Rule Focus of the month
This is where I will mention a particular rule or situation in the game and highlight common misunderstanding in terms of the rules. If you would like me to answer something specifically, then just mail me.
I am going to start to put in a kind of contents link list here. As you can see, month by month the list of links is growing. After this, I will cross reference them so it is listed in categories.
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December 2001 Paddle Blocking for GK |
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| This month we are going to look at the situation of Paddle blocking for Goal Keepers and how the rule is different for them compared to other defenders. | ||
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One of the new rules allows a Goal Keeper to maintain the
position of paddle even when it's within hands reach of an attacker. This
is specifically so they can defend the goal using the paddle.
This is the exception to the general rule which says this normally can't happen - specifically for any other player.. In the case of the goal keeper, so long as they don't move their paddle towards the attacker or move it dangerously in any direction, they can keep it where it is. The important thing to remember here is that the paddle can not be moved towards an attacking player once they are within hands reach of the paddle. |
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Out on pitch, defenders can bring their paddle as close
as they like so long as the attacking player can't touch it at that time.
If the attackers arm is fully stretched and the defenders paddle still didn't reach them, then it should be ok. |
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Note ! There is no longer a definition in the current rules for Sole Possession. Compared to previous versions of the rules this now means there is a greater opportunity to make hand tackles as the instances of a player being in possession are now greater – mainly due to the bit about the paddle. In terms of how this effects the general play of the game, players now have to be aware that their 5 seconds starts in normal play even when they are retrieving the ball to their hands with the paddle. Also, when a foul or ball out of play (side/goal line, corner throw) is being taken, the player taking the throw only has 5 seconds once the ref thinks they are in a position to take the throw. Just because that player doesn’t have a hold of the ball in their hand does not mean they are not in a position to take the throw !
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February 2002 - The 1 Meter Rule |
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There is no longer a 1 Meter rule when paddle blocking is concerned. It's hands reach - and has been for quite some time now.
Or,
if the ref thinks it's dangerouss, |
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Clearly a good, clean
block wont be anywhere near the opponents hand (or any other part of their
body). When the ball is in the had, that is considered an extension to the players hand, and so the ball can not be touched with the paddle when it's in the opponents hand. |
| There is no restriction on use of the hand with blocking the ball other than when Free Throws/Shots are being taken - then the ball must be allowed to travel 1m Horizontally before it is in play (and allowed to be intercepted by anything). |
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| If the ref thinks you are trying to interfere with the ball before it has traveled 1m then you can be busted, but that's only if they think you are trying to play the ball before the 1m. If you are just intimidating, then the only rule that the ref might consider is unsporting behavior - Green Card. | |
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When the ball is in the water an a player reaches for it with their hand, their opponent can not use their paddle to play the ball, even if it was there first. In general play you can intercept any pass or shot with your hand - though some refs still managed to call this up as a paddle foul - by mistake ! |
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March 2002 |
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This
Month we are going to have a quick look at the Illegal Kayak Tackle. We'll
also try to keep things simple by not worrying too much about where the ball
is this time.
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| The first thing to consider is if there is any contact with a players boat and their opposition's body (other than arm away from body). |
In this instance, |
If the initial kayak tackle wasn't Illegal, and the player continues to tackle into the cockpit area, then it is a foul. |
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If you can't see for sure there is contact between the boat and opponents body, then signal "play-on". |
Any contact - Foul ! |
Remember safety is an important issue here. If there is any possibility a player may be injured then call a Time Out and check to see if the player is ok to continue. |
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When we are
talking about a Ram, we have to know exactly what has to take place before
we call a foul.
All 3 things would make it a ram. Otherwise it's probably not a foul. |
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May 2002 |
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| This
Month we are going to have a look the situation of hindering a players
attempts at righting themselves.
Ok,
basically rule 37.2 under the section of Unsporting Behavior says it all
really.
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September 2002 - Mixed Bag |
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This month there have been a number of rule queries and they are specific enough questions that I'll answer them in one hit. So here - Bumper issue !!!
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October 2002 - Mixed Bag |
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Tie Breaker Shoot Out
Paddle Foul ?
