by Mark “BamBam” Bamford

Please note that for ease of quickly understanding the game only selected rules have been included.  The original section number and rule number are shown here but you will see that there are numbers missing – don’t worry about these for now.

First here are some terms used during the rules referring to parts of the pitch that you will need to know (image at bottom of page)

Other useful terms explained:

Crosse: Another word for stick

Slow whistle: The term used for the referee throwing a flag.  The game continues until the referee blows the whistle at which time the penalty will be addressed.

SECTION 2 EQUIPMENT

RULE 15 THE CROSSE

15.1 The crosse shall be a length of BETWEEN 101.6cms and 106.68cms (short crosse)

OR 132.08cms and 182.88cms (long crosse).

A maximum of two long crosses, plus the crosse of the designated goalkeeper, on the field of play.

RULE 16 PROHIBITIONS RELATING TO THE CROSSE

16.1 The head of the crosse cannot have a pocket at such a depth that the top surface of a lacrosse ball placed inside is below the bottom edge of the sidewalls.

RULE 17 PERSONAL EQUIPMENT

17.1 All players are required to wear protective gloves, and a protective helmet equipped with a facemask and a chinstrap, which must be properly fastened on both sides.

In addition, the goalkeeper must wear the goalkeeper mandatory protective equipment: a throat guard, a chest protector and a box/cup.

RULE 18 PROHIBITIONS RELATING TO PERSONAL EQUIPMENT

18.7 A player must not wear jewellery: this includes body piercings.

SECTION 6 THE PLAY OF THE GAME

RULE 34 FACING AT THE CENTRE

34.1 Play begins each period, and after each goal has been scored, by facing the ball at the centre of the field

Subject to the following exceptions:

i) At the end of the period, if one team has possession of the ball then the next period will start with the same team in possession, in the same relative position on the field. However, if the period ends with no team in possession, the ball shall be faced at the centre.

ii) Once the players facing have taken up their positions for the face-off, then the players are “set”, and any movement of a player’s stick or gloves before the whistle will result in possession being awarded to the opposite team. The player is allowed to move his feet or his body, provided that this movement does not move the gloves or stick.

34.2 The referee shall place the ball on the ground at the centre of the field. The players facing shall stand on the same side of the centreline as the goal each is defending.

The crosses shall rest on the ground on that player’s defensive half of the field, parallel to the centerline, and must not be within the 4” wide centerline. The face-off man’s gloves may touch the 4” wide centerline. Players may not back out and re-set their positions once the referee has initiated the face-off position. The referee shall make certain that the reverse surfaces of the crosses match evenly, and each player must have both hands wrapped around the handle of his own crosse, not touching any strings, and both gloved hands must be on the ground. The feet shall not touch the crosse. Both hands, both feet, and the helmet must be to the left of the throat of his crosse. Neither player may be in contact with his opponent’s body by encroaching on his opponent’s territory. The feet must not touch the centerline or the opponents’ defensive half of the field. Both feet must be grounded up to the sounding of the referee’s whistle to start play. The handle of the crosse must not touch the opponents’ defensive half of the field. No part of either crosse may touch.

34.4 When the referee sounds his whistle to start play, each player may attempt to direct the course of the ball by movement of his crosse in any manner he desires. Kicking or stepping on an opponent’s crosse is illegal. A player may not “kick through” his own crosse in order to move the crosse of his opponent. A player may not deliberately use his hand or fingers to play the ball. A player may not grab an opponent’s crosse with the open hand or fingers.

34.5 Whilst the two players who are participating in the face-off are still down in the face-off position, and the ball is still between and in contact with their sticks, it shall be illegal for any other player to make contact with the body or crosse of either of those two players. Checking either the stick or the gloved hand of either player participating in the face-off is a Technical Foul. Body checking either player participating in the face-off is a Personal Foul.

