The International Floorball Federation

Rules of the Game

Rules and Interpretations

Changes

To be made Valid from 1^st July 2006

International Floorball Federation, Rules and Competition Committee

© International Floorball Federation 2006

All rights reserved.

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Drawings: Anna Eriksson

2   GAME TIME

201   Regular game time

1)      Regular game time shall be 3 x 20 minutes with two 10 minute intermissions, when the teams shall change ends.

Exemption for shorter game time however not less than 2 x 15 minutes and/or intermissions may be given by the administrating authority. When changing ends, the teams shall also change substitution zones. The home team shall choose ends at an early stage before the match. Every new period shall start with a face-off at the centre spot. At the end of every period the secretariat is responsible for providing a siren or other suitable sound device, unless this is automatic. The timing of the intermission shall start immediately at the end of the period. The referees teams are responsible for calling the teams for being back onto the rink in time to resume play after the intermission. If the referees consider one end of the rink to be better, the teams shall change ends after half the third period, but this has to be decided before the match start of the third period. If such a changing of ends takes place, play shall be resumed with a face-off at the centre spot.

204   Penalty shots after limited extra time

1)      Five field players from each team shall take one penalty shot each. If the score after this is still equal, the same players shall take one penalty shot each until a decisive result is achieved.

The penalty shots shall be taken alternately. The referees decide which goal to use and toss a coin shall carry out a draw between the team captains. The winner decides which team will start taking the penalty shots. The team captain or a member of the team staff shall, in writing, inform the referees and the secretariat of the numbers of the players and the order in which they will take the penalty shots. The referees are responsible for ensuring that the penalty shots are taken in the exact order as noted by the team staff.

As soon as a decisive result is achieved during the penalty shots, the match is over and the winning team shall be considered to have won by one extra goal. During the regular penalty shots, a decisive result is considered to be achieved when a team is leading by a larger number of goals than the opposing team has remaining penalty shots. During the possible extra penalty shots, a decisive result is considered to be achieved when a team has scored one goal more than the opposing team and both teams have taken the same number of penalty shots. The extra penalty shots do not have to be taken in the same order as the regular penalty shots, but a player must not take his third penalty shot until all the noted players in his team have taken at least two, and so on.

A penalized player may participate in the penalty shots if he has not incurred a match penalty. If one of the noted players incurs any a match penalty during the penalty shots, the team captain shall choose a field player, who is not already noted, to replace the player who has incurred a match the penalty. If a goalkeeper incurs any a match penalty during the penalty shots, he shall be replaced by the reserve goalkeeper. If a reserve goalkeeper is not available, the team has a maximum of 3 minutes to properly equip a field player, who is not already noted, but none of this time may be used for warming up. The new goalkeeper shall be marked in the match record, and the time of the change shall be noted. A team that is unable to note five field players shall only be allowed to take as many penalty shots as they have noted players. This is also valid during possible extra penalty shots.

3   PARTICIPANTS

305   Team staff

1)      Each team may note at the most five members of the team staff in the match record.

No other persons than those noted in the match record are allowed to be in their own substitution zone.  With the exception of a time out, a member of the team staff must not enter the rink without the referees' permission. All coaching shall take place from the team’s own substitution zone. Before the match, a member of the team staff shall sign the match record, and after this no amendments shall be allowed. Should a leader member of the team staff be recorded also as both a leader and a player, he should always be considered a player in any uncertain situations regarding penalty offences in the substitution zone.

4   EQUIPMENT

402   The referees' clothing

1)      The referees shall wear grey jerseys, black shorts and black knee socks.

Exemption for other colour combinations may be given by the administrating authority.
The referees shall wear the same colour combination on their uniform.

407   Stick

2)      The blade shall not be sharp and its hook shall not exceed 30 mm.

            All tampering with the blade, except hooking, is prohibited. The hook shall be measured as the    distance between the highest point of the blade’s inner side and an even surface on which the   stick is lying. Changing the blade is allowed, but the new blade shall not be weakened. Taping           the joint between the blade and the shaft is allowed, but no more than 10 mm of the visible part of the blade shall be covered.

410   Control of equipment

2)      Measuring of a hook or a shaft may be requested by the team captain.

The team captain also has the right to point out to the referees other incorrectness in the opponents' equipment, but in this case the referees decide whether or not to take action. Measuring may be requested at any time, but shall not be carried out until play is interrupted. If measuring is requested during an interruption, it shall be carried out immediately, including in connection with goals and penalty shots, unless, in the referees' opinion, it negatively affects the situation for the opposing team. In this case the measuring shall be carried out at the next interruption. The referees are obliged to check a hook or a shaft at the team captain's request, but only one measuring per team per interruption shall be allowed. No other players than the team captains and the player with the equipment being measured may be at the secretariat during the measuring. After measuring, play shall be resumed according to what caused the interruption.