Jewellery Bumpers
PHOTO COMING SOON |
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November 2002 - Special Notice |
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At the Grade 1 Ref's Course last month it was agreed that two notices should be made to help clarify two rules.
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December 2002 - The Jostle Rule |
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January 2003 - Where to take a Free Throw / Shot |
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The referee can signal a foul and award the ball to the other team. So where should the foul be taken from ? This is actually very straight forward, yet most referees fail to let the players make the most of the situation be taking a significant advantage away from them in position. The first thing to note is that the throw can be taken either where the ball is (or lands if in flight) or where the foul occurred - whichever most advantageous to the team being awarded the ball. That's it, there is nothing more complicated to consider - no other rules. It's all there. If I though putting just that would be enough then that would be fine, but I think I need to make this really clear. When talking about this subject I always look at one clear situation to give as an example. It's extreme, but very clear. Situation 1: I am a ref about to start a
game. There is a ball release mechanism, so I don't need to throw the ball
in (it's already in the centre of the playing area). The Foul occurred on the Goal
Line. The ball is on the half way line. Situation 2: Same as above, but there is no
ball release mechanism, so I will throw the ball in. This time, as I have the ball there is only one place to take the throw - on the goal line, so that's where I would throw the ball for the team to take it. Remember, it's a Free Throw, so they can't shoot straight away, but they do gain the advantage of position. The same situation applies to all other fouls. Situation 3: A Free Shot has been awarded quite close to the goal and the Defending team do not allow the Attacking player to get to the position I am indicating. I would award a Green Card to
the Captain of the Defending team on behalf of their team. If I was feeling very kind, I might even call over the Captain and ask if they wanted a Yellow card or for me to award a Goal Penalty Shot. Remember in this situation not to let the Attacker take an unfair advantage. If the foul was to be taken 4m from the goal, don't let them take it 2m from the goal. |
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February 2003 - Submitted Questions |
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This month - 2 questions from Sardinia
1° Start infringement. Does exist any rule about the
kind of start-contact (example: it fails to put the nose of your boat
under the opponent's boat? or vice versa)
2° Paddle Blocking. Someone of my mates affirms that if
you, "paddling" (that's means involuntarily), stop a ball (in the hand of
your opponent!), it doesn't fails. Does it has any sense?
These answers are based on what I think is being asked.
1)
a) The ball must first be allowed travel 1M before it is in play and therefore no interference (hand/kayak tackles) can be made to that player with the ball until the ball travels 1M horizontally from the point of release. b) Players can LEGALLY (according to the normal rules) kayak tackle their opponent. This also means they can allow their boat to dip under or over their opponents kayak.
The important thing to
remember is that if there is any contact between one players kayak and
their opponents body, then there has been a foul. It's not a foul to
simply have the kayak arrive in the cockpit area - only if they hit the
body.
But, if once the kayak is on
the cockpit (the area of the boat where the spraydeck is), then that
player can not continue to paddle over the cockpit. That would be an
illegal kayak tackle.
If a player dips the front of
their kayak and puts the other player on top of them from this action,
then the above situation applies - paddling over a cockpit. But by a
controlled action either player may carefully (using their hands) get off
each others boats.
2) I think I understand your
question.
If a player - for any reason
allows their paddle to take touch the ball while it is in their opponents
hand then this is a paddle foul. It does not matter that it was a mistake
or accident. There are many situations in the game which are not
intentional, but that does not mean it was not a foul.
Some very dangerous things
happen that were not intentional. - The same as driving a car. If you run
someone over and kill them - it's still a problem that needs dealing with
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March 2003 Information on taking Free Throws/Shows ... Did you know that it's the initial throw that must travel 1m horizontally. If you mess this up by fumbling it then could you lose possession if the referee is sharp enough. The only Free Throws are :-
All others (including all the other types of illegal Possessions) are a Free Shot. How many times can you think of when to use the illegal Possession Signal ?
How many times can you think of when to use the illegal Start Infringement signal ?
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April 2003 Q. How many Hand tackles can you make on a player one after the other ? A. I can personally manage 3 maximum. This is hard work, but there are a couple of things to remember.
After three successive hand-roles most players get pretty tired of this so would normally realise if they let go of the ball then they will stop being hand tackled ! A situation question for you...
