fiba rule 6 - fouls

Art. 32 Fouls

32.1. Definition

32.1.1. A foul is an infraction of the rules concerning illegal personal contact with an oppo-nent and/or unsportsmanlike behaviour.

32.1.2. Any number of fouls may be called against a team. Irrespective of the penalty, each foul shall be charged, entered on the scoresheet against the offender and penalised according to these rules.

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Art. 33 Contact: General principles

33.1. Cylinder principle

The cylinder principle is defined as the space within an imaginary cylinder occupied by a player on the floor. It includes the space above the player and is limited to:

• The front by the palms of the hands,

• The rear by the buttocks, and

• The sides by the outer edge of the arms and legs.

The hands and arms may be extended in front of the torso no further than the position of the feet, with the arms bent at the elbows so that the forearms and hands are raised. The distance between his feet will vary according to his height.

Diagram 5 Cylinder principle

33.2. Principle of verticality

During the game, each player has the right to occupy any position (cylinder) on the playing court not already occupied by an opponent.

This principle protects the space on the floor which he occupies and the space above him when he jumps vertically within that space.

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As soon as the player leaves his vertical position (cylinder) and body contact occurs with an opponent who had already established his own vertical position (cylinder), the player who left his vertical position (cylinder) is responsible for the contact.

The defensive player must not be penalised for leaving the floor vertically (within his cylinder) or having his hands and arms extended above him within his own cylinder.

The offensive player, whether on the floor or airborne, shall not cause contact with the defensive player in a legal guarding position by:

• Using his arms to create more space for himself (pushing off).

• Spreading his legs or arms to cause contact during or immediately after a shot for a field goal.

33.3. Legal guarding position

A defensive player has established an initial legal guarding position when:

• He is facing his opponent, and

• He has both feet on the floor.

The legal guarding position extends vertically above him (cylinder) from the floor to the ceiling. He may raise his arms and hands above his head or jump vertically but he must maintain them in a vertical position inside the imaginary cylinder.

33.4. Guarding a player who controls the ball

When guarding a player who controls (holding or dribbling) the ball, the elements of time and distance do not apply.

The player with the ball must expect to be guarded and must be prepared to stop or change his direction whenever an opponent takes an initial legal guarding position in front of him, even if this is done within a fraction of a second.

The guarding (defensive) player must establish an initial legal guarding position without causing contact before taking his position.

Once the defensive player has established an initial legal guarding position, he may move to guard his opponent, but he may not extend his arms, shoulders, hips or legs to prevent the dribbler from passing by him.

When judging a charge/block situation involving a player with the ball, an official shall use the following principles:

• The defensive player must establish an initial legal guarding position by facing the player with the ball and having both feet on the floor.

• The defensive player may remain stationary, jump vertically, move laterally or backwards in order to maintain the initial legal guarding position.

• When moving to maintain the initial legal guarding position, one foot or both feet may be off the floor for an instant, as long as the movement is lateral or backwards, but not towards the player with the ball.

• Contact must occur on the torso, in which case the defensive player would be considered as having been at the place of contact first.

• Having established a legal guarding position, the defensive player may turn within his cylinder to avoid injury.

In any of the above situations, the contact shall be considered as having been caused by the player with the ball.

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33.5. Guarding a player who does not control the ball

A player who does not control the ball is entitled to move freely on the playing court and take any position not already occupied by another player.

When guarding a player who does not control the ball, the elements of time and distance shall apply. A defensive player cannot take a position so near and/or so quickly in the path of a moving opponent that the latter does not have sufficient time or distance either to stop or change his direction.

The distance is directly proportional to the speed of the opponent, but never less than 1 normal step.

If a defensive player does not respect the elements of time and distance in taking his initial legal guarding position and contact with an opponent occurs, he is responsible for the contact.

Once a defensive player has established an initial legal guarding position, he may move to guard his opponent. He may not prevent him from passing by extending his arms, shoulders, hips or legs in his path. He may turn within his cylinder to avoid injury.

33.6. A player who is in the air

A player who has jumped into the air from a place on the playing court has the right to land again at the same place.

