- Article 35.
- The game should be stopped for any violation of the rules and the offending team penalised, unless the stoppage is to the advantage of the offending team (advantage rule). The referee then allows play to continue.
The referee will only interrupt the game when the rules have been violated in such a way as to hinder the game.
- Article 36. Fouls.
- Fouls committed during the match will be penalised according to the circumstances, by the awarding of a free hit (direct or indirect), or a penalty shot, except in those cases where the referee applies the advantage rule.
The free hit awarded in respect of fouls committed outside the 'penalty area' will always be taken from the spot where the foul was committed.
- Article 37. The Indirect Free Hit.
- This is a hit taken by a player against the opposing team with the ball stationary. It is immediately taken without the referee having to whistle the restart of the game. (See Article 41).
- Article 38.
- A free hit can be direct or indirect depending on the gravity of and the area in which the fault was committed. A free hit is always indirect unless the referee indicates to the contrary. If he orders a direct free hit he must indicate his decision to this effect.
A "indirect free hit" or a "penalty shot" will be awarded for fouls of a grave nature (rough play, punching, violent or dangerous tackling and charging, etc.) or after a suspension or an expulsion of a player from the rink, with the only condition that the foul being penalised was committed in the half of the rink belonging to the team at fault.
If, during the game, it occurred that a player has already been punished once with the yellow card, but he commits another fault, in any part of the rink, incurring another yellow card, the referee must show to the player the yellow card followed by the blue one (by accumulation) and he must also expel the player for 2 minutes.
The game will be restarted with an indirect free hit against the punished player's team, at the place on the rink where the game is interrupted to sanction the foul.
In the case that a grave foul is committed against the opposing team, awarding a blue card (irrespective of whether a yellow card has already been used), if the foul has been committed in the offending player's team's half of the rink, the referee must expel the player for 3, 4 or 5 minutes and he must order a direct free hit or a penalty shot, depending on the area in which the foul was committed, i.e. Inside or outside the penalty area.
- Article 39.
- The referee will raise his arm when he signals a "direct free hit" and will see that the players place themselves in position quickly. Any unreasonable and intentional delays will be considered an offence. In such cases the referee will quickly deal with the player(s) at fault.
- Article 40.
- The player taking the Indirect free hit, may not play the ball again unless it has touched or has been played by another player, or has touched the external part of goal cage. (See Article 45).
- Article 41.
- An indirect free hit is usually called " a free hit". When an indirect free hit is being taken, the players of the opposing team must take their positions on the rink, at least 3 meters (10 feet) from the player taking the hit. On the other hand, the players of the team awarded the free hit are free to position themselves anywhere they want on the rink. (See Article 37).
- Article 42.
- A goal scored from an Indirect free hit, without the ball having touched or been played by a defending player or played with the stick of an attacking player other than the striker, will be disallowed. It should be evident that the ball shot into the goal and touches any member of the defending team, including the defending goalkeeper the goal will be allowed. On the other hand, if the ball touches the frame of the goal mouth and enters the goal without being touched by another player, the goal will be disallowed.
- Article 43.
- Free hits awarded within the "penalty area" or behind the goal line will always be taken from the nearest corner spot to the penalty area in which the foul was committed.
When a goal is scored from an indirect free hit without the ball having been touched by another player, the goal will be disallowed and play will restart with a face-off from the appropriate corner spot of the penalty area.
All free hits taken from any of the four corners of the penalty area will only be taken when the players of the opposing side are outside the circle, with a radius of 3 meters (9 feet 9 Inches) measured from the corner spot. These circles will be marked on the rink.
- Article 44. The "Direct Free Hit"
- When a direct free hit is awarded, all the players except the player taking the hit and the defending goalkeeper will place themselves 5 meters (16 feet) behind the ball. The goalkeeper must be behind the 50 centimetre (18 inch) line, but the stick may be in front of the line. Except for the player taking the hit, NO PLAYER including the defending goalkeeper, is allowed to move until the referee sounds his whistle. On the referee's whistle the ball is immediately in play.
- Article 45.
- A goal scored from a direct free hit is valid. The player taking the "direct free hit" is not compelled to shoot directly at the goal. He may play the ball indirectly or dribble the ball towards the goal-cage and attempt to beat the goalkeeper.
The direct free hit and the "penalty shot" will have the same treatment that is, in the case of a rebound from the barrier, or boards, the same player may collect the ball and go on playing.
Any "direct free hit" ordered by the referees to the behind of the "penalty shot" spot mark will always be taken from the nearest higher angle of the "penalty area" and closest to the point where the foul was committed.
- Article 46. The Penalty Shot.
- The penalty shot is a shot taken directly or not towards the goal mouth. Any player of the defending team committing a grave foul inside the penalty area or preventing a goal, will result in the opposing team being awarded a penalty shot.
