New-Rule interpretations for Australian conditions

Brisbane (December 1, 2005).— The following instructions were given to referees who attended the "FINA Referee School" prior to the start of the World Junior Men’s Championships in Argentina. During that school, the FINA Technical Water Polo Committee emphasised the following summary of the recently introduced rules as well as some specific interpretations on current rules. The prime focus was how FINA wants the New Rules interpreted and applied. Some back-ground was given regarding the purpose behind these changes: Reduce the possession time and hence the amount of time the ball is in the hole Involve more players in the action Move the action to the outside near the end of the possession Have the shot from outside of 5m equal to a penalty Reduce the emphasis on the hole and eliminate drop defence off of a foul away from the hole The Referees' Commission therefore would like to advise that the following information be used as guide for all future National Water Polo Championships.Two-handed blocking If a player attempts to block a shot with two hands the player shall be punished with a penalty shot when the defensive player is inside 5m and exclusion when the defensive player is outside out side of 5m. The attacking player does not need to be in the act of shooting for this to apply; blocking with two hands may stop a player from shooting, preventing a probable goal. Two hands means both arms out of the water. Do not punish if the defending player is simply showing hands to indicate they are not holding. A penalty or exclusion in this circumstance is not in the spirit of this Rule. This sanction also applies if a defending player attempts to play a pass with two hands. A defender with two hands out away from the action is nothing. A field player replacing an excluded goalkeeper does not assume the goalkeeper’s privileges. If the player attempts to play with two hands, then a penalty throw shall be awarded.Brutality Brutality is now punished with a penalty throw and 4min exclusion with substitution. The signal for the substitute to re-enter the field of play will be a yellow flag held by the secretary simultaneously with the flag corresponding to the colour of the player’s cap.Brutality during timeout: Attacker; Loss of possession, re-start with penalty taken by the defending team, and the game then continues in the normal fashion. Defender; Re-start with the penalty and then the game continues in the normal fashion. Brutality during interval time, or after a goal: Referee blows the whistle to start play in the normal manner and then the penalty throw shall be taken. Simultaneous Brutality during an interval: Both players excluded with substitution after 4min. The game is then re-started in the normal fashion and once one team gains possession the referees will stop the game and award a penalty throw to the team that has gained possession. The first penalty shot will be taken which will result in a goal or no goal. Play will be stopped and the second penalty shot will be taken which will result in a goal or no goal. The referees then award a free throw on the half-distance line to the team that gained possession on the swim-off. Simultaneous Brutality during time out or after a goal: Both players excluded for 4min with substitution. The first penalty shot will be taken by the team that would normally have possession, and will result in goal or no goal. Play is stopped and the second penalty will be taken which will result in goal or no goal. The referees will then award a free throw on the half-distance line to the team that normally would have been in possession after the time out or after the goal.Improper re-entry: Defensive player: Defender is excluded for an additional 20s and a penalty throw awarded to the attacking team. However, on the score sheet only one additional personal foul, (marked as “EP”), shall be recorded against the player. Attacking player: Attacker is excluded for an additional 20s and a free throw awarded to the opposing team. An additional personal foul shall be recorded against the offending player.Penalty throw awarded in last minute of the game: Where a team is awarded a penalty throw in the last minute of the fourth period or in the last minute of the second period of extra time the coach may request to maintain possession in lieu of taking the penalty throw. The coach must immediately show the referee their choice to maintain possession by crossing their arms in front of their chest, or holding up five fingers should they wish to have the penalty throw. Where a team requests possession, play shall be re-started with a free throw on or behind the half-distance line and the possession clock shall be reset to 30s. Illegal player in the last minute: Penalty throw awarded, exclusion for the remainder of the game with substitution after 20s, OR, maintain possession, exclusion with substitution after 20s, free throw to the nearest player on or behind the half-distance line with new 30s possession time. In all circumstances the referee must call for the ball and clearly indicate the choice of the team in possession before returning the ball into the field of play.Misconduct during an interval between periods, during a time out, or prior to the re-start after a goal: The player is excluded from the remainder of the game and the substitute shall be permitted to enter the game immediately prior to the re-start of play, as the offence is deemed to have occurred during an interval. If the exclusion was between periods, the game re-starts with a swim-off; during a time out, a free throw to the team that requested the time out, (possession is maintained even if the offender was on the team which requested the time out); following a goal, a free throw to the team which was just scored upon.Ball leaving the side of the field of play having last been touched by a defender: A free throw is awarded to the defending team. This is the same application of the Rule where the ball is last touched