Official Rules

Dimensions   [1]Pitch
             [2]Goals
             [3]Ball
Player Sizes [1]Outfield
             [2]Goalkeepers
Time
General Play [1]Contact
             [2]Player Moves + Goalkeepers
             [3]Out of Play
Fouls        [1]Dangerous Play
             [2]Hand-ball
Discipline   [1]Referees
             [2]Punishment
             [3]Suspensions

TIME

1. ROM-Each half must last 5 minutes long, a total of 10 minutes play;
   ENG-Each half must last 7 minutes long, a total of 14 minutes play;
   
2. The game must end when the time runs out, and while there is no injury time as such added at the end, the watch can be halted for minor stoppages;
   
3. Extra-Time is required when a knock-out game is still undecided at the end of normal time, with its length usually decided before the start of such a tournament (Recommended: ROM-1 minute each way, ENG-2 minutes each way);

GENERAL PLAY
[1]Contact

1. The player can use any part of his finger-tip to manoevre the joc, either by flicking with the nail, or jabbing with the tip;
   
2. The joc must only be played with one swift movement from the place it last occupied, not by dragging it or picking it up;
   

1. In open play, the player is only allowed one movement per turn, as each competitor alternates goes; !!!>>>>>ENG-Trial Rule in action where each player has one extra move if their first flick made contact with the ball, in order to reward good defending and creative attacking (this does not apply to dead-ball situations like goal-kicks, throw-ins, corners and free-kicks)<<<<At set-pieces (corners, free-kicks and goal-kicks) the attacking player can make two consecutive moves;
   
2. Before a corner or a free-kick is taken, the defending team may make two movements either by flicking jocs into position or by manually positioning both into a 'wall' (which must be 3 'fingers' or more from the ball - about 5cm); the attacking team may move three players by flicking (NOT including the taker); !-NB-numbers may vary in ROM-!
3. The goal-keeper can be moved at ANY time, and the attacker does NOT have to wait for it to finish moving before playing the ball, apart from free-kicks and penalty-kicks;
4. The goal-keeper can be picked up and moved to anywhere inside the penaly area without needing to flick;
5. The goal-keeper can kick the ball in open play inside his box, this action counting for the person's turn;
6. The joc does not have to make contact with the ball, as it can be played into space;
7. ROM-The player can score from anywhere on the pitch, apart from goal-kicks (if the ball goes in direct from a goal-kick, then another goal-kick is taken by the other player at the end where it went in);
   ENG-The player can only score from inside the opposition's half apart from direct free-kicks, which can be scored from anywhere, and goal-kicks (for the above reason);
8. A free-kick inside the defending half can be taken using the special "Maracana" method where the ball can be positioned on the side of a second joc to that of the taker as a form of 'ramp' for a lob-shot at goal;

FOULS
[1]Dangerous Play
One joc hits an opposing player's joc with notable force BEFORE playing the ball (small 'nudges' are allowed); REACTION - Free-kick (penalty if committed inside the box), and possible punishment for the joc who made the foul depending on the severity of the action (SEE Discipline, but generally a yellow card if the victim is knocked more than about 5cm, and a red card if much more than 10cm);
[2]Hand-Ball

1. The ball becomes suspended completely above the playing surface without any contact with the pitch by an outfield joc; REACTION - Free-kick to the other team from where the 'hand-ball' occured and automatic yellow card;
2. A person in control of either team actually touches the ball directly with his/her hand in open play; REACTION - Automatic penalty-kick even if the offence took place outside the penalty area;
3. The goal-keeper touches the ball outside of the penalty area; REACTION - Free-kick and automatic booking;

DISCIPLINE
[A]Referee

1. The referee must be impartial, keep the time, and preside over foul-play, bookings, and any disputes;
2. If a third person cannot be found to referee, then the two participating players must agree to act as joint umpires themselves, resolving any arguments fairly between them;
3. The referee's decision is final;

1. The referee must decide whether an offence has been committed, and act accordingly in awarding what he sees as the appropriate penalty;
2. If the offence is severe enough, the referee can punish the offending joc with a yellow or red card - two yellow cards warrant the joc to be sent off for the rest of the game;

1. If a player is sent-off in a tournament game or receives a pre-determined total of yellow cards, the joc must be suspended;
2. ROM-All suspensions are referred to the Disciplinary Commission (DC), where forthcoming bans are decided and issued depending on the severity of each individual case;
   ENG-The standard automatic suspension is a one-match ban for two yellow cards in two separate matches, and a two-match ban for a sending-off, with all suspensions taking effect immediately;

Official Playing Rules of the ITFA, copyright C.Chappell, M.Nistor and B.Balonyi @1998

This page hosted by Get your own Free Home Page