NEW Water Polo Rules

This is a summary of the major rules changes approved by the FINA Technical Congress. They are listed as they first appear in the Rules Changes booklet provided by FINA at the Technical Congress. These changes were approved as a package and will be in effect 15 September 2005 to 31 December 2006. If necessary, an Extraordinary Technical Water Polo Congress may be called prior to the end of that time to change these (or any) rules or, if the new rules appear to be satisfactory, the FINA Bureau may simply extend these rules until ratified at a general event such as the 2007 World Championships. (Summarized by Terence Ma; where possible, the actual wording has been maintained.) – Revised version.

1. (WP1.4) The distance between the goal lines shall not be less than 20 meters and not more than 30 meters for games played by men. The distance between the goal lines shall not be less than 20 meters and not more than 25 meters for games played by women.

2. The 4 and 7 meter lines are eliminated and a 5-meter line is created. All previous rules that applied to the 4 and 7 meter lines are adjusted to the new 5-meter line. So, for example, penalty fouls may be called inside the 5; free throws taken outside the 5 meter line for a foul committed outside the 5 meter line may be shot.

3. Markings on the side of the field of play are: RED from goal line to 2-meter line, YELLOW from the 2-meter line to the 5-meter line, and GREEN from the 5-meter line to the half-distance line.

4. (WP4.2) Caps shall be fitted with malleable ear protectors which shall be the same color as the team’s caps except that the goalkeeper may have red protectors.

5. The goalkeeper shall wear cap number 1 and the other caps shall be numbered 2 to 13. A substitute goalkeeper shall wear a red cap numbered 13.

6. The head coach of the attacking team shall be allowed to move to the 5-meter line at any time.

7. The duration of the game shall be four periods each of eight (8) minutes of actual play.

8. There shall be a two-minute interval between the first and second periods and between the third and fourth periods and a five-minute interval between the second and third periods. The teams, including the players, coaches and (team) officials, shall change ends before starting the third period and the second period of any extra time.

9. (In extra time,) there shall be two periods each of three minutes of actual play with an interval of two minutes for the teams to change ends.

10. In a shootout, if a goalkeeper is excluded during the penalty shoot out, a player from the nominated five (5) players may substitute for the goalkeeper but without the privileges of the goalkeeper; following the taking of the penalty shot, the player may be substituted by another player or alternate goalkeeper.

11. A timeout may be requested at any time, including after a goal. … If a timeout is requested, the secretary or referee shall immediately stop the game by whistle and the players shall immediately return to their respective halves of the field of play.

12. After a timeout, play shall be restarted on the whistle of the referee by the team in possession of the ball putting the ball into play on or behind the half distance line.

13. The time of possession of a ball prior to a shot is 30 seconds.

14. A goal throw shall be awarded when the entire ball has passed fully over the goal line excluding between the goal posts and underneath the crossbar, having last been touched by any player other than the goalkeeper of the defending team.

15. The goal throw shall be taken by the defending goalkeeper or any member of the defending team from anywhere within the 2 meter area.

16. A corner throw shall be awarded when … last touched by the goalkeeper of the defending team or when a defending player deliberately sends the ball over the goal line.

17. It shall be an exclusion foul to attempt to play or block a shot with two hands outside the 5-meter area.

18. (21.9) To be guilty of misconduct, including the use of unacceptable language, violent or persistent foul play, refuse obedience to or show disrespect for a referee or official, or behavior against the spirit of the Rules and likely to bring the game into disrepute. The offending player shall be excluded from the remainder of the game, with substitution after the earliest occurrence referred to in WP 21.3.

If a member of a team commits any offence mentioned in this Rule during the interval between periods, during a time out or prior to the restart of play after his team has scored a goal, the player shall be excluded from the remainder of the game and substitution shall be permitted when, after the interval pause, the excluded player’s team has taken possession of the ball (which means receiving control of the ball), or in the other situations, after the earliest occurrence referred to in WP21.3.

19. To commit an act of brutality … The offending player shall be excluded from the remainder of the game and a penalty throw awarded to the opposing team, The offending player may be substituted when four (4) minutes of actual play have elapsed. …

In the last minute of the game, the referees may delay declaring a brutality offence until the next change of possession.

This Rule shall also apply if an act of brutality occurs during the intervals between periods and a penalty throw shall be awarded. These provisions shall not apply, however, before the game has actually commenced.

20. In the case of a double exclusion, both players shall be excluded and the team in attack maintain possession of the ball.

Both players excluded under this Rule shall be permitted to re-enter at the next earliest occurrence referred to in WO 21.3 or at the next change of possession.

21. For an excluded player to re-enter or a substitute to enter the field of play improperly …

If this offence occurs by the team not in possession of the ball, the offending player shall be excluded and a penalty throw awarded to the opposing team.

If this offence occurs by the team in possession of the ball, the offending player shall be excluded and a free throw awarded to the opposing team.

22. WP 22.6. For a excluded player to re-enter or a substitute to enter the field of play improperly prior to or at the expiration of an exclusion period with the object to prevent a goal.

23. WP 22.7. For an excluded player to re-enter or a substitute to enter the field of play improperly during the last minute of the game.

24. WP 22.8. Delete references to Rule WP 21.3.

25. WP 22.10 If in the last minute of the game a penalty throw is awarded to a team, the coach may elect to maintain possession of the ball and be awarded a free throw. The timekeeper recording possession time shall reset the clock.

26. When players of both teams commit an exclusion foul simultaneously, whether during actual play or in dead time, the offending players shall be excluded and the team in possession of the ball be awarded a free throw.

27. To signal the award of a penalty throw. The referee raises an arm with five (5) finger in the air.

28. Disciplinary procedures have been modified so that they apply to all competitions and not just FINA competitions.

IT IS A PENALTY FOUL FOR ANY DEFENDING PLAYER TO PLAY, ATTEMPT TO PLAY THE BALL OR BLOCK BALL WITH TWO HANDS INSIDE OF 5 METERS.

6 on 5 info

Please read the 6 on 5 article from Doc Hunkler. Hunkler was the head coach for men and women at Slippery Rock University and my assistant coach for 3 years. This will give you a good start on the 6 on 5 adventure.

http://waterpoloplanet.com/HTML_phpnuke_pages/Defense_for_4-2.html