34.7 At the time of a centre face-off, a team, which has 5 players on the field of play, shall confine the goalkeeper and 1 other player in its defence goal area, 1 player in its attack goal area, and 1 player in one of its wing areas. When the whistle sounds to start play, the players in the wing areas shall be released. All other players are confined to the specified goal areas until any player gains possession of the ball, the ball touches or crosses a goal area line, or the ball goes out-of-bounds.

34.8 In the above circumstances, when a player gains possession, the referee shall shout “Possession”. When the ball touches or crosses a goal area line before possession has been called, the referee shall shout “Free ball”.

34.9 Where a team has 1 or more players out of the game on penalty, then that team shall have the right to choose the confining area(s) in which it shall exercise its exemption, but it must obey the offside rule i.e 1 player in the offensive half and 2 in the defensive half.

34.12 If the ball goes directly out-of-bounds from a face-off before any team gains possession, then it shall be re-faced at the same place as the previous face, and subject to the same restrictions as the previous face.

RULE 37 FREE PLAY

37.1 When a player has been awarded the ball for any reason such as a foul or the ball has gone out of play, opposing players must take a position at least 5 yards (4.57 metres) away.

The Referee shall clearly indicate the player who is going to re-start the play to the opposing goalkeeper.

37.2 Play will not start closer to the cage than 20 yards (18.29 metres) in any direction, and the ball shall be moved laterally to a point 20 yards (18.29 metres) from the cage, if required.

37.3 Play will not start closer within 5 yards (4.57 metres) of the gate, and the ball shall be moved laterally into the field of play until it is 5 yards (4.57 metres) from the nearest part of the gate, if required.

RULE 38 SCORING

38.2 When the ball passes through the plane of the goal in the following circumstances, however, a goal does not count:

i) after the period has ended, regardless of whether or not a referee’s whistle has sounded;

ii) after a referee’s whistle has sounded for any reason, even though the sounding of the whistle was accidental;

iii) when any part of the body of an attacking player is touching the goal crease area;

iv) when the attacking team has more men than it should have on the actual field of play at the time;

v) when the attacking team are off-side at the time.

vi) when the head of the shooter’s crosse comes off during the shot or the follow-through.

vii) If a goal has been scored by an attacking player and, before the next live ball, that player’s stick is declared illegal for any reason.

RULE 40 BALL OUT-OF-BOUNDS

40.2 When a player with the ball in his possession steps on or beyond a boundary line, or any part of his crosse or body touches the ground on or beyond the boundary line, then the ball is out-of-bounds, and the player shall lose possession of it.

The ball shall be awarded to any player of the opposing team who is ready immediately to make the free play, at the point where the ball was declared out-of-bounds.

40.3 When a loose ball touches a boundary line or the ground outside of a boundary line, or when it touches anything on or outside of a boundary line, or when it has irretrievably left the field of play, then it is out-of-bounds, and the following rules shall apply:

i) Except on a shot or a deflected shot at the goal, the ball shall be awarded at the point where it was declared out-of-bounds to any player on the opposing team to that of the player who last touched it who is ready immediately to make the free play.

ii) When a loose ball goes out-of-bounds as a result of a shot or a deflected shot at goal, it shall be awarded to the team of the nearest legal inbound player where and when the ball became out-of-bounds.

If two legal inbound players of opposite teams are equidistant from the ball when it goes out-of-bounds as a result of a shot, then it shall be faced.

iii) A shot or deflected shot remains a shot until:

– the ball comes to rest on the field of play;

– or a player gains possession of the ball;

– or the ball goes out-of-bounds;

– or a player deliberately causes the ball to go out-of-bounds.

RULE 41 BODYCHECKING

41.1 Bodychecking and taking-out an opponent are permitted in the game of lacrosse, provided:

i) the opponent is in possession of the ball or is within 9 feet (2.74 metres) of a loose ball or is within 9 feet (2.74 metres) of a ball in flight;

ii) the contact is made from the front or side, not below the hip, and below the neck.

A bodycheck is the placing of the body in the way of and facing an opponent so that the latter is simply impeded.

A take-out is the hitting of an opponent with the shoulder.