The ball will be placed on the rink, on the spot marked on the following diagram.
With the exception of the defending goalkeeper, who must be behind the 50 cms line, and of the player taking the penalty shot, who may place himself were he wishes, all the other players must place themselves behind the centre line on the rink and they are not allowed to move until the referee sounds his whistle. The player taking the penalty shot may shoot directly towards the goal mouth, or he may bring the ball by skating, having the intention and the possibility to dribble the goalkeeper to score a goal.
When the player decides to shoot directly towards the goal cage he will have to do it without feinting. He may not play the ball again unless it has first touched the goalkeeper, another player or the exterior part of the goal cage. The player who takes a shot directly towards the goal mouth may also replay the ball if it has rebounded off the barrier or boards without another player having played it first.
The ball is in play when the referee sounds his whistle and so all players, including the defending goalkeeper, may move and take part in the match as soon as the referee sounds his whistle.
When the player decides to bring the ball having the intention of dribbling the goalkeeper to score a goal:
- He may pass the ball to a team mate;
- He will be submitted to no bonds of time to shoot nor of space, where he may bring the ball;
- He may replay the ball even if it has rebounded from the barriers of the rink, or part of the goal cage even if the ball has not touched another player.
In the case of matches ending in a tie, five penalties for each team will be taken according to the regulations.
The shot has to be taken directly towards the goal mouth, without having the possibility to bring the ball or to dribble the goalkeeper. (See Article 27).
In the case that a granted penalty at the end of the 1st or 2nd period is taken after the effective playing times of a match, the player may choose to shoot directly towards the goal cage or to bring the ball, having the intention to dribble the goalkeeper. (See Article 61).
In this last case (brought ball) and only under this circumstance, the player will have at his disposal a maximum time of 3 seconds to shoot the penalty. After this period of time, the referee will conclude the match even if the shot towards the goal has not yet been taken.
When the shot is taken towards the goal mouth within the 3 seconds, the referee, considered the result of the shot, will immediately sound his whistle to end the match and he will place the ball at the centre of the rink if a goal has been scored or, otherwise, he will end the time or the match with no formalities.
When the referee sounds his whistle, all players may play the ball.
Timekeepers have to count those 3 seconds by means of an electronic display or manually, and in both cases using a sound signal to indicate the expiration of the maximum time (3 seconds) at disposal. (See Article 61).
- Article 47. Ball out of the Rink.
- Should the ball go out of the rink, either intentionally or by riccochet, the opposing team will be awarded an indirect free hit. The free hit will be taken at a distance of 70 cms (2 feet 6 inches) from the board of the rink surface at the point where the ball went out of play.
The referee will award a face off when:
- The ball has gone out of play after ricocheting off two sticks.
- He is uncertain which team or player committed the foul.
- He considers the ball deliberately played with the intention of getting it out of play in order to benefit from a free hit.
- Article 48.
- While playing the ball or being involved in the match action, a player is not permitted to raise any part of his stick above his own shoulder height. However, this restriction does not apply when a player is carrying out a shot at goal, providing the raised stick does not cause a danger to any other player, opponent or team mate.
- Article 49. Playing the Ball
- The ball can only be played with the stick.
The ball may be stopped with the skate or any part of the body but not with the hand.
Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES may the ball be KICKED (this being a definite kicking movement of the leg to give direction to the ball).
If a player, inside his "own penalty area", kicks the ball or stops it with his skates, hand or any part of his body when otherwise a goal would have been scored, this is deemed an offence punishable by the awarding of a penalty shot (See Article 46 & Article 60).
Any other kick or stopping of the ball with the hand within the players' own penalty area shall result in an indirect free hit being awarded to the opposing team from the nearest corner spot of the penalty area, unless an opposing player regains immediate possession of the ball (advantage rule).
Any kicking or stopping of the ball with the hand outside the "penalty area" shall result in an indirect or direct free hit being awarded to the opposing team from the point where the offence occurred, subject to the advantage rule. (See Article 60).
- Article 50. The Goalkeeper
- The goalkeeper, like the rest of the players, must perform his role on his skates. He is not permitted to kneel, sit, lay or crawl about his goal mouth except at the actual moment of stopping a shot or making a series of saves.
The goalkeeper is allowed to stop the ball with any part of his body even if his body is TEMPORARILY in contact with the floor.
After making save resulting in the goalkeeper finishing up on the floor, the goalkeeper must make every effort to get back onto his skates without delay.
The goalkeeper is not allowed to do intentionally any of the following actions:
- Lay his body across and covering the ball.
- Grab the ball with his hands or hold it against his body against the goal post (front frame).
- Push his pads together holding the ball.
