Proposed Rule Changes for 2006

Here are the Goalball Rules proposed by IBSA member nations, Goalball players and coaches, Referees and the IBSA Goalball Sub Committee. The rules will be approved in July and go into effect on January 1, 2006.

New Rules

Start Play

When the ball is passed from an official to a team the ball shall be dropped at the side line 1.5 meters in front of the goal post closest to the side it exited the court. When the ball is dropped the referee will call play and the clock will start even if no team member is attempting to pick up the ball.

Wipe Floor

To ensure the flow of the game an official time out to wide the floor will only be taken when the referee deems that the safety of the players may be compromised. Wiping of the floor should take place during all official stoppage in play.

Dead Ball

When a thrown ball stops on the court without being touched by a defending player it will be ruled a dead ball, the referee will whistle, stop time and give the ball to the defending team.

On Court Warm Up

For any court warm up prior to the start of the game, team will be restricted to the half of the court they will be defending as a result of the coin toss.

Blood Rule

Should at anytime during a game a player receives an injury where blood is observed by the referee the player will be immediately removed from the court and may not be permitted to return to the court unit the following has taken place:

bleeding must be stopped,
the open wound covered
if there is an excessive amount of blood on the uniform, it must be changed.

Before competition resumes all contaminated (in contact) surfaces and equipment must be appropriately cleaned.

March In

For all major Championship the teams will march into the field of play as outlining in the appendix document March In. Should any player not have his/her team uniform available at March In he/she will not be allowed to enter with the team or warm up on the FOP. If the player’s uniform is not available at the 30 second warning that player will be eliminated from play in that game and will be considered a non-participate and be required to wear the identifying jersey as provided by the organizing committee of the tournament.

Medicinal Treatment

During any half of play if it is necessary for any player to leave the FOP for medical attention the player can leave only at an official stoppage in play and may not return to the FOP until the expiration of that half.

Modified Rules

1.1.8 Line Out

Around the court there should be a non-tactile line 3.0 meters from the sidelines and goal lines. When the ball passes the line, the referee will whistle and call line out.

1.2.2 Ball
The ball used for the men’s game is to be 1250 grams and the ball used for the women’s game is to be 950 grams with 8 holes and noise bells. The circumference of the ball is approximately 76 centimeters. The material is rubber with hardness as determined by the IBSA Sport technical Committee. For major Championships the ball will be approved by the Technical delegate appointed by IBSA

1.2.3 Uniforms

All competitors must wear an official game jersey. Jerseys must have numbers permanently affixed both front and back. Numbers must be 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9, and must be a minimum of 20 centimeters in height. Clothing may not extend from the body more than 10 centimeters. At the Paralympics and World Championships the game jersey, pants and socks worn by all competitors on a team must be identical and meet all advertising standards as required by the organizing committees

2. CONTESTANTS

At the start of a tournament, a team shall consist of three (3) players with a maximum of three (3) substitutes. Each team is limited to three (3) escorts on the team bench. The referee(s) must be notified prior to the start of the game in writing of a player in the team bench area not involved in the contest and wearing an identifying jersey as provided by the organizing committee of the tournament. Any eliminated players will also be listed on the line up sheet as non- participates.

3. OFFICIALS

3.1 Number Required

Each game shall have two (2) game referees, four (4) goal judges, one (1) scorer, one (1) timer, one (1) ten second timer, and one (1) shot recorder. At all Major Championships two (2) IBSA certified 10 second timers are required.

4. CONDUCT OF THE GAME

4.2 Overtime

If a winner is needed in the case of a tied score at the end of regulation play, the teams will play two (2) additional three (3) minute overtime halves, the team to score the first goal is the winner and the game will be completed.

There will be a three (3) minute break between the end of regulation time and the first overtime half. A second coin toss will determine the throwing and receiving situation for each team at the start of overtime. During the second overtime half, the starting situations will be reversed and the teams will change benches during a three (3) minute break between halves

If a tie still exists and a winner is necessary, it shall be resolved by executing extra throws.

4.5 Scoring

At any time the ball crosses the goal line within the goal, it shall be a goal (see diagram # 3). However, a goal can not be scored by the referee or the goal judge passing the ball into play. A goal shall count only if the entire ball has passed the goal line before the expiration of time. If a defending players eyeshade are dislodged by the ball and the ball subsequently enters the goal it will be considered a score.

4.6 TIME OUT

4.6.1 Team Time Out

Each team shall be allowed three (3), forty-five (45) second time outs during regulation play for the purpose of coaching. Once called, both teams may utilize the time out. A substitution can be made before the expiration of the time-out period. Furthermore, each team shall be allowed one (1), forty-five (45) second time out during overtime. Should a time out be made during a substitution, the team shall be charged with both a substitution and a time out.

A time out may be requested to a referee any time the team has control of the ball or there is an official time out by a coach or player using non-verbal hand signals or by saying time out. A time out can only be acknowledged by a referee during an official break in play or when the ball is under control of the team requesting the time out. Acknowledgment by the referee shall occur when the referee verbally addresses the requesting team by name. The timer shall give an audible warning signal fifteen (15) seconds before the expiration of the time out period.

4.6.2 Official’s Time Out

A referee may call an officials' time out at any time considered necessary.

The coaches shall be permitted to give instructions to the players on the court during an officials' time out until the referee has called for quiet please, then all communication must stop or a team unsportsmanlike conduct penalty will be accessed If a referee has whistled for an official time out, as a result of the actions of the team in possession of the ball, the ball during the time out will be controlled by the goal judge and at the end of the official time-out, the ball should be passed back to the team, by the goal judge.

