2007/8 Rules of Hockey Briefing and Guidance for Umpires now published

NicfromSweden 13
mani 8
bigmick 6
majwalrus 5
JiMMM 5
serbulator 4
silky 4
johncoxon 4
Gocu 4
kristof 3

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[keely]

Hello everyone:

I received the monthly FIH umpires' newsletter and it points to the brand spankin' new 2007/8 Rules of Hockey Briefing and Guidance Briefing posted on the FIH Umpires' Briefings page. Highlights include:

• the wording but not interpretation of what constitutes a foot has changed
• an injured GK can only be subbed for a similarly-equipped GK (no subbing the "injured" kicking back for the GK)
• time is not to be stopped for a substitution of a kicking-back GK, only a fully-equipped GK
• GKs are permitted to move the ball away with their hand/hand protector/arm/body to deny possession or another shot at goal - i.e. intercepting a pass across the circle

These new guidelines will be incorporated into the full-form briefing in November 2006.

[kev24612]

Well this should at least assuage some of the debate concerning these rules, particularly those in the goalkeeping section as the vast majority of them are. We can see then that we CAN deny the ball to an attacker with our hand. Yay.

[boundy]

but only the RHP, I guess we still need to see the exact interpretation of the relaxation on using the LHP

Also does anyone know when these will be applied in england, do they come in 1.1.7 mid season or at the start of the 07/08 season

[keely]

but only the RHP, I guess we still need to see the exact interpretation of the relaxation on using the LHP

Sorry, that was my misstatement and I edited my original post. It's whatever part of your appendages a GK uses that field players cannot. I didn't mean to make a distinction between the left and right arms.

[The.Rampage.Rado]

Oooooh this is more than cool!

This means now we can sweap the ball and play it any way we want if we take into consideration the safety rules...

Cool stuff from HRB!
1024x from Bulgaria! :D

[deegum]

No change in the interpretation for a "foot"?

BRB, going to a couple of years in remedial English ........

[keely]

I know, I have to say I'm a little perplexed. Maybe it's because we're NOT getting the message they've been trying to send with the changes in the wording over the past few years, i.e. we're calling foot more often than they think we should and not "umpiring to the briefing". So they've made the language more clear so that maybe players won't get so P.O.ed when we don't call it.
 

I'm going to dig around a bit, send some emails to some big people and see whether I'm missing something here. I keep reminding myself I've got almost four months to figure it all out.  :afraid:

[redumpire]

Isn't there a contradiction in these phrases from the last page of the briefing too:

The Rules changes for 2007/8 are intended to simplify the game and to make the rules easier to understand for players and umpires. An interpretation of the rules will often be necessary – common sense and an understanding of what the players are trying to do should be deciding factors.

How can things be "easier to understand" if they require "interpretation"?

 

[hotshot]

The forehand edge of the stick rule leaves a lot to interpretation
but the the goalkeepers glove rule makes it easier

[keely]

I don't really see that - what's ambiguous for you with the forehand edge of the stick?

[Paul Watts]

what constitutes hard?

[keely]

I read the briefing here and specifically these words: "It is not considered dangerous to use the forehand edge of the stick in the other ways described", those other ways being:

• in a controlled action in a tackle (i.e. not swinging or sweeping)
• raising the ball in a controlled way over an opponent's stick or over a goalkeeper lying on the ground
• using a long pushing motion (i.e. not sweeping, which is a hit, not a push) along the ground

So, in sum, you can't use the forehand edge in a sweep hit. I think that had the wording simply omitted "hard" and said "players must not hit the ball on the forehand with the edge of the stick", given that a sweep has always been considered a hit (think of the first shot on the PC), that would have gotten the job done.

Does that help?

[animal]

Oh! Yay! (Thats sarcastic) Now field players get to "stick check" my arms as well. Never had an arm broken by a hockey stick but I guess I will now! Thanks HRB!

ANIMAL

[keely]

Animal, I don't understand - what part of the new rules is going to encourage players to take swipes at you any more than they do now?

[Magpie]

keeley, I think Animal is refering to;

• GKs are permitted to move the ball away with their hand/hand protector/arm/body to deny possession or another shot at goal - i.e. intercepting a pass across the circle

And that if he is on the ground and plays at the ball what happens if the attacker also takes a swing at the ball and misses?

Slightly off subject but does this imply that the GK can run at the ball lower their LH and use it to knock the ball away, while at speed?