41.2 A player may use a shoulder-to-shoulder charge against an opponent with whom he is engaged or is about to be engaged in a ground scuffle, provided that the opponent is within 9 feet (2.74 metres) of a loose ball.

RULE 42 CHECKING WITH THE CROSSE

42.1 A player may check an opponent’s crosse with his own crosse, provided that the opponent has possession of the ball, the opponent is within 9 feet (2.74 metres) of a loose ball, or the ball is in flight within 9 feet (2.74 metres) of the opponent.

RULE 43 THE PICK

43.1 The use of the pick by an offensive player is permitted, provided that the offensive player is stationary and motionless at the time the contact is made.

RULE 44 TIME-OUTS

44.1 There are 2 types of time-outs, those called by the officials, and those called by the teams.

44.5 A team may request a time-out provided:

– the ball is dead;

– or the team requesting the time-out has possession of the ball in its attacking half of the field.

44.6 A time-out may be called by a coach, a captain, or the player who has possession of the ball.

The request may be made to a referee or to the chief bench official.

44.7 A team time-out shall be 90 seconds long.

A team time-out may be foreshortened only if both teams are ready to restart before the full 90 seconds have elapsed.

44.8 A team shall be limited to 1 time-out per half, and 1 time-out per 4-minute overtime period.

No time-outs shall be allowed in a sudden death overtime period.

SECTION 7 SUBSTITUTIONS

 Rule 46 Substitutions

46.1 Substitutions may take place at any time, subject to the following paragraphs.

46.2 The substituting player must wait in the substitution area for the player whom he is replacing to leave the field of play, and only then may he enter the field of play. Both players must go through the gate.

Players may substitute during play, and they may do so on either side of the centreline, provided that the offside rule is observed.

A substitute who is about to enter the field must give way in the special substitution area to a player who is leaving the field.

46.3 If the player leaving the field of play is bound to the half of the field which he is in by the offside rule, then the provisions of the offside rule will be deemed to have been observed if the substitute steps out of the substitution area onto the field of play at the same time as the player leaving the field steps into the substitution area.

SECTION 8 THE GOAL CREASE AND THE GOALKEEPER

Rule 47 Nominated Defender Rule

47.4 The organisers of a tournament or a competition may play the Nominated Defender Rule, if they feel it appropriate for some or all of the games in that tournament or competition:

i) Before the game, the Head Coach or Captain will nominate a longstick of his squad to be the Nominated Defender.

ii) Where a goalkeeper commits a time-serving penalty, the Nominated Defender shall serve the penalty.  The penalty shall be charged against the goalkeeper’s name.

iii) Rule 47.4 ii) shall not apply if the goalkeeper has committed an expulsion foul or if the penalty causes the goalkeeper to “foul out.”

Rule 48 Privileges Of The Designated Goalkeeper

48.1 While in his own goal crease, the designated goalkeeper shall have the following privileges and protections:

i) He or any member of the defending team may receive a pass while in the crease area.

ii) No opposing player may initiate contact with the goalkeeper or his crosse while the goalkeeper is within the goal crease area whether the goalkeeper has the ball in his possession or not.

An attacking player may reach into the goal crease area to play a loose ball, so long as he does not initiate contact with the goalkeeper.

iii) An exception to Rule 48.1 ii), above, is that any portion of the crosse of the goalkeeper, when extended outside the cylinder above the goal crease area, except when the ball is in the crosse, is subject to being checked under the same circumstances as the crosse of any other player.

RULE 49 PROHIBITIONS RELATING TO THE GOAL CREASE

49.1 An attacking player shall not be in his opponents’ goal crease area, nor shall he touch any part of the cage with his body, at any time while the ball is live in his opponents’ half of the field.

49.2 A goalkeeper or defending player who is outside the goal crease area and who has the ball in his possession may not enter the goal crease area.

49.3 A player who is in his goal crease area may not remain in the goal crease area with the ball in his possession for longer than 4 seconds.