He has the right to land on another place on the playing court provided that the lan-ding place and the direct path between the take-off and landing place is not already occupied by an opponent(s) at the time of take-off.

If a player has taken off and landed but his momentum causes him to contact an oppo-nent who has taken a legal guarding position beyond the landing place, the jumper is responsible for the contact.

An opponent may not move into the path of a player after that player has jumped into the air.

Moving under a player who is in the air and causing contact is usually an unsports-manlike foul and in certain circumstances may be a disqualifying foul.

33.7. Screening: Legal and illegal

Screening is an attempt to delay or prevent an opponent without the ball from reaching a desired position on the playing court.

Legal screening is when the player who is screening an opponent:

• Was stationary (inside his cylinder) when contact occurred.

• Had both feet on the floor when contact occurred.

Illegal screening is when the player who is screening an opponent:

• Was moving when contact occurred.

• Did not give sufficient distance in setting a screen outside the field of vision of a stationary opponent when contact occurred.

• Did not respect the elements of time and distance of an opponent in motion when contact occurred.

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If the screen is set within the field of vision of a stationary opponent (front or lateral), the screener may establish the screen as close to him as he wishes, provided there is no contact.

If the screen is set outside the field of vision of a stationary opponent, the screener must permit the opponent to take 1 normal step towards the screen without making contact.

If the opponent is in motion, the elements of time and distance shall apply. The screener must leave enough space so that the player who is being screened is able to avoid the screen by stopping or changing direction.

The distance required is never less than 1 and never more than 2 normal steps.

A player who is legally screened is responsible for any contact with the player who has set the screen.

33.8. Charging

Charging is illegal personal contact, with or without the ball, by pushing or moving into an opponent’s torso.

33.9. Blocking

Blocking is illegal personal contact which impedes the progress of an opponent with or without the ball.

A player who is attempting to screen is committing a blocking foul if contact occurs when he is moving and his opponent is stationary or retreating from him.

If a player disregards the ball, faces an opponent and shifts his position as the opponent shifts, he is primarily responsible for any contact that occurs, unless other factors are involved.

The expression 'unless other factors are involved' refers to deliberate pushing, charging or holding of the player who is being screened.

It is legal for a player to extend his arm(s) or elbow(s) outside of his cylinder in taking position on the floor but they must be moved inside his cylinder when an opponent attempts to pass by. If the arm(s) or elbow(s) are outside his cylinder and contact occurs, it is blocking or holding.

33.10. No-charge semi-circle areas

The no-charge semi-circle areas are drawn on the playing court for the purpose of designating a specific area for the interpretation of charge/block situations under the basket.

On any penetration play into the no-charge semi-circle area any contact caused by an airborne offensive player with a defensive player inside the no-charge semi-circle shall not be called as an offensive foul, unless the offensive player is illegally using his hands, arms, legs or body. This rule applies when:

• The offensive player is in control of the ball whilst airborne, and

• He attempts a shot for a field goal or passes off the ball, and

• The defensive player has one foot or both feet in contact with the no-charge semi-circle area.

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33.11. Contacting an opponent with the hand(s) and/or arm(s)

The touching of an opponent with the hand(s) is, in itself, not necessarily a foul.

The officials shall decide whether the player who caused the contact has gained an advantage. If contact caused by a player in any way restricts the freedom of movement of an opponent, such contact is a foul.

Illegal use of the hand(s) or extended arm(s) occurs when the defensive player is in a guarding position and his hand(s) or arm(s) is placed upon and remains in contact with an opponent with or without the ball, to impede his progress.

To repeatedly touch or 'jab' an opponent with or without the ball is a foul, as it may lead to rough play.

It is a foul by an offensive player with the ball to:

• 'Hook' or wrap an arm or an elbow around a defensive player in order to obtain an advantage.

• 'Push off' to prevent the defensive player from playing or attempting to play the ball, or to create more space for himself.

• Use an extended forearm or hand, while dribbling, to prevent an opponent from gaining control of the ball.

It is a foul by an offensive player without the ball to 'push off' to:

• Get free to catch the ball.

• Prevent the defensive player from playing or attempting to play the ball.

• Create more space for him.

33.12. Post play

The principle of verticality (cylinder principle) applies also to post play.