From last month - Asger Sondberg correctly pointed out that a Free Throw can be awarded when the game is stopped for something like referee error, faulty goals, injury etc, then play will be restarted with a free throw to the team that last had possession. Also For when there is a capsized player and a Time out had been given. The Start Infringement signal could also be used when two players (on the same team are within 3m and both go for the ball at the start of each half. Also on a Referees Ball, when a player takes their hands of either their boat or paddle before the ball hits the water (but doesn't touch the ball), and another easy one would be for a Goal Penalty Shot, when the players in the other half jump the whistle, although you would still allow the penalty shot to be taken and maybe just award a green card if you felt the players were continuing to disrupt the proceedings. |
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May 2003 Q. Can a player be Hand Tackled onto another players Boat ? When the tackled player supports themselves on the other boat is this the (Holding) foul to call ? A. 32.3 says as much as you need it to say. Don't try to over complicate the issue about if the tackled player lands on someone's boat that then becomes Obstruction/Holding. That's a really stupid interpretation given what caused it to happen in the first place. Anyway. Personally I encourage referees to take the attitude that anything that could cause injury is dangerous. Pushing someone onto something hard (like another boat or the poolside) or say a floating boundary rope is (or could be) - in my opinion dangerous. I wont tolerate it the first or any subsequent time. If it does happen the first time, I would likely give a green card. I would certainly issue a Yellow if the same person did the same thing twice without any question. I have seen too many players get serious injuries from this kind of tackle including Dislocated shoulders and fractured bones. As for the ropes - well, think about the prospect of falling onto the boundary rope across your neck. The referee has a legal and honourable responsibility to ensure the game takes place in a safe environment and according to the rules. If the referee THINKS it is or might be dangerous, then it probably is. That's it. Keep it simple and play safe ! A situation question for you... Every one thinks they know when they hear a ram (illegal Kayak tackle), but what three things must all take place for this to be a foul ? - ignore the position of the players and the ball. From last month - 1. Once an up-side-down player lets go of the ball - even if it still within their hands reach they are no longer in possession, so the referee does not need to consider calling a foul for illegal possession. 2. If an up-side-down player is still being kayak tackled then this is a serious foul which the referee should consider starting with a Yellow Card as the other player is preventing the tackled player from righting themselves and keeping them underwater. 3. If a player swims from an Illegal Hand or Kayak Tackle, then you should at least call a time out for the player to leave the playing area and bring on a substitute and think about how serious the foul was to consider whether a Green or Yellow card should be issued.
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June 2003 Q. When exactly can a capsized player be substituted ? A. At the next break in play - so long as all their kit is clear from the playing area. Basically the next break in play is the next time the ref blows the whistle for any reason (side-line throw or a foul or anything else). Once the player is clear of the water with all their kit and then following the very next break in play, they may be substituted any time after that. The order of events is important though. The player swims, they get themselves and their equipment out of the playing area and clear of the referees and then after that there is a break in play. That is the then the time they may be substituted. If there is a Time Out, then I think it is reasonable to assume that once the player and all their kit is out of the water and clear of the referees then they can be substituted at that time, but strictly speaking that's not how the rules tell it. You might find a ref who wants to see the letter of the rules applied. A situation question for you... Can a player get a foul for being kayak tackled over the side line ? From last month - Every one thinks they know when they hear a ram (illegal Kayak tackle), but what three things must all take place for this to be a foul ?
So if you ... hit a boat head on, brush along side a boat which is in really bad condition, but sounds like an expensive sports car hitting a Freight Train hit a boat hard, but maintain the contact between your boat and theirs, ... it doesn't count as a foul. All three things need to happen at the same time for this kind of foul to take place. Remember, this is nothing to do with where the ball is. |
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December 2003 Q. Can a player score directly from a Free Throw ?
A. In the rules before V5 came out in, there was some Referee Guidelines in which this was specifically mentioned. The fact that they are not around now does not mean they do not apply. Most of the Rules, Interpretations and the Ref's Guidelines (however not all of them) were integrated. Anyway, consider this... Free Throw is clearly defined as not being direct at goal. If a defender intercepts it and puts it out over the goal line, then award a corner - even perhaps if it enters the goal as it still crossed the goal line. If a defending player keeps the ball in play, then fine - play-on. If the ball enters the goal directly, then award a Goal throw. It actually used to also say in this instance, that the shot itself should not be penalised - bit odd but there you go. From last month ...