If, in the opinion of the referee, the goalkeeper is in violation of any of these regulations, he will act as follows:
- Award a penalty shot if he considers a goal would have been scored (See Article 60).
- Award an indirect free hit from the nearest corner spot if he is of the opinion no goal would have been scored.
- Use his disciplinary cards and take the relevant disciplinary action against the persistent offenders.
- Article 51.
- The goalkeeper will have these rights (Article 50) so long as he is within his own "penalty area, outside of which he is subject to the same rules and obligations as the other players.
- Article 52.
- Should the ball become lodged In the goalkeeper's pads or the extreme netting ofthe goal rage, It becomes dead and the referee will order a face-off to be taken from the nearest base spot of the penalty area.
- Article 53. Unfair Play.
- Unfair charging, deliberate obstruction, fighting, tripping, kicking, hard tackling, ungentlemanly conduct, throwing, fencing or hitting an opponent with the stick are forbidden.
It is equally forbidden for a player to hold or push an opponent, to grab him with the arms or to hold the goal cages while playing the ball. A goalkeeper is permitted to hold onto his goal.
- It is forbidden to hit or hook a player with the stick. This behaviour shall be regarded as an act of violence and the referee shall strictly apply the following rule:
- Hitting or hooking an opponent with the stick shall be regarded as a foul to be punished with expulsion (Article 64). The referee shall interrupt play immediately and temporarily or permanently expel the offending player.
- If the referee is of the opinion that the offence described in the previous paragraph, though intentional, was committed against the opponent's padded lower limbs, he can apply the sanction described if he considers the incident to be most serious, or apply a less severe alternative sanction (i.e. free hit, with or without the yellow warning card).
- The referee, while applying subparagraphs 1 and 2, can apply the advantage rule in the following manner: he will permit the action in progress to be completed, following which he will immediately stop play and apply the disciplinary measures demanded in this article. The game will then be restarted with a face-off.
- Article 54. Obstruction
- Obstruction is forbidden in all cases where it is done with the intention of hindering an opponent, either by placing ones self squarely in front of him to stop or impede, or to jostle him against or onto the barrier or in any other way which prevents an opponent positioning himself to take part in the action in progress.
These practices will in all cases be severely suppressed and penalised by awarding a "free hit" or more severe punishment should the referee judge this to be necessary.
No attacker may place himself, static, before the goalkeeper, without possession of the ball, thus obstructing the movements of the goalkeeper. The minimum distance such an attacker may place himself is 1.5 metres from the score line.
- Article 55.
- When making a shot or passing the ball it is forbidden to chop the ball.
Chopping means hitting the ball with the acute edge of the blade of the stick. The ball may only be hit with the flat parts of the blade. Referees will consider shooting in any other way as dangerous play, and penalise offenders.
- Article 56.
- No player will play the ball or take part in a match if:
- One of his skates comes away from the boot.
- One of his skates is damaged.
- His stick is not in his hand.
- Any part of his body is touching the rink.
- He is holding the goal cage (excluding goalkeepers in the latter case in the "penalty area").
- He commits a foul which is contrary to the spirit of the game.
- NO player may play the ball or take part in a match if he has taken the ball behind the goal cage and remains stationary, using the goal cage as an obstacle.
The referee will not stop the game for a player whose skate is damaged or has come apart from his boot. If a player takes part in the match under such conditions, the referee will order a "free hit" to the other side and the player will be ordered off the rink immediately to re-adjust his equipment.
- Article 57.
- No player is allowed to play with the wheels of his skate not rolling freely. The referee will order off the rink any player whose skates are in this condition.
- Article 58.
- During the game the ball must not rise above 1.5 metres (5 feet), except for the goalkeeper in his "penalty area".
This does not apply to a ricochet off two sticks, rebound of another player, goal cage, barrier or boards.
- Article 59.
- Should the goal cage become displaced for any reason whatsoever, the ball will become dead immediately and a face-off will take place on the corner of the "penalty area" nearest the incident. If, in the opinion of the referee, the goal cage was intentionally displaced, he will award a "free hit" or "penalty shot", depending on the seriousness of the offence (See Article 60).
- Article 60.
- The most serious foul is the one that prevents a goal from being scored.
- Article 61.
- A "penalty shot", awarded as a result of a foul committed during regulation time may be taken after the timekeeper signals the end of the playing period. After a "penalty shot" is awarded in this way, the period will end in one of the following ways (See Article 46):
- If a goal is scored, the referee orders the game restarted from the centre of the rink. He ends the period or match immediately after this has been done.
- If the goalkeeper commits a foul while saving the shot, another "penalty shot" will be awarded and taken before the period can end.
- Article 62.
- A team which is not present on the rink within 15 minutes after the time appointed by the organising committee, will forfeit the match.