by a defender and passes over the goal line. In both circumstances where the ball is last touched by the goalie, the result is the award of a corner throw if the ball passes over the goal line or a free throw at the point where the ball left the side of the field of play.Defender tipping or knocking the ball over the goal line: This result is a corner throw as tipping or knocking the ball out is interpreted as being an intentional action separate from blocking the direction of the shot or pass.Simultaneous exclusion: The referee must call for the ball, signal the ejections to the players and the table, and then return the ball to the attacking team with a new 30s possession.Goal throws: Any player of the team in possession within the 2m area may take a goal throw. This includes a shot if the throw is immediate.Coaches' privileges: Only the attacking coach may move to the 5m. The coach can not be within 2m of the referee and must return to the goal line when on defence. Only the first coach has this privilege and may pass instructions to the team. Any other person on the team bench, including substitutes, has no privileges in passing comments to the referee or shouting instructions to the team. If this occurs, then the individual is to be shown a red card and they must retire to the public tribune. The first coach is responsible for the behaviour of the team bench. The coach may receive a yellow card if the behaviour of the bench is inappropriate, followed by a red card if the behaviour continues.First coach excluded: If the first coach receives a red card and is excluded from the game, the second coach or other team official does not assume the privileges accorded to the first coach. They may, however, call a time out as this is a right of the team, not the first coach exclusively. If all team officials have been excluded, then the captain has the right of calling a time out. If the captain and all team officials have been excluded, then a member of the team may call for a time out.Illegal time out: A team requesting a time out to which they are not entitled will result in the loss of a time out for that team.Penalty shoot-outs: Immediately following extra time during the five-minute interval, each team will declare their five shooters and goalie, from the player’s available still in the game, on the sheet provided. The referee will toss a coin in the presence of the team captains to determine who will shoot first. The goalies will change ends so that each team is alternately shooting on their own goal. The waiting shooters may remain in the water but must be outside of 10m. Each team must shoot in the order in which they declared their shooters. If there is no decision after the first ten shots, then the shooting order must be repeated until there is a decision. The referee not controlling the throw will stand on the goal line and signal that the goalie is in the proper position. This is also to ensure there is no misbehaviour from the defending teams’ bench. Where a goalie is excluded for not taking up the proper position a shooter may substitute only for that shot. The field player has no goal keeper privileges. Following the shot, the goal keeper will be substituted with another player from the bench who will then play as the second goal keeper and wear the goal keeper’s cap.Caps: Caps are only to be numbered 1-13, with thirteen being red if there is a second goal keeper. This is to eliminate any delay in the replacement of a goal keeper. The coach is still required to signal to the referee the replacement of a goal keeper. For international play, teams are now required to provide two complete sets of caps. This is to minimise the delay of a player looking to replace a cap that has come off during play. The game is to be stopped for the replacement of a cap only when that player’s team is on attack. The referee will only call for the ball during an appropriate stoppage that will not interfere with the action of the attack.Other interpretations: Swimming with the ball between the legs is punished with a loss of possession; interpreted as being no different than playing the ball with two hands. Disrespect is now abolished. Misconduct will be the term for all “exclusion with substitution” offences other than Brutality. Neck pulling and playing the head is punished with an exclusion. If the play is violent or persistent then the offending player must be excluded for Misconduct. A goal keeper holding onto or pushing off from the goal post will be punished with a penalty throw being awarded to the attacking team. This is Misconduct only if the goal is pulled over completely. A player continuing in an illegal action must be punished. Allow the player a short time to stop the action but call the ejection/ penalty/ turn over if they continue to hold/ sink/ impede the opponent. Reward the player playing the ball. Do not allow players to play the opponent. Struggling for position is permissible unless one player gains a distinct advantage as a result of illegal play. Minor fouls and offensive ejections in the hole may be called if the referee is to maintain control of the game. Do not just “let it go” until the ball arrives. Avoid calling fouls away from the action. If what is happening is not violent and has no impact on the play, let it go. Do not call a back-court ejection if there is advantage up the pool. For the re-entry from a 20s exclusion; No one can decide for the referee or the table when the player may re-enter the game. The player may only re-enter on the signal of the referee or the secretary. It is not the coach’s responsibility to tell the player when the 20s is over. Control the game but not the play. Let the teams decide what style of play the game will take but do not let them determine what type of game you will referee. Show the players at the outset how you will apply the rules within the spirit of the game. Your presentation will demonstrate how in control you are. "The safety of the players is your care as well as your responsibility."