Q. An attacker
with the ball paddles into the zone and is legally kayak tackled by a defender
which then turns the attacker and causes them to knock into the Goal Keepers
boat. There was time, space and opportunity for the Attacker to avoid the
collision. A. Contrary to popular belief, having possession of the ball does not give a player the right to illegally kayak tackle another player - not even on to a Goal Keeper ! If - as specified, the attacker has the space and opportunity to avoid the collision, then they must do whatever it takes to avoid hitting the goal keeper. No Choice. A Situation Question for you ... Q. In the following situations what do you call if anything ?
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January 2004 Q. How much should a referee be influenced by either the players, coaches or the crowd ? Generally they should never be influenced unless they want or need to be. So, if they don't see something, what then ? Not long ago, the ICF were very rigid in their thinking that if the referee made a decision, then that was the end of the matter and they would never be wrong. In practice, referees do sometimes make mistakes, and while they should always be weary about what they hear. The first person they should actually always at least get eye to eye contact with is the other referee and check their signal. Sometimes a referee can miss the most obvious thing, even though everyone else sees it. Sometimes it's worth calling a Time Out and asking one of your other assistance, like perhaps the Line Judge so see if they noticed if the ball went off as a Corner or Goal Line Throw for example or even to see if the ball went fully into the goal or not. Personally I would ask a goal keeper what they think. Maybe in the instance of a Goal Throw Corner the Goal Keeper would give you an honest answer of what they think happened, but in the instance of if it was a Goal or not, although I might ask them, I would have to assume that most of the time they would say it wasn't a Goal. Some questions for you to think/talk about ...
These questions are for you to talk about in your own groups - you don't need to send me the answers. Please don't send me the answers ! From last month ... Q. In the following situations what do you call if anything ?
A. For the above situations ...
The last person to touch the ball includes them using their paddle, or even when the ball bounces off their head ! |
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February 2004 A. What to do when a Ball Hit's an Overhead Obstacle... Lets keep this simple. There are Four main things to think about here.
For #2 this includes over hanging signs, cables, ropes flags
slides and anything like that. For #3
Situation Question ... Q. As a Referee what do you do when a large amount of the colour contact adhesive (fablon) comes off a players boat during a game you are refereeing ? 1. What colour does the ball need to be ? 2. What make does the ball need to be ? For both these situations ANY - There is no rule about this - although at major events, it's customary to advise the participating teams if match balls are to be provided and to describe the make and model. 3. Does the competition organiser have to provide a ball ? NO. 4. If the competition organisers provide a "Match Ball", do you have to use it ? In most cases yes. It's quite likely they have a sponsorship deal with the supplier. If you are worried, you should contact the competition organisers well in advance to be advised what will be used. If the Referee is sympathetic and agrees that the "Match Ball" is no good, then he/she could allow another one to be used. |
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March 2004
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April 2004 Submitted question by Joe.
I have just come back from a
canoe polo tournament which we lost when the game went into golden goal and
I gave away a penalty. The other team was given the penalty when I slapped
the ball out of the players hand during a direct shot at goal. The referee
had blown the whistle and the player had stretched his arm back to take the
shot. There was a goalkeeper in place and the shot was directly in front of
the goal. Nice question Joe and very simple to answer. The first thing to remember in a situation like this and any Free Throw or Free Shot is that the ball is not in play until it travels one whole meter from the point of release before you can either intercept it or tackle (by hand or kayak) the player taking the throw. Remember, this is only when taking a Free Shot or Free Throw. In normal playing time, this rule does not apply. So, my recommendation, is to allow the player to get into position to take the throw, but make sure you are between them and your goal. Use your hand or paddle to defend the goal at a safe distance to ensure you don't block the ball until it travels 1m and don't even think about pushing them either ! Situation Question ... Q. Two players in the same team had a number 1 on their helmet and some of the players don't even have number on the body's or miss-match numbers on their helmets and Body's. You are refereeing. What do you do ? From last month ...