This shall be audibly and visually counted by the nearest referee as “1001, 1002, 1003, 1004”.

If a player tries to circumvent the 4-second rule by deliberately dropping the ball and then picking it up, then he will be assessed a technical foul.

49.5 If a goalkeeper, who is outside his crease and who has the ball in his possession, throws or directs the ball into his crease, steps into the crease and picks the ball up, then this shall be a legal play and the count shall begin.

If the goalkeeper, having carried out the procedure outlined above, repeats the procedure before his opponents have had possession of the ball, then a technical foul has been committed by the goalkeeper.

SECTION 9 TECHNICAL FOULS

RULE 50 THE PENALTY FOR TECHNICAL FOULS

50.1 The penalty for a technical foul shall be as follows:

i) If the offending team has possession of the ball, or if the ball is loose at the time a technical foul is committed, then possession shall be awarded to the opposing team at the point where the ball was when the foul occurred.

ii) If the opponents of the offending team have possession of the ball at the time a technical foul is committed, then the penalty shall be suspension from the field of play for 30 seconds for the player committing the foul.

50.2 If a technical foul occurs prior to the start of the game, or after the scoring of a goal or the end of a period, then his opponents are awarded the ball.

If the technical foul occurs at some other time during the course of the game, but while the play is suspended, then the general rule rather than this exception shall apply.

RULE 51 THE NATURE OF A TECHNICAL FOUL

51.1 Technical fouls are those of a less serious kind.

Any breach of the rules of play as set forth in this section shall be a technical foul unless that breach is specifically listed as a personal or expulsion foul.

Some of the technical fouls which require definition are listed below, but this section is not intended to be comprehensive and all-inclusive.

RULE 52 INTERFERENCE

52.1 A player may not interfere in any manner with an opponent in an attempt to keep him from a loose ball except when both are within 9 feet (2.74 metres) of such loose ball.

52.2 A player may not, by the use of his body or his crosse, interfere with a player who is in pursuit of an opponent who has possession of the ball.

52.3 A player may not guard an opponent so closely as to prevent the opponent’s free movement when the opponent is not in possession of the ball.

RULE 53 PUSHING

53.1 A player may not push an opponent with his crosse it must be with the hands placed on the crosse.

53.2 A player may push an opponent with either closed gloved hand on the handle of his crosse or with either forearm, provided that the opponent has possession of the ball, or the opponent is within 9 feet (2.74 metres) of a loose ball, or the ball is in flight within 9 feet (2.74 metres) of the opponent.  Both hands of the player who is doing the pushing must be on his crosse.

The pushing must not be from the rear, it must not be below the hip and it must not be at or above the neck.  Pushing an opponent who is lying on the ground, or who is down on one or both knees, is illegal.

RULE 54 ILLEGAL PICK

54.1 No offensive player shall move into and make contact with a defensive player with the purpose of blocking that defensive player from the man he is marking.

Before any contact is made by the defensive player, the offensive player must be stationary and motionless, and he must be standing in his normal stance.

54.2 No offensive player shall hold his crosse rigid or extend his crosse rigid to impede the normal movement of a defender.

RULE 55 HOLDING

55.1 A player shall not hold an opponent or an opponent’s crosse.

ii) A player in possession of the ball may protect his crosse with his hand, arm, or other part of his body when an opponent makes a play to check his crosse.

The hand, arm, or other part of his body may only be used to stop the stick check, must be completely still and it must not be used to hold, push, or control the direction of the movement of the checker’s crosse or body.

RULE 56 KICKING AN OPPONENT’S CROSSE

56.1 A player may not deliberately step on or kick the crosse of an opponent.

RULE 57 HANDLING THE BALL

57.1 A player shall not touch the ball with his free hand i.e not holding your stick.

RULE 58 WITH-HOLDING THE BALL FROM PLAY

58.1 A player shall not with-hold the ball from play in any manner.

A player shall not lie on a loose ball on the ground.