Basic Rules of Water Polo

Field of Play A standard (championship) course is 30m x 20m for men and 25m x 20m for women. The depth should be at least 1.8m. The field of play is segmented into zones marked by colored markings along the side of the pool: Goal line – white A goal counts only when the ball goes completely across the goal line and into the goal (close does not count); the ball is out of bounds if it goes completely across the goal line and not into the goal 2-meter line – red No offensive player is allowed to swim inside of the 2-meter line unless he/she has possession of the ball 5-meter line – yellow If a defensive player commits a foul inside of the 5-meter line, which prevents a “probable goal,” the defensive player is charged with a penalty (personal) foul and the opposing team is awarded a penalty throw (a “5-meter”). If an offensive player is fouled outside of the 5-meter line, the offensive player may pick up the ball and take an immediate shot at the opponent’s goal (i.e., two players do not have to touch the ball before a goal can be scored) Center line – white Mid-pool: After each goal is scored, play is re-started at mid-pool; the goalkeepers are not permitted to go across the mid-pool line. Players Each team must have seven players (six field players and one goalkeeper) in the water when the game starts. Normally, the home (or higher seeded) team wears white (or light colored) caps, starts the game to the left of the scoring table, and is on the left (or upper) portion of the scoreboard. The visiting (or lower seeded) team wears blue (or dark colored) caps, starts the game to the right of the scoring table, and is on the right (or lower) portion of the scoreboard. The goalkeepers wear red caps with earguards and numbers to match those of their teammates. Either team may substitute players freely after a goal is scored, during a time-out, or between periods. During actual play, substitutions must occur through the team’s re-entry area (the corner of the pool in front of the team’s bench). Fouls The referees whistle two different kinds of fouls: minor (ordinary) fouls and major (personal) fouls. There is no limit to the number of minor fouls a player may commit. In contrast, once a player has committed three major fouls, that player must leave the game and may not return. Minor fouls The referee normally signals a minor foul with one blast of the whistle and holding one arm out straight in the direction of the attack. If the minor foul is whistled against the team with the ball, the referee normally signals this with two blasts of the whistle but the arm signal is the same. After a minor foul, a member of the fouled team puts the ball into play by taking a free throw. If the foul is committed outside the 5m line, the player may take the free throw as a “direct shot” at the goal. The most common minor foul is impeding the free movement of a player who is not holding the ball. This is a standard defensive tactic and the majority of the whistles that lead to free throws are for impeding. Other (less common) minor fouls are whistled for: Delaying too long before taking a free throw To waste time (most often when a team elects not to shoot the ball and instead throws the ball to a vacant part of the pool and swims away without trying to retain possession) Holding the ball underwater so that the opponent cannot play it Touching the ball with two hands (does not apply to goalkeeper inside of the 5-meter line) Walking on or pushing off the bottom of the pool (does not apply to the goalkeeper inside of the 5-meter line) Tipping the ball out of the field of play Failing to take a shot within 30 seconds (letting the shot clock expire) For the goaltender to go past the center line Major Fouls A major foul is assigned to the player who commits it. Thus, a major foul is often referred to as a personal foul. Some major fouls result in the player being excluded for 20s, some for the entire game with a substitute allowed back in after 20s, some for the entire game with a substitute allowed back in after four minutes, and some with a penalty throw awarded to the opposing team. The referee normally signals an exclusion in this manner: (1) two short then one long blast of the whistle; (2) pointing at the excluded player then moving the arm towards the re-entry area; then (3) putting up one or both hands and signaling the number of the excluded player. For exclusion with substitution, the referee makes a circular motion with both hands. For a brutality foul, the referee crosses his/her forearms with the hands in a fist. The referee signals a penalty foul in this manner: (1) two or three blasts of the whistle; (2) the number 5 held up with the right arm; then (3) putting up one or both hands and signaling the number of the offending player. Major Fouls – Exclusion for 20s The most common major exclusion foul is holding, sinking, or pulling back a player who is not holding the ball. Other (less common) exclusion fouls are whistled for interference with a free throw or for kicking or striking. Major Fouls – Exclusion for 20s and Substitution The exclusion with substitution is reserved for serious infractions. Generally, this kind of a foul is assessed either for violence or disrespect. Although there are other situations where this can be the result, they are very rare. Major Fouls – Brutality The brutality foul requires that the offending player demonstrate obvious intent to injure another player. This is much more serious than mere violence. As a result of this foul: (1) the offending player is removed from that game and (at least) the next game; (2) that team may not substitute for that player for four minutes of game time; and (3) the offended team is awarded a penalty throw. Brutality occurs very rarely. Major Fouls – Penalty Fouls A penalty foul is awarded when a player commits any kind of a foul in the penalty area (inside the 5m line) that, in the opinion of the referee, prevented a probable goal. This is most commonly awarded in situations where the attacker turns or gets inside the defenders and is fouled from behind. Conduct Fouls When the behavior of participants not in the water (players, Coaches’, or any other team personnel) is inappropriate, the referees can issue yellow or red cards. The yellow card is reserved only for the head coach and is a warning that the behavior of someone (including the head coach) on the bench is inappropriate. The red card is awarded when the behavior is bad enough that the referee must order that person to leave the bench. Someone who receives the red card may not have any visual, verbal, or electronic communication with any member of the team for the remainder of that game and all (including the pre-game warm-ups) of the next game.