A team who presents themselves on the rink at the appointed time, but in incomplete or in an unfit condition to play, will similarly forfeit the match. The referee will make a signed entry on the match return form, giving full details and reasons for decision (See Article 18).
- Article 63.
- The referee must clamp down on all players guilty of repeated fouls, rough play, bad sportsmanship, insulting or bad conduct, all unsportsmanlike actions, including the throwing of the stick in the direction of player or the ball, action designed to annoy or antagonise the public, their opponents, the referee, or the officials, and any action likely to bring the game into disrepute.
Appeals, shouting and calling out by players on the rink and calling out and shouting to players by trainers and team managers during a match, together with other interventions of a similar nature, are absolutely forbidden.
- Article 64.
- The referee has the right to expel (send off) a player for any period from two up to five minutes or for the remainder of the match. In the event of a player being sent-off for a second time in a match, it must be for the remainder of the match.
Referees must use three disciplinary cards, each measuring approximately 12 by 9 cms (4 by 3 inches) and each being a different colour, yellow, blue and red.
During the match these cards will be used as follows:
- Yellow Card: To indicate a first official warning to a player, reserves and the other five persons identified (See Article 74).
- Blue Card: To indicate to a player that he is being temporarily expelled from the match for a period of two to five minutes. This card must be used in all cases where a player has already received a previous yellow card official warning (See Article 38).
- Red Card: To indicate to a player or reserves and the other five persons identified (See Article 65). Calls, shouts or other interference by the players in the rink or from coaches during the match are strictly forbidden.
The blue and red cards can be used by the referee at any moment without any prior warning or the showing of any previous disciplinary card, except when the anti-play rule must be applied.
The goalkeeper can be expelled for the remainder of the match in the same way as any other player. If this occurs the match will then be halted; he will be replaced by a substitute goalkeeper.
If this is not possible, a delay of three minutes will be allowed for the situation to be remedied.
In the case of a player being sent off for the remainder of the match, the referee must furnish a full report, quoting the incidents that motivated his action, as soon as possible after the end of the match.
An expelled player from two up to five minutes (blue card / suspension) can be replaced for another player.
A player expelled for the remainder of the match (red card / expulsion) can be replaced for another player.
During one same Championship or Tournament, the player(s) who gets three (3) blue cards - Penalty: one match suspension.
Obviously other sanctions may be taken against the players, according to the criterion of the Technical Committee responsible, and also in accordance to the referee's information. However, if a red card is used against a player, this player will be punished either by match suspensions or in periods of time.
- Article 65. Anti-Play.
- In all cases where a referee considers Anti-Play is taking place, he will act as follows:
- Stop the match and call together the captains of both teams, show them yellow card and instruct them to ensure that their teams play correctly and in the proper spirit of the game.
- If the teams fail or refuse to respond to the referee's request, the referee will then stop the match and expel both captains for two minutes (show the blue card).
- If the teams still fail or refuse to respond to the referee's request (even after the captain may have come back on the rink), then the referee signals the end of the match.
In these cases it is obvious that Article 64 will not apply, as the referee will proceed as stipulated in items 2 and 3 of this rule.
If Item 3. above is applied, then the referee must immediately following the abandonment, furnish a detailed report in writing to the responsible committee, giving full details of the circumstances which motivated his decision and forward the report to higher authorities.
- If, In the opinion of the Technical Committee in charge of the match, anti-play takes place and the referee fails to act in accordance with the above rule, then the responsible Technical Committee has the right to intervene.
ANTIPLAY LINES
Two lines shall be drawn across the rink at 22 metres from each end of the rink. This line is called the "antiplay" line. Whatever the size of the rink the area of attack shall always be 22 metres while the "anti-play" area can vary according to the size of the rink.
The anti-game area is the area between the anti-game line and the barrier behind the teams' own goal cage. (Please see example).
When the team has the ball in its own anti-game zone, it cannot hold the ball in that zone for more than '10 (ten) seconds'. The rule of 10 (ten) seconds will be applied independently from the position of the opposing players on the rink. The rule is to be complied with in all cases, including the possibility that the players of both teams are positioned in the anti-game zone of one of the teams.
The referee will count the time himself.
The time will begin when a team has the ball in its own anti-game zone.
- Violation of this rule will result in the referee awarding an "indirect free hit" from the nearest front corner spot (superior angle) of the offending team's penalty area.
- No player is allowed to take or pass the ball into his own anti-game zone.
This means that once the ball has crossed over your anti-game line, out of your anti-game zone, no player in your team may pass or take the ball back towards your own goal regardless of the position of any other players on the rink. The only players to take the ball over your anti-game line towards your goal will be your opponents.
Violation of this rule will result in an indirect free hit being awarded to the opposing team from the point where the ball crossed the line or from the point at which the ball was when the referee blew his whistle.
This rule is subject to the advantage rule.
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