A player shall not trap a loose ball on the ground with his stick longer than is necessary for him to control the ball and pick it up in one continuous motion.

58.2 A player with the ball in his possession shall not hold his crosse touching his body with the purpose of preventing an opponent from dislodging the ball.

58.3 A player with the ball in his possession may not grasp any portion of the head of the stick with his hand, so that it becomes more difficult for the opponent to dislodge the ball from the ball-carrier’s stick.

58.4 If the ball becomes caught in any part of a player’s stick, then the player is with-holding the ball from play.

In such circumstances, a referee shall immediately blow his whistle and award the ball to the player’s opponents.

This rule also applies when a player loses his stick, the stick lands on the ground, and the ball remains in or under the head of the crosse.

RULE 59 ILLEGAL ACTIONS WITH THE CROSSE

59.1 A player shall not throw his crosse under any circumstances.

59.2 No player, shall take part in the play of the game in any manner unless he is grasping his crosse with at least one hand.

The only exception is if the goalkeeper, inside the crease, loses his stick, may continue to play without it until the ball goes dead or the referee blows the whistle.

A goalkeeper who loses his stick when he is outside his crease must retrieve his stick before he can take any further part in the game.

No player may play with a broken crosse.

59.3 Players who are legally on the field of play may exchange crosses with each other.

If a player who is on the field of play wishes to exchange his crosse for another crosse which is not on the field of play, then the player must come off the field of play before doing so.

The stick-exchange is thus legal if it is made when the player is in his Bench Area or in the Special Substitution Area.

RULE 61 ILLEGAL PROCEDURE

61.1 Any action by a player or a substitute of a technical nature which is not in conformity with the rules and regulations governing the play of the game shall be termed illegal procedure.

61.2 Leaving the penalty box before being authorised to do so by the penalty time-keeper is a foul.

The offending player shall be returned to the penalty box to serve out his unexpired time plus, if appropriate, any additional penalty

During an authorised time-out or between periods, a player may leave the penalty box, but he must return at the commencement of play to complete his suspension.

61.3 Delaying the game is a foul.

An individual player is guilty of delaying the game if, during a stoppage in play, he bats, kicks or throws the ball away. In such a case, if a time penalty is to be served, then the individual concerned must serve it himself.

At the discretion of the referees, such conduct may be construed as unsportsmanlike conduct.

A team is guilty of delaying the game when:

i) It is not ready to start the game at the beginning of a period, or after a time-out.

ii) It is not ready to start the game 30 seconds after a goal has been scored.

iii) It is not ready to start the game when the referees are ready to restart the game after a stoppage has occurred because of a foul or an out-of-bounds ball.

iv) It is not ready to restart the game when the referees are ready to restart the game after equipment has been adjusted.

v) It is not ready to restart the game after an injured player has been attended to.

When a team is guilty of delaying the game, and a time penalty is to be served, then it shall be served by the In-home.

61.4 Participation in the play of the game by an out-of-bounds player is a technical foul.

61.5 A team which does not have the required number of men in each designated area at the time the whistle is blown to start a centre face-off has committed a technical foul.

61.12 It is a technical foul for a team to have more men than it should have on the actual field of play (excluding the penalty box) at any time, except after the scoring of a goal, at the end of a period, and during a time-out of any kind.

61.14 It is a technical foul for a team to have more than two long crosses, excluding the crosse of the designated goalkeeper, on the field of play, excluding the penalty box and excluding the bench area, at any one time when the ball is live.

61.15 A player entering or leaving the field of play must do so through the gate, except after the scoring of a goal, at the start or the end of a period and during a time-out of any kind.

RULE 62 STALLING

62.1 Any deliberate action on the part of a team in possession of the ball to maintain possession of the ball outside the attack goal area by holding or passing the ball without reasonable effort to attack its opponents’ goal is a technical foul known as “stalling”.

