Situations concerning the free pass

In the last seven years we have had several changes in the rule concerning the free pass (§19). The most important was in 1997, which, by enforcing rules about the distance and time, promoted a speedier taking of the free pass. It is logical that not all the situations during the game are described in the rules and their explanations. In this section of the bulletin the PRC has attempted to give advice for several situations that occur at the taking of a free pass.

1. A player of the attacking team is ready to take the free pass. Everybody is at the correct distance. The taker of the free pass changes his position by moving one or two feet - often just before the referee whistles! In most cases he moves one of his feet in the direction of his defender or one of the other defenders. The result is that this defender is now within the distance of 2.50 metres when the referee blows his whistle. The question is now: who should be deemed to be incorrect: the taker of the free pass or the defender?

In spite of the fact that the defender is within the distance of 2.50 metres, the infringement of the defender should not be punished! The attacker has changed the distance between him and the defender so late in the 4-second preparation period that, in the opinion of the referee, the defender has had no time to react. He must accept that the defender is closer than 2.50 metres and the referee should not punish the defender. However, if another attacker is now within the required distance then he should be penalised.

Often the referee can prevent this situation by restarting the game as soon as all conditions of the free pass concerning the time and correct distance are satisfied.

2. As soon as the ball and an attacker are at the place of the free pass the referee must start the four-second period, i.e. referees should not wait until the players have sorted themselves out before commencing the preparation time. Players have sufficient time to take up their positions during the preparation time and referees should not delay the start of this time if an attacker and the ball are at the place of the free pass. In addition, referees must whistle immediately the players are at the correct distance and not wait until the end of the four seconds.

3. In §19c several situations have been described where the referee is obliged to give a penalty when the defending team makes an infringement for the second time at the same free pass. The PRC wants to emphasize that when the defending team (not always the same defender!) makes an infringement concerning the distance for the second time at the same free pass the referee must give a penalty.

It does not matter whether one distance infringement was made during the preparation period and one after the whistle had blown for the taking of the free pass. Two offences concerning distance at the same free pass by any of the players of the defence team (not necessarily the same player), either during preparation time or after the whistle has gone to take the pass, should lead to a penalty being awarded.

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