PLAYING THE GAME
1 Field of Play
The information below provides a simplified description of the field of
play. Detailed specifications of the field and equipment are provided in
a separate section at the end of these Rules.
1.1 The field of play is rectangular, 91.40 metres long and 55.00 metres wide.
1.2 Side-lines mark the longer perimeters of the field; back-lines mark the shorter
perimeters of the field.
1.3 The goal-lines are the parts of the back-lines between the goal-posts.
1.4 A centre-line is marked across the middle of the field.
1.5 Lines known as 23 metres lines are marked across the field 22.90 metres from
each back-line.
1.6 Areas referred to as the circles are marked inside the field around the goals
and opposite the centres of the back-lines.
1.7 Penalty spots 150 mm in diameter are marked in front of the centre of each
goal with the centre of each spot 6.40 metres from the inner edge of the goalline.
1.8 All lines are 75 mm wide and are part of the field of play.
1.9 Flag-posts between 1.20 and 1.50 metres in height are placed at each corner
of the field.
1.10 Goals are positioned outside the field of play at the centre of and touching
each back-line
2 Composition of Teams
2.1 Each team must have a goalkeeper on the field at all times during play:
a an incapacitated or suspended goalkeeper must be replaced by another
goalkeeper or field player acting as a goalkeeper
b during the suspension of a goalkeeper, the team concerned has one less
field player.
At the completion of a temporary suspension, the captain is permitted:
to re-instate the temporarily suspended goalkeeper
or
to continue to play with the replacement goalkeeper, in which case
another field player is permitted to enter the field.
2.2 Each team is permitted to substitute from a maximum of sixteen players:
a substitution is permitted at any time except within the period from the
award of a penalty corner until after it has been completed; during this
period substitution is only permitted for injury to or suspension of the
defending goalkeeper
b there is no limit to the number of players who are permitted to be
substituted at the same time or to the number of times any player is
permitted to substitute or be substituted
c substitution of a player is permitted only after that player has left the field
d substitutions are not permitted for suspended players during their
suspension
For the duration of a temporary suspension, the offending team plays
with one less player. For each permanent suspension, the offending
team plays for the remainder of the match with one less player.
e after completing a suspension, a player is permitted to be substituted
without first returning to the field
f field players must leave or enter the field for substitution purposes within 3
metres of the centre-line on a side of the field agreed with the umpires
g goalkeepers are permitted to leave or enter the field for substitution near
the goal they are defending
h time is stopped for substitutions of goalkeepers but not for substitutions of
field players. |