Q. A game in a very public place. The Coach is shouting at his team, and one of the
players swears loudly at him. A. Clearly swearing at any competition is not allowed. In a public place we have to be even more strict to enforce this to show the sport in a good image an any public. The very minimum would be a Green card to both the player and the coach. In practice, depending upon who many clearly the swearing could be heard as to if the player should be issued with a Yellow card or not. |
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May 2004 Submitted question by Rob. Q. If a ref gives a substitute a red card (e.g.. bad language or throwing a paddle at the ref), should the team be made to play with one less player than before the red card? Substitutes are subject to the same rules as those players directly within the playing area. If a Substitute enters the playing area illegally then the team is penalised, so in the same way with any action like this, the player and therefore the team is penalised. So, if the ref gives this substitute a Red card then one player would have to come off the playing area. While that player has only been removed to get the team down to the correct number of players, they are free to substitute amongst the remaining players in the playing area following the restart of play. Situation Question ... Q. If a ball hits an obstacle, no matter how high over head, then a side line ball is given, isn't it? Or is it only if it is less than 3m overhead and 5m for a ceiling? - Submitted by Rob From last month ... Q. Two players in the same team had a number 1 on their helmet and some of the players don't even have number on the body's or miss-match numbers on their helmets and Body's. You are refereeing. What do you do ? A. To start with use the number on players bodies if they are unique. At the next break in play or half time if it's not an important/public event tell the captain of the team to have them sorted out for their next game or they don't play. If it's at a major event, they shouldn't have even got on the water as they should have had correct equipment to pass scrutineering. Don't let them play until they change their kit. Continue the game with those players who are correctly identified. |
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June 2004 Q. How tolerant should a referee be about players preventing a foul being taken ? A. Generally the referee should put a stop to this kind of thing immediately. For a minor inconvenience, in the first instance a Green Card should be issued at the next break in play if the team who should have the ball are prevented from get hold of the ball. For a situation which is deliberate delaying tactic just to slow down a fast break or clear attacking is prevented through illegal play, then the referee should seriously consider a Yellow Card. The main thing to consider here though is that both referees clearly indicate the initial foul early and both signal the same direction so there can be no possible confusion on the part of the player who prevents the quick throw being taken. Situation Question ... Q. No Match ball has been provided by the organisers. Both teams want to use their own ball for the match. What should the referee do to decide which ball to use ? From last month ... Q. If a ball hits an obstacle, no matter how high over head, then a side line ball is given, isn't it? Or is it only if it is less than 3m overhead and 5m for a ceiling? - Submitted by Rob A. In theory no matter how high the obstacle, then it would be a Side Line Throw. So, if playing outside the ball hit a bird then that would be classed as an overhead obstacle. Your confusion about the 3m is that there should be clear height of 3m above the playing area - minimum. |
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July 2004 Q. Can a penalty be taken with the paddle ? A. Just for clarification I will answer for both a Goal Penalty Shot and Tie Breaker Shot. In principle there is no problem that I can see. GPS is in normal playing time and so if this goes wrong for the person taking the shot it's not such a big lose. If a mistake is made during a Tie Breaker Shootout then that player doesn't get another chance to score another goal in normal playing time to make up for it. The ball needs to be picked up on the paddle blade somehow, and the kind of mistake we are talking about here is the ball dropping off the blade while carrying it to make the shot. The main difference between a GPS and a Tie Breaker Shot is that there isn't a Goal Keeper on the GPS. For the Tie breaker Shot the goal keeper could legitimately bring their paddle out towards the shooter's on coming paddle and knock the ball off the blade before the shot is released. This would be ok as the ball would have almost certainly already travelled 1m away from the shooter (although still on the paddle blade). Situation Question ... Q. Should a faceguard be allowed to freely pivot on the two side fixing bolts ? From last month ... Q. No Match ball has been provided by the organisers. Both teams want to use their own ball for the match. What should the referee do to decide which ball to use ? A. There are a number of issues here. The first is that maybe the competition organisers have a sponsor who provided the match balls. In this case it's very likely that the teams do not have a choice. If they don't have to use the "match ball", then in most cases the two teams will have their own "best Ball" and this can be offered to the other team and usually one of the two balls will be picked without any problem. If each of the teams do not want to play with the other ball then the simplest way is for the referee to decide based on what they think is the best quality of ball. If they are not so experience at making this decision - maybe they are not players, then they could just toss a coin. |