62.2 A team playing with fewer players than its opponents due to penalties cannot be guilty of stalling.

62.3 A team that has possession of the ball in their attack goal area cannot be guilty of stalling.

62.4 Where a referee feels that a team in possession of the ball outside the attack goal area is not making a reasonable attempt to attack its opponents’ goal, then he shall ask that team to “Get it in”; the team must then carry or pass the ball into the attack goal area within a reasonable time.

Once the ball is in the attack goal area, then the team in possession shall keep it in the attack goal area.

If the ball subsequently leaves the stalling area (the attack goal area) before the defending team has had possession of the ball, except as a result of a foul by the defending team or a deflection by the defending team or a shot, then the team which has been asked to “Get it in” shall lose possession to their opponents.

62.5 Where a referee feels that a team in possession of the ball inside the attack goal area is not making a reasonable attempt to attack its opponents’ goal, then he shall ask that team to “Keep it in”; the team must then keep it in the attack goal area.

If the ball subsequently leaves the stalling area (the attack goal area) before the defending team has had possession of the ball, except as a result of a foul by the defending team or a deflection by the defending team or a shot, then the team which has been asked to “Keep it in” shall lose possession to their opponents.

62.7 A stalling warning ends when:

i) the defensive team gains possession of the ball;

ii) or a goal is scored;

iii) or a period ends resulting in a face-off.

RULE 65 OFF-SIDE

65.1 a team is off-side, provided that the ball is in play, when:

i) It has fewer than 1 man in its attack half of the field between the centre line and the end line;

ii) Or it has fewer than 2 men in its defensive half of the field between the centre line and the end line.

65.2 When one or both teams are off-side, the following rules shall apply:

i) When only one team is off-side, a technical penalty shall be inflicted.

ii) Where both teams are off-side, and one of the teams has possession of the ball, the teams shall be placed on-side, and play resumed with the team which had possession of the ball retaining possession.

iii) Where both teams are off-side, and neither team has possession of the ball, the teams shall be placed on-side, and the ball shall be faced at the place where it was when the whistle went.

65.3 The following rules shall apply when one or both teams are off-side at the time a goal is scored:

i) When only the defending team is off-side, then the goal shall stand, and no penalty shall be inflicted.

ii) When only the attacking team is off-side, the goal shall not stand, and the ball shall be awarded to any member of the defensive team 20 yards (18.29 metres) laterally from the cage.

iii) When both teams are off-side, the goal shall not stand, and the ball shall be faced 20 yards (18.29 metres) laterally from the cage.

SECTION 10 PERSONAL FOULS

RULE 68 THE PENALTY FOR A PERSONAL FOUL

68.1 The penalty for a personal foul shall be suspension from the game for a period of 1, 2 or 3 minutes, depending upon the referees’ diagnosis of the severity and intention of the foul.

The ball shall normally be given to the team which has been fouled.

If the foul occurs prior to the start of the game, or after the scoring of a goal or the end of a period, then the ball shall be awarded to the opponents of the offending team at the centre of the field.

RULE 70 ILLEGAL BODYCHECK AND ILLEGAL TAKE-OUT

70.1 A bodycheck is the placing of the body in the way of and facing an opponent so that the latter is simply impeded.

A take-out is the hitting of an opponent with the shoulder.

A bodycheck or a take-out of an opponent who is not in possession of the ball, or not within 9 feet (2.74 metres) of a loose ball or not within 9 feet (2.74 metres) of a ball in flight, is illegal.

70.2 An avoidable bodycheck or take-out of an opponent after he has thrown the ball is illegal.  This is known as a late hit.

70.3 A take-out of an opponent in which contact is from the rear, below the hip, or at or above the neck is illegal.

70.5 Blocking an opponent with the head, known as spearing, is illegal.

70.6 Taking-out an opponent who is lying on the ground, or who is down on one or both knees, is illegal.

RULE 71 SLASHING

71.1 Under no circumstances shall a player swing his crosse at an opponent’s crosse with deliberate viciousness or reckless abandon, and a foul is committed in such circumstances whether or not the opponent’s crosse or body is struck.