4.7 SUBSTITUTIONS

4.7.1 Team substitutions

In each game, each team may make a maximum of three (3) Substitutions during regulation time. Each team may make one (1) substitution during overtime. The same player may be substituted more than once; however, each player exchange shall be recorded as a substitution. A substitution may be requested to a referee any time the team has control of the ball or there is an official time out by a coach or player using non-verbal hand signals or by saying substitution. Any delay caused by the coach or the player to be substituted not being ready to proceed will result in a team delay of game penalty being accessed. A substitution shall be acknowledged by a referee during only during an official break in play or when the ball is under the control of the team requesting the substitution. Upon acknowledgment of the referee, the coach must indicate by a substitution board with the number of the player to come out of the game and the number of the player being substituted into the game. A substituted player entering the court will be taken to the goal post closest to their perspective bench area. The coaches shall be permitted to give instructions to the players on the court during a substitution until the referee has called for quiet please, then all communication must stop or a team unsportsmanlike conduct penalty will be accessed . Substitution, with the exception of a penalized player, will be allowed during a penalty situation.

Should a substitution be made during a time out, the team shall be charged with both a substitution and a time out and the coach shall be permitted to instruct his players. Any player changes at the end of any half of play shall not be recorded as a substitution, but shall be indicated by team to the referee and announced at the beginning of the half.

4.7.2 Medical Substitution

In the event of injury when a coach and/or any other member of the team must enter the team area to provide aid, or when a player cannot continue to play within forty five (45) seconds after a medical time out has been acknowledged, substitution of players shall be made as soon as possible and the injured player shall not be permitted to return to the court until the conclusion of the half of play. Such substitutions shall not be considered to be one of the three allowable substitutions. Two stoppages in play during any game to tend to a player who is temporally injured will result in that player’s removal from the FOP for the remainder of that half.

5. INFRACTIONS

In the case of an infraction, the ball shall be turned over to the defending team.

5.2 Step Over Eliminated

5.3 Pass Out

When in the process of passing the ball between team members, the ball goes out of bounds over the sideline, it will be considered as a loss of the team’s ability to control the ball. Any time the ball hits an object above the court, it will also be considered as a loss of the team’s ability to control the ball. Any intentional action by a defending player that results in a ball crossing the Line Out Line will be consider to be a pass out.

6 PENALTIES

There shall be two types of penalties: personal penalties and team penalties. In both cases, only one player shall remain on the court to defend the penalty throw. In the case of a personal penalty, this shall be the player who committed the penalty. In the case of a team penalty, this shall be the player who made the last recorded throw before the penalty was awarded. In the event that a team penalty is awarded before a throw has been taken, the player to remain on the court to defend the throw shall be at the coach's discretion of the team which will take the penalty throw.

All penalty throws must be conducted according to the rules of the game.

A penalty may be declined by a Coach or Player of the team to take the penalty throw, using non-verbal hand signals and the team declining the penalty will have possession of the ball when play resumes.

6.1.1 Short Ball

Anytime a ball that has been thrown and comes to rest before the team area of the defending team the play shall be whistled dead and a penalty shall be awarded to the defending team.

6.1.5 Third Time Throw

A player can throw a ball only two consecutive times. The third and any other throw before a teammate has thrown the ball shall be considered a penalty. The number of consecutive throws shall be carried over into subsequent halves or penalty situations, but not from regulation time to overtime. Scoring an own goal against your own team shall not count as a throw.

6.1.6 Personal Unsportsmanlike Conduct

Should a referee determine that a player on the court is behaving in an unsportsmanlike manner, a personal penalty shall be awarded against that player. Furthermore, any unsportsmanlike conduct may result in elimination from the game, or ejection from the premises and/or further competition in the tournament if a referee feels that the situation warrants it. A player so eliminated shall not be replace during that game. Any physical contact with an official intentionally caused by a player will result in the immediate ejection of that player from the game and the field of play.

6.1.9 Noise

Any excessive noise made by a player during the act of throwing that prevents tracking by the defending team shall be penalized.

6. 2 TEAM PENALTIES

6.2.1 Ten (10) seconds

A player/team must throw the ball within ten (10) seconds after the defensive team’s first contact with the ball. Should a time out, substitution, or any other stoppage of play occur before the teams has thrown the ball, the team will only be permitted the time remaining since the first contact to throw the ball or a penalty shall be called. The 10 second clock shall be reset anytime that a referee calls an officials time out.

6.2.2 Team Delay of Game
A team delay of game penalty shall be awarded against a team if:

that team is not prepared to start play on the instruction of a referee;
any action of that team preventing the continuation of the game;
that team makes a substitution at the end of any half without notifying the referee.
that team requests a fourth time out.
that team request a fourth substitution.

6.2.4 Illegal Coaching

No person in the team bench area shall be permitted to coach in any manner except during time-outs, substitutions, or official stoppages in play and only until the referee calls quiet please. Should the referee determine that someone is illegally coaching in the team bench area; a penalty shall be assessed against that team. Should there be a second incident of coaching during the same game, that person shall be removed from the gymnasium and a team penalty shall be awarded.

6.2.5 Noise

Any excessive noise made by any player on the throwing team while another player on that team is in the act of throwing or when the ball has been released shall be penalized.