The following Rules Changes were formally agreed at the IFNA Congress 2011. They will come into force on the 1st January 2012. Please amend your rules books accordingly.

New Rule from 1.1.2012

2.5 Procedure for extra time where a winner is required:
(i) There shall be a two (2) minute interval at the end of full time;
(ii) Extra time shall consist of two (2) halves of seven (7) minutes each, with an interval of one (1) minute at half-time. Teams shall change ends at half-time. The Centre Pass is taken by the team entitled to the next Centre Pass;
(iii) During both of these intervals, substitutions and/or team changes may be made [refer Rule 6.1.1 (i)];
(iv) During extra time, normal injury or illness procedures shall apply (refer Rule 7.1). However, during the entire extra time:
(a) the first stoppage for each team shall be up to two (2) minutes;
(b) each subsequent stoppage for each team shall not exceed thirty (30) seconds.
(v) In the event of a tie remaining at the end of extra time, a visual signal shall be used to indicate that play shall continue until one team has a two (2) goal advantage.

New Rule from 1.1.2012
Delete Rule 3.3.1 i (b)
And renumber
3.3.1 i (c) to 3.3.1 i (b)
3.3.1 i (d) to 3.3.1 i (c)

New Rule from 1.1.2012
RULE 7: STOPPAGES
Coaching is permitted during any Stoppage by any Team Official who may approach the players at the Side Line. Bench players may approach the Side Line if coaching occurs. Any Team Official may approach the players at the Side Line for the purpose of providing rehydration. (Refer Rule 3, 7, 7.1, 7.2. 7.3).
7.1 Injury or Illness
(i) Play may be stopped for injury or illness:
(a) after a call for time by an on Court player; or
(b) in extreme circumstances, by an Umpire, if the Umpire considers that a player who is injured / ill is unable to call time and is in need of treatment.
The decision to stop play and when to stop play shall be at the discretion of the Umpire.
(ii) To stop play the Umpire shall blow the whistle and signal to the Timekeepers to hold time;
(iii) Only Primary Care Person/s are permitted on the Court to treat an injured or ill player and/or assess the player’s medical condition. No other Team Official is permitted on Court;
(iv) During a stoppage for injury or illness:
(a) both teams may make substitutions and/or team changes if desired. However, in this case the injured or ill player for whom play was stopped must be involved in that team’s substitutions and/or team changes (refer Rule 6.1.1);
(b) The playing position of the injured or ill player may be left vacant. If this player is the Centre, one player must be moved to Centre to allow the game to continue.
(v) The first stoppage for each team in each quarter or half (refer Rule 2.1 and 2.2) shall be up to two (2) minutes from when time is held to decide whether an injured or ill player is fit to continue. During this stoppage, other players from either team who are injured or ill may receive treatment from their Primary Care Person/s. The length of the stoppage is determined by the treatment required by the player for whom play was stopped;
(vi) For each subsequent stoppage for each team, the injured or ill player must leave the Court and has thirty (30) seconds to do so. The injury or illness must be treated Courtside and not on the Court;
(vii) After a stoppage for injury or illness, when no substitution is made for a player unable to resume play, the injured or ill player or a substitute may not enter the game while play is in progress but, after notifying the Umpire, may take the Court:
(a) immediately after a goal has been scored. In this case the player or the substitute must play in the playing position left vacant;
(b) at a stoppage for injury or illness (refer Rule 7.1 and 7.2);
(c) immediately following an interval.
PENALTY for Rule 7.1(vii)
Free Pass to the opposing team where the ball was when play was stopped. The player concerned shall leave the Court until the next goal is scored or until the next interval.
(viii) To restart play the Umpire shall signal the Timekeepers and blow the whistle for play to be resumed;
(ix) The game is continued from the spot where the ball was when play was stopped other than when:
(a) the ball is out of Court, in which case a Throw In is taken;
(b) the Umpire is unable to say who was in possession of the ball, or the ball was on the ground when play was stopped, in which case a Toss Up is taken between any two opposing players allowed in that area, where the ball was when play was stopped;
(c) the stoppage is due to Obstruction or Contact, in which case a Penalty Pass / Shot is awarded where the infringer was standing, except where this places the non-offending team at a disadvantage, when the penalty shall be taken where the obstructed or contacted player was standing.
7.2 Blood Policy
(i) An Umpire is required to hold time when a player who is bleeding is noticed or an on Court player has indicated the presence of blood;
(ii) To stop play the Umpire shall blow the whistle and signal the Timekeepers to hold time;
(iii) A stoppage for blood is not regarded as a stoppage for injury or illness and is not recorded against a team;
(iv) The stoppage shall be up to two (2) minutes from when the time is held to decide whether a bleeding player is fit to continue. This decision shall be left to the Primary Care Person/s. No other Team Official is permitted on Court;
In addition:
(a) the wound shall be adequately covered;
(b) blood stained clothing shall be removed or cleaned;
(c) the ball and the Court shall be cleaned if necessary.
(v) During a stoppage for blood the bleeding player may be substituted or the position left vacant. No other substitutions or team changes are permitted by either team;
(vi) To restart play the Umpire shall signal to the Timekeepers and blow the whistle for play to be resumed.
7.3 Emergencies
(i) An Umpire may stop play for any extraordinary circumstance that may be deemed an emergency. This may include but is not limited to:
(a) the equipment;
(b) the Court;
(c) the weather;
(d) injury / illness of an Umpire.
(ii) To stop play the Umpire shall blow the whistle and signal the Timekeepers to hold time;
(iii) The Umpire shall decide the length of time for the stoppage and shall ensure that play is restarted as soon as possible (refer Rule 7.1(ix));
(iv) No substitutions or team changes are permitted during this stoppage. No Team Official is permitted on Court;
(v) To restart play the Umpire shall signal to the Timekeepers and blow the whistle for play to be resumed.
Consequential changes:
Current
Rule 18.5 (vi) [refer Rule 7.1 (vii) (b)]
Change to: [refer Rule 7.1 (ix) (b)]
Current
Rule 3.3.1 (i) (d) …as per Rule 7.1 (iv)
Change to: as per Rule 7.1 (vi)
Current 6.1.1 (ii) [refer Rule 7.1 (v) and 7.2 (iii)];
Change to [refer Rule 7.1 (iv)]
Appendix:
Add signal for Umpire Time – arms crossed above head

A Q award umpiring course is being held on Saturday December 10th in Cardiff. If you wish to attend download a form from the Welsh Netball site and submit it to Julia Bowkett a.s.a.p.

Q can anybody umpire any match in the league?
A. No, you have to be watched by an approved assessor. They will decide which division bests suits your umpiring standard.

Q. can I umpire two matched in an evening?
A. Yes. Providing they are not consecutive. You also can’t umpire, play and then umpire immediately afterwards.

Q. I want to go on an umpiring course, how do I do this?
A. umpiring courses are run by Welsh netball, but if you contact the umpiring officer she can request a course be put on providing there are enough people interested in attending.

Q. I’ve been on a Q award umpiring course. Does this mean I’m a qualified umpire?
A. No. The Q award is simply an introductory course. There are 4 umpiring qualifications: C, B, A and International Award.

This is a list of all recognised mentors and assessors for cardiff and District Netball.Approved umpire mentors.doc 2

Approved umpires for website