Hindering Someone of the Opposite Sex

Advice was given in the bulletin published in January 2001 about the distance that an active hinderer needs to be in order not to infringe rule 16k. The advice given was that if he is outside of the combined arms' distance of himself and the opponent a player cannot be considered to be hindering. By this it is meant that the active hindering player cannot reach into the arms' space of the player with the ball and therefore the player with the ball is in no way impeded in her movement and can freely move the ball even when held with her arms outstretched.

Questions have been asked concerning players who are inside the combined arms' distance. Unless they are actively trying to hinder the opponent from throwing the ball or shooting they cannot be considered to be hindering. The referee needs to judge whether the actions of the player without the ball amount to a deliberate attempt to stop the ball from being thrown in the desired direction by the opponent. If the actions are considered to be active hindering then he should be punished. However, if the actions include very slight movements that may not be deemed to be a deliberate attempt to stop the ball being thrown as desired, or the player is in a position within joint arm's length but without an active attempt to block the ball, then he should not be punished. Examples of this could be.

If the attacker jumps back or to the side from a defended position, it shall be considered to remain defended if the defender reacts to the jump with the intention of keeping within arm's distance.

1) A player following his own personal opponent and trying to intercept the incoming pass. Provided his hand and arm are following his opponent and are not being moved towards the person with the ball, then (normally) an offence does not take place.

2) A player is standing still in the direct line of a player of the opposite sex who is doing a running in shot. Provided the player does not actively try to block the shot then he should not be punished even if a slight movement takes place (e.g. a movement away from the incoming player's path). In this case a deliberate movement towards the ball by the hand, arm or body of the standing opponent would need to be made for an infringement to take place.

3) A male player is in possession of the ball near the post and is defended by an opponent (thereby making it necessary that the defender's hands be held up high!). This male player gives the assist to a female player, who goes for a running in shot. At a certain moment the ball leaves the hands of the female player but although at that moment the defender is within joint arm's length of the female player, it is not his intention to hinder. A penalty can only be awarded if there is a movement towards the female player.

4) A female player is in position near the post holding the ball. A male player starts a running in movement and the defender of this male player sees the assisting female. As the female assisting player throws the ball to her team mate, the defender of the attacking male player sees the pass and moves his arm in the direction of the ball, which he touches. If the ball has already left the hand of the female player then there is no talk of hindering because, although this happened within joint arms' length, the female player had a clear opportunity to throw the ball and was not hindered.

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