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August 2004 Q. Should the area under the goal be free of any obstructions. A. Apparently yes. I had to check this one myself and what this means is there should be no floats or other such obstructions along the goal line within 4m of either side of the centre of the goal. Of course the practical implications of the goal line mean there will still actually be a rope of some description, but that's almost unavoidable. The idea is that the goal keeper can freely position themselves under the goal but at the same time without any advantage of being able to unfairly maintain their position. Situation Question ... Q. Should a Referee penalise a player for a foul they didn't see ? From last month ... A. No. The Faceguard should be securely fitted and so should the helmet, so neither should move out of position during normal use. Obviously it would provide virtually no protection if it pivots. |
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September 2004 Q. I saw some boats up for sale by an overseas team, and they seemed good value, but I don't recognise the model. Is there going to be a problem ? A. Here in Britain, we are way ahead of the IFC on this kind of thing. All boats here have to be of an approved design which conforms to the ICF Boat Specifications. When a new boat is designed, the manufacturer normally submits a plug (true form of the boat without seems or cockpit comb) to the boat checking panel who check every part of it to ensure it passes the ICF regulations. Then, any boat of that design by the approved manufacturer may be freely used in Britain. For one-off or limited additions such as those you describe, a small fee for each boat would need to be paid to check each one individually to ensure they are about right and safe to use. This is on the understanding that there are a very limited number of them in circulation. Situation Question ... Q. Who decides if it's needed and how to find a result from a drawn game ? From last month ... A. No. Definitely not. Referees should only ever sanction an infringement they see. Of course if a player is injured due to something that was not seen, then the referee should call a Time Out and allow the player to move off the playing area, but then the game should be restarted with the who were last in possession continuing with a Free Throw. |
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October 2004 Q. I don't understand the rule on kayak tackling a Goal Keeper. A. First: Check out the Rule of the Month Archive - August & December ("Situation question from last month") 2003. Generally these rules apply equally to Defenders and Attackers...
So just remember - in the case of Attackers and Defenders, if they are kayak tackled towards the Goal Keeper, they much try to avoid the collision with the Goal Keeper ! Situation Question ... Q. If there is a disagreement between the two referees who gets to decide - particularly where it might be difficult for the two referees to talk to each other ? From last month ... A. Usually the Tournament or Competition Organiser will decide before any of the games are played. This information is usually also published in any tournament rules which might also have the playing order which should show any later cross-over stages in the competition.
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November 2004 Q. We are a new club and want to start playing Canoe Polo. Are their any problems with using general Kayaking equipment ? A. The first thing to mention here is that in Canoe Polo, nearly everything is specific to the sport, although some things for Canoe Polo can be used for other sports.
There are specific rules about each of these items plus others, but these are the general considerations, and they are all there to make the sport safe. Situation Question ... Q. A player is paddled fouled by an opponent and as the referee you didn't see it. The player stops and just looks at you expecting a foul. What do you do if you didn't see what happened ? From last month ... Q. If there is a disagreement between the two referees who gets to decide - particularly where it might be difficult for the two referees to talk to each other ? A. If there is a disagreement between the two referees who gets to decide - particularly where it might be difficult for the two referees to talk to each other ? When there is a disagreement between the two referees, they should meet to talk about it if it's over a serious issue which could easily effect the result of the game like a Free shot close to the goal or a Goal Penalty Shot. In this instance both referees would have to get together and talk away from Players and Spectators. Ultimately if there is still disagreement then the 1st Referee will make the final decision. If there is still an issue after the game then the 2nd Referee could write on the match report sheet to describe their problem with the situation. |
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December 2004
Q.
