Umpire FAQs Part 1
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Q: Can you question an umpire during a match if you don't agree with her decisions? A: No. However a captain can approach an umpire during an interval and ask the umpire for a rules clarification (Rule 3.5.2). This can be done in such a way as to highlight a possible problem without being confrontational!
Q: Can I legally prevent an opposing player from re-entering the court? A: Not if she has gone out of court to take a throw-in and is trying to enter the at the point of the throw in. She should also be allowed back onto the court if she’s gone to collect a ball and is re-entering where she went off (Rule 16.6.2). However if she went off court for any other reason e.g. to gain a better playing position, you can defend your opponent provided you do not leave the court or your own playing area when doing so. (Rule 16.6.1)
Q: Why am I sometimes penalised for replaying a ball in one game and in another game I do the same thing and it's not penalised? A: In our league ‘replayed ball’ is inconsistently applied and it is worrying.
Rule 13.4 states; “ A player who has caught or held the ball may not (replay the ball)"
It is essential that the umpire considers the ball to have been caught or held before she penalises for replayed ball. If umpires can get into the habit of asking themselves “Did the player have control of the ball?” it should improve the application of this rule.
Don’t forget a player’s skill level will contribute to their ability to control the ball. A ball can be caught or held in one hand, but the rule comes into force IF the umpire considers the ball to have been controlled.
A: Rule 17.1 states “No player may contact an opponent, either accidentally or deliberately, in such a way that interferes with the play of that opponent or cause contact to occur.”
Therefore a good umpire will see contact but may decide it hasn’t interfered and therefore not penalise it. Alternatively, a not so good umpire may not have positioned herself correctly to observe the contact and make the decision to penalise or not. This means that some contact that does interfere is missed and some that doesn’t is incorrectly penalised. GOOD POSITIONING IS ESSENTIAL.
A: The divisional officer forwards them to the chairman. She will decide, along with other committee members, what action is needed depending on the compliant.
Possible actions include:
- Talking to the team/individual the complaint is against.
- Observing that team or umpire to see if their actions are repeated.
- Taking action, e.g docking points, banning from the league (in extreme cases)
However it has been noted that a team had made a complaint and not been updated as to the actions of the committee following the complaint. This was an oversight and should not have occurred.
A: No. Rule 13.2 (vi) states A player may not deliberately kick the ball. Unless she kicked the ball on purpose she should not have been penalised.
A: Maybe on some occasions. Rule 18.1.2 States “ The player taking the penalty must take up the position clearly directed and indicated by the Umpire….”
Umpires must help the players by indicating and directing clearly, if the players take no notice then they should be penalised. This rule should be used with discretion in the lower divisions and perhaps umpires may feel it only fair to give one warning to both sides before reversing the penalty.
A: Yes ( Rule 18.3.2) “ ……if the infringer moves or attempts to take part in play, either physically or verbally…….. penalty shall be retaken or advantage applies”
A: No, as the attacking player has lessened the distance (Rule 16.2 ii).
A: No, GS has contacted GK (Rule 17.2 vi).
A: Yes. (Rule 17.2 iii).
A: It depends on whether-or-not the Umpire considers she has interfered with the shooting or throwing action (Rule 16.2).
A: It depends on how close she lands and whether-or-not the Umpire considers she has interfered with the shot (rule 16.2) or whether contact that interferes with the GA's play has occurred (Rule 17.1).
A: No. Rule 13.4 (i) However, umpires must be able to distinguish between a ball that has been deliberately rolled and a dropped ball that rolls as a result.The latter is a legitimate pass.This kind of pass is frequently used by WAs & Cs to get the ball into a shooter under a tall defence. The ball is dropped from a very low level onto the floor infront of the shooter. With this pass there will be NO BACKWARD movement of the arm. if the ball is deliberately rolled there WILL be backward movement.