The offensive player in the post position and the defensive player guarding him must respect each other's rights to a vertical position (cylinder).

It is a foul by an offensive or defensive player in the post position to shoulder or hip his opponent out of position or to interfere with his opponent's freedom of movement using extended arms, shoulders, hips, legs or other parts of the body.

33.13. Illegal guarding from the rear

Illegal guarding from the rear is personal contact with an opponent, by a defensive player, from behind. The fact that the defensive player is attempting to play the ball does not justify his contact with an opponent from the rear.

33.14. Holding

Holding is illegal personal contact with an opponent that interferes with his freedom of movement. This contact (holding) can occur with any part of the body.

33.15. Pushing

Pushing is illegal personal contact with any part of the body where a player forcibly moves or attempts to move an opponent with or without the ball.

33.16. Fake being fouled

Fake is any action by a player to simulate that he has been fouled or to make theatrical exaggerated movements in order to create an opinion of being fouled and therefore gaining an advantage.

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Art. 34 Personal foul

34.1. Definition

34.1.1. A personal foul is a player’s illegal contact with an opponent, whether the ball is live or dead.

A player shall not hold, block, push, charge, trip or impede the progress of an oppo-nent by extending his hand, arm, elbow, shoulder, hip, leg, knee or foot, nor by ben-ding his body into an 'abnormal' position (outside his cylinder), nor shall he indulge in any rough or violent play.

34.2. Penalty

A personal foul shall be charged against the offender.

34.2.1. If the foul is committed on a player not in the act of shooting:

• The game shall be resumed with a throw-in by the non-offending team at the place nearest to the infraction.

• If the offending team is in the team foul penalty situation, then Art. 41 shall apply.

34.2.2. If the foul is committed on a player in the act of shooting, that player shall be awarded a number of free throws as follows:

• If the shot released from the field goal area is successful, the goal shall count and, in addition, 1 free throw.

• If the shot released from the 2-point field goal area is unsuccessful, 2 free throws.

• If the shot released from the 3-point field goal area is unsuccessful, 3 free throws.

• If the player is fouled as, or just before, the game clock signal sounds for the end of the quarter or overtime or as, or just before, the shot clock signal sounds, while the ball is still in the player's hand(s) and the field goal is successful, the goal shall not count and 2 or 3 free throws shall be awarded.

Art. 35 Double foul

35.1. Definition

35.1.1 A double foul is a situation in which 2 opponents commit personal fouls against each other at approximately the same time.

35.1.2 To consider 2 fouls as a double foul the following conditions must apply:

• Both fouls are player fouls.
• Both fouls involve physical contact.
• Both fouls are between the same 2 opponents fouling each other.
• Both fouls have the same penalty.

35.2. Penalty

A personal foul shall be charged against each offender. No free throws shall be awarded and the game shall be resumed as follows:

If at approximately the same time as the double foul:

• A valid field goal, or a last free throw is scored, the ball shall be awarded to the non-scoring team for a throw-in at any place behind that team’s endline.

• A team had control of the ball or was entitled to the ball, the ball shall be awarded to this team for a throw-in at the place nearest to the infraction.

• Neither team had control of the ball nor was entitled to the ball, a jump ball situation occurs.

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Art. 36 Technical foul

36.1. Rules of conduct

36.1.1. The proper conduct of the game demands the full and loyal cooperation of the players and team bench personnel with the officials, table officials and commissioner, if present.

36.1.2. Each team shall do its best to secure victory, but this must be done in the spirit of sportsmanship and fair play.

36.1.3. Any deliberate or repeated non-cooperation or non-compliance with the spirit and intent of this rule shall be considered as a technical foul.

36.1.4. The official may prevent technical fouls by giving warnings or even overlooking minor infractions which are obviously unintentional and have no direct effect upon the game, unless there is repetition of the same infraction after the warning.

36.1.5. If an infraction is recognised after the ball becomes live, the game shall be stopped and a technical foul charged. The penalty shall be administered as if the technical foul had occurred at the time it is charged. Whatever occurred during the interval between the infraction and the game being stopped shall remain valid.

36.2. Definition

36.2.1. A technical foul is a player non-