There are five players in a team and the game has just gone to Tie Breaker
Shoot-Out. A. This is an interesting question, but only because the ICF wrote in the rules two things which contradict themselves. Basically a Yellow Carded player can not take part in the Tie Breaker Shoot-Out, but the team do not forfeit the Shot. The people who wrote this rule didn't consider at the time that a team would only have five players and so the substitute would just take the 5th shot. At the European Champs in Kilcock, Ireland 2003 I asked members of the ICF Canoe Polo committee about this and they say the rules are fine the way they are and if a team turned up with just five players and arrived in this situation then no player would be allowed to take a second shot. Personally I think this is
very wrong, and if this situation was to ever arise in Britain, then I would say
the Yellow carded player can take a shot. Situation Question ... Q. A Defender grabs an attacking players kayak and pulls the bumper off, claiming it was lose. What do you do as the referee ? From last month ... Q. A player is paddle fouled by an opponent and as the referee you didn't see it. The player stops and just looks at you expecting a foul. What do you do if you didn't see what happened ? A. As tough as it sounds, you can't call a foul for something you didn't see. If the problem continues and so long as it wont adversely effect the game, then call a Time Out and try to calm the player and perhaps explain while there are ten or more players to watch, there are only two referees ! |
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January 2005 Q. Are all the fouls Free Shot now ? No, this is the clearest way I can think to explain them all:-
Situation Question ... Q.
An attacking player grabs the paddle of a
stationary defender who is waving the paddle in front of the Attacker to attempt
to block a possible shot. What do you do as the referee ? From last month ... Q. A Defender grabs an attacking players kayak and pulls the bumper off, claiming it was lose. What do you do as the referee ? A. Well, at the very least you could issue a Green Card. It wouldn't be unreasonable to issue a Yellow Card for interfering with an opponents equipment - in this case in a very serious way that prevents the player from continuing. It's up to the referee to decide if a players equipment is in breach of the rules. Of course there is nothing wrong with an opponent from bringing this to the Referee's attention, but they should allow the Referee to deal with the removal of the player. |
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February 2005 Q. When can I be assessed ? I'm having so many problems getting assessed and my year is nearly finished. A. For referee's here in Britain there is a very clear structure of where assessements can be carried out described in our year book. What most people think is that practical assessments can only be carried out at National League tournaments. In truth, this is probably the hardest place to get assessed. Probably the best kind of events are the weekend events where there is likely to be more time, opportunity, assessors and appropriate level games for the assessment being asked for. Candidates should bring a form with them which already has their personal details clearly filled out and try whenever possible to make arrangements with the Ref's Administrator who may well be able to find out if a suitable assessor is going to be at that particular event. Situation Question ... Q. Just how much can a player paddle with the ball on the boat ? From last month ... Q.
An attacking player grabs the paddle of a stationary defender who is waving the
paddle in front of the Attacker to attempt to block a possible shot. What do you do as the referee ? A. As harsh as it sounds the Attacker should not grab the paddle. It would be sufficient to just show it's in hands reach by moving the non throwing hand to more or less fend the paddle away. Grabbing the opponents paddle is a holding foul. The referee needs to decide about the manner in which this was done and if there was plenty of opportunity to avoid grabbing the paddle then maybe a holding foul could be awarded against the Attacker. If the Ref penalised the Holding Foul then they should also disallow the goal.
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March 2005 Q. If a player ends up on top of their opponents cockpit / spray-deck (touching the body) and an Illegal Kayak Tackle is awarded to the player on the bottom, can that player push the fouling player off or take the Free Shot straight away ? A. Well, if the fouled player wants to wait until the other player is off their boat, then that is fine. The referee will allow this. The rules tell us that a player can use their hand to move a boat off theirs if neither are in possession, but in this example, it would be reasonable to gently move them off before taking the Free Shot. Of course if the fouled player wants to take the Free Shot immediately (to save wasting any quick attacking opportunity) then that's fine, but the other play can't make any attempt for the ball (either by hand or paddle) until it has travelled at least 1m from the point of release. Situation Question ... Q. If a player is holding the ball up and their opponent makes a swipe with their hand for the ball, and as a result, knocks the ball from the hand and it goes off the side line - who gets possession - to take the Side Line Throw ? From last month ...
A. This is easy. This means if the boat is rolling up the front of the boat it's not a foul ! |
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April 2005
Q.