5   FIXED SITUATIONS

501   General regulations for fixed situation

2)      The referees shall use one signal, show prescribed signs and mark the place for the fixed situation. The ball may be played after the signal if it is not moving and is in the right position.

The referees shall first show the consequence sign and then a possible offence sign. The offence sign shall only be used if considered necessary, however always in connection with penalties and penalty shots.  If, in the referees' opinion, play is not affected, the ball does not have to be entirely still or in exactly the right place at a hit-in or a free-hit.

503   Events leading to a face-off

6)      When an unnatural situation occurs during play.

          The referees decide what shall be considered an unnatural situation, but this always includes unauthorized persons or objects on the rink, the lights going out either completely or partly, and the final signal being sounded by mistake, or when a referee is hit by the ball and this has a significant effect on the play.

9)      When a delayed penalty is carried out because the offending team gains and controls the ball.

This includes when the non-offending team, in the referees’ opinion, is delaying play trying to waste time.

10)    When a penalty is imposed for an offence which is not in connection with play, but is committed or noticed during play.

          This includes when a penalized player enters the rink before his penalty expires or terminates. In connection with play implies controlling or trying to reach the ball.

504   Hit-in (803)

1)      When the ball leaves the rink, a hit-in shall be awarded to the non-offending team.

          The offending team is considered to be the team whose player, or player’s equipment, last touched the ball before it left the rink. This also includes when a player, to remove the ball from the goal cage, hits the net without touching the ball.

6)      A hit-in may go directly into goal.

          This also includes an own goal.

507   Offences leading to a free-hit

1)      When a player hits, blocks, lifts, kicks or holds an opponent or opponent's stick. (901, 902, 903, 910, 912)

          If the referees consider the player to have played the ball before hitting the opponent's stick, no action shall be taken.

2)      When a field player, in control of the ball or trying to reach it, hits an opponent’s foot or leg with his stick. (901)

4)      When a field player uses any part of his stick or his foot, to play or try to play the ball above knee level. (904 913)

          Stopping the ball with a thigh is not considered to be playing the ball above knee level, unless the player has both feet on the floor or is running in a normal way considered dangerous. As knee level is considered the level of the knees when standing upright.

5   FIXED SITUATIONS

507   Offences leading to a free-hit (continued)

12)    When a field player passively obstructs the goalkeeper's throw-out. (915)

This shall be considered an offence only if the field player is inside the goal crease or closer to the goalkeeper than 3 m, measured from where the goalkeeper gains control of the ball. Passively implies unintentionally or through omission to move.

17)    When a face-off, hit-in or a free-hit is incorrectly performed or intentionally delayed. (918)

          This includes when a hit-in or a free-hit is unreasonably delayed or when the non-offending team takes the ball away when the play is interrupted, the ball is dragged, flicked, or lifted on the stick. If a hit-in or a free-hit is taken from the wrong place or when the ball is not entirely still, it may be taken again. If, in the referees' opinion, play is not affected, the ball does not have to be entirely still or in exactly the right place.

18)    When a goalkeeper has the ball under control for more than 3 seconds. (924)

          If the goalkeeper puts the ball down and picks it up again without being attacked, this shall be considered controlling the ball all the time.

19)    When a goalkeeper receives a pass from a field player in the same team for the second time, unless in between the ball has crossed the centre line or been controlled by the opposing team. (924)

This shall be considered an offence only if the pass, in the referees' opinion, is intentional. The entire ball has to pass the centre line. A goalkeeper may receive a second pass from a player in the same team if play has been interrupted in between, or if the goalkeeper is completely outside his goal crease when he receives the pass, and is thereby considered a field player. If the goalkeeper leaves his goal crease entirely, stops the ball, returns to his goal crease and picks the ball up this shall not be considered a pass to the goalkeeper. A second pass to the goalkeeper is not considered a goal situation and can not result in a penalty shot.

19)    When a goalkeeper receives a pass from a field player in the same team. (924)

This shall be considered an offence only if the pass, in the referees' opinion, is intentional. Receiving implies that the goalkeeper touches the ball with either his hands or arms, also even after the goalkeeper has possibly touched or stopped the ball with any other part of his body. A goalkeeper may receive a pass from a player in the same team if the goalkeeper is completely outside his goal crease when he receives the pass, and is thereby considered a field player. If the goalkeeper leaves his goal crease entirely, stops the ball, returns to his goal crease and picks the ball up this shall not be considered a pass to the goalkeeper.

A pass to the goalkeeper is not considered a goal situation and can not result in a penalty shot.