71.2 A strike by the crosse on the helmet or neck of an opponent is illegal, except when done by a player in the act of passing or shooting.

71.3 A player shall not strike any part of the body of an opponent, other than the gloved hand holding the stick, in an attempt to dislodge the ball from his opponent’s crosse, but a check shall not be declared illegal if, in an attempt to protect his crosse, the player in possession uses some part of his body, other than his head or neck, to ward off the thrust of the defensive player’s crosse and, as a result, the defensive player’s crosse strikes some part of the attacking player’s body other than his head or neck.

RULE 72 CROSS-CHECK

72.1 A player may not check an opponent with that part of the shaft of his crosse that is between his hands, either by thrusting his crosse away from him or by holding it extended from his body.

RULE 73 TRIPPING

73.1 A player shall not intentionally trip an opponent with any part of his crosse or body.

RULE 74 UNNECESSARY ROUGHNESS

74.1 An excessively violent infraction of the rules against holding or pushing is a personal foul, designated unnecessary roughness.

RULE 75 UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT

75.1 No player, substitute, non-playing member of a squad, coach or anyone officially connected with a competing team shall:

i) Enter into argument with an official as to any decision which he has made;

ii) In any way attempt to influence the decision of an official;

iii) Use threatening, profane or obscene language or gestures to an official or to any member of the opposing squad;

iv) Commit any act considered unsportsmanlike or ungentlemanly by the referees;

v) Repeatedly commit the same technical foul.

75.2 Where an unsportsmanlike or ungentlemanly conduct penalty has been inflicted, and the penalised person continues to act in an unsportsmanlike or ungentlemanly manner, the referees have the right to banish him from the bench area.

RULE 76 PLAYER COMMITTING 5 PERSONAL FOULS

76.1 Any player committing 5 personal fouls shall be “fouled out” of the game, and shall not be allowed to take any further part in it.

76.2 A substitute for such a player shall be allowed to enter the game at such a time as the fouled out player would have been permitted to re-enter the game had he not committed 5 personal fouls.

SECTION 12 EXECUTION OF PENALTIES

Rule 79 Player Committing Foul

79.2 In the case of a time penalty, the time refers to the time for which the player will be off the field and out of the game. The timing of a penalty will begin when the penalised player sits down on one of the seats in the penalty box (or kneels down if no seats), or when the whistle blows to re-start play, whichever is the later.

79.5 Penalty time will only be served during normal playing time. Stoppages in play for all time-outs will also temporarily interrupt penalty time.

During an authorised time-out, or between periods, a penalized player may leave the penalty box, but he must return at the commencement of play to complete his suspension.

79.6 Penalty time will end when the timing of the penalty has expired, or that the scoring of a goal against a team serving penalty time for technical fouls shall release the player or players.

This shall not apply in the case of personal fouls, where the designated penalty time shall be served regardless of whether or not a goal is scored.

RULE 80 RE-STARTING PLAY AFTER A PENALTY

80.1 When a penalty occurs in the offended team’s defensive half of the field and penalty time is to be served, the ball shall be awarded to any player of the offended team on the centre line.

80.2 In all other cases, the ball shall be awarded to any player of the offended team at the point where the ball was when play was suspended, the exceptions being as follows:

i) Where the ball is within 20 yards (18.29 metres) of the cage. In this case the ball shall be moved to a position laterally across the field 20 yards (18.29 metres) from the cage and awarded to any player of the offended team.

ii) In the event of the goalkeeper or a defending player offending against the crease rules, the ball shall be awarded to any player of the attacking team 20 yards (18.29 metres) laterally from the cage.

iii) In the event of a crease offence by an attacking player which does not involve a time penalty, the ball shall be awarded to a member of the defending team 20 yards (18.29 metres) laterally from the cage.

80.3 If a goal is scored during a slow whistle play for a technical foul, then no penalty is given.

If a goal is not scored during a slow whistle play, then a time penalty is given, and the ball is awarded to the attacking team at the place where it was when play was suspended.