Two players are
paddling in the same direction and one player has the ball on his side, and then
starts to make a stern turn away from the opponent. The player with the ball,
maintains control of the ball using the front of the boat during the stern turn
(the ball is NOT in reach, but so close that if you stop your turn and lean
forward you could very likely touch the ball in front of you). The other player
hand tackles the player with the ball (the hand tackle is to the opposite side
of the blade which he uses to make the turn). A. Technically yes, due to the ball being outside hands reach. Many referee's will assume if the ball is within 1m then the player is in possession, however the 1m rule is about moving the ball 1m away. This is a common problem. In the situation you describe, just because the player in control of the ball could reach it if they lean forward proves that during the moment of the turn (which is the time you describe for this question), they can not reach the ball, therefore, that player is not in possession. Situation Question ... Q. A Foul is awarded to a team and a player from that team picks up the loose ball (3m away), puts it on their spraydeck and paddles to a position where they want to take the throw from. What do you do ? From last month ... Q. If a player is holding the ball up and their opponent makes a swipe with their hand for the ball, and as a result, knocks the ball from the hand and it goes off the side line - who gets possession - to take the Side Line Throw ? A. I don't want to bring physics into this, but the view I personally take here is that initially it was at no risk of going out and now, as a direct result of the opponents contact, that leads me to award the Side Line to the player who originally had it. Some people would say both had contact at the point the ball was struck. I don't like awarding Referee's Balls (which is often used instead of making a sensible decision), but some referee's would.
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May 2005 Q. When it comes to "leaning" on an opponents boat, what is allowed ? A. Strictly speaking nothing - no supporting on an opponents kayak. There are a few situations I can explain to clear this up further:-
Even though these are all virtually the same, the last two have some grey area. If the referee feels the player isn't gaining any support from their opponents boat while somehow retrieving the ball then there isn't a foul. Of course if they think there is sufficient support, such that if the opponents boat was to move out of the way the player would fall in then a foul should be called. Situation Question ... Q. Following an illegal Kayak Tackle, one player is on top of the other. The player on the bottom is awarded the foul. Can that player take the throw immediately or do they have to remove the other player first. Are there any other restrictions ? From last month ... Q. A Foul is awarded to a team and a player from that team picks up the loose ball (3m away), puts it on their spraydeck and paddles to a position where they want to take the throw from. What do you do ? A. As the referee, you have to decide if you are happy for the position of where that player would like to take the throw. If they are trying to gain too much advantage, then a triple blast on the whistle will get everyone's attention. Then you can point to the position where you want the throw to be taken from.
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June 2005 Q. What are we supposed to be refereeing regarding paddle fouls - "No Contact - No Foul" or no paddles within arms reach as it specifically says in the rules ? A. This is question is being talked about a lot at the moment. During the course of a normal and safe game paddles are nearly always within arms reach of an opponent yet are not dangerous. Following a discussion I had two years ago with Frits Jager (Chairman of the ICF Canoe Polo Committee) I asked about this. Certainly at the highest levels where the players have a much better control of their paddles for blocking the intention is to referee to the terms of "No Contact - No Foul". This equally applies to kayak tackling, which is why an initial challenge is not illegal to arrive in an opponents cockpit, but would be with any contact on the body or to continue to paddle there - which would be considered more dangerous. At the lower levels - to be determined by the referees it would be better to referee the written rule. In any case, the moment a referee feels an action is dangerous, then that can be immediately penalised as appropriate. Ultimately it's about using your intelligence. If the players are demonstrating a high level of skill and not being dangerous then don't penalise them. If in doubt keep control of the game by calling anything you feel looks dangerous or out of control, but you must do this at an early point and not ignore it.
Situation Question ... Q. A player is using an illegal (non approved) boat. What do you do about it ? From last month ... Q. Following an illegal Kayak Tackle, one player is on top of the other. The player on the bottom is awarded the foul. Can that player take the throw immediately or do they have to remove the other player first. Are there any other restrictions ? A. There is often an advantage to take the throw quickly and if this is the case then it's important to note that the opponent can not interfere with the ball before it has travelled 1m horizontally from the point of release or until it is passed to a team mate. If the player being awarded the foul wants to remove the opponent off their boat then they can do that first - in a controlled action and still the 1m rule applies.
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Remember, all the "Rules of the Month" topics come from you the readers, so don't be shy. |
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Updated:- PH 4th May 2005 |
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All Copy owned by Paul Hammond 2001-2005
