54. The floor shall have a matt finish. The colour shall be within the following
range:
54.1 Munsell Value: 6.5 to 7.5
54.2 Munsell Chroma: 4 to 7
54.3 Munsell Hue: 10YR to 5YR
THE CEILING
Shape of the Ceiling
55. The ceiling shall be a simple shape against which the players shall be
able to sight the ball without difficulty.
Ceiling Finish
56. The ceiling shall have a plain matt finish and shall be white or a light
colour against which the players shall be able to sight the ball without
difficulty.
Roof Lights
57. There shall be no rooflights over any part of the court.
OUT OF COURT AREAS ABOVE PLAYING WALLS
58. The walls of the court may be extended upwards as required but shall
not project into the space above the court specified in paragraph 7 of this
Specification. Any wall so extended upwards shall have a plain matt finish
and shall be white or a light colour against which the players shall be able
to sight the ball without difficulty.
LIGHTING
Lighting Installation
59. The court shall be lit by artificial light. The level of illumination
1000 mm above finished floor level shall not be less than 500 lux and shall
not vary at any point by more than 15% from the average level of
illumination.
60. The walls of the court shall be lit in such a way as to appear evenly
and uniformly illuminated.
61. The lighting shall be shadow-free and free from any stroboscopic
effects.
Ceiling Illumination
62. The average illumination on the ceiling shall not be less than 25% of
the average illumination at a level of 1000 mm above the floor of the court.
For the purposes of this paragraph, the ceiling shall include all areas of
ceiling in view from the court against which players may have to sight the
ball.
Transparent Back Walls
63. In courts with transparent walls, the level of illumination shall be
the same on both sides of the wall.
Television Lighting
64. Television lighting may be installed temporarily or permanently, but
in either case it shall comply with paragraphs 60 to 64 (inclusive) above.
HEATING AND VENTILATION
Temperature
65. It is recommended that a Squash court and any adjacent spectator areas
(including the space for the marker and referee) shall be provided with a
heating and/or air conditioning system which is capable of maintaining a
temperature of between 10 and 25 degrees Celsuis with an ideal range of 15
to 20 degrees Celsius.
Local variations in external temperature and humidity may result in temperatures
outside of the above ranges being acceptable to players.
Ventilation System
66. The court and any adjacent spectator areas (including the space for the
marker and referee) shall be provided with a ventilation system which shall
provide not less than four complete air changes per hour when the court is
in use.
Condensation
67. The court walls and floor shall be constructed, insulated, heated and/or
ventilated in such a way as to ensure that they remain free of condensation
when the court and any adjacent spectator area is in use. Location of Grilles
and Other Equipment
68. The only part of the court which may be used as a location for any heating
or ventilation equipment shall be the sounding board on the front wall, provided
that the sounding characteristics are maintained and that there are no
projections into the court.
69. No part of any heating or ventilating or other equipment may project
into the clear space above the court required by paragraph 7 of this
Specification, excepting that equipment may be mounted on the front wall
above the playing surface provided that:
69.1 no part of any such equipment is less than 5400 mm above floor level
in the court
69.2 no part of any such equipment projects more than 150 mm into the clear
space above the court
69.3 no shadows are thrown onto the front wall.
PART FOUR: WSF ACCREDITATION SCHEME
The World Squash Federation (WSF) is the governing body for the game of Squash
throughout the world and is therefore responsible for the rules of Squash
and for setting standards for courts and equipment. In order to continue
the process of ensuring that courts are built to appropriate standards, it
has introduced a scheme whereby materials and components may be tested against
the standards set by the Federation.
Manufacturers of court materials and components may apply for such Accreditation
and gain the accolade for their product "WSF Approved and Certified". Details
of the scheme are available from:
World Squash Federation
6 Havelock Road
Hastings
East Sussex TN34 1BP
Tel: (44) 1424 49245 / 6
Fax: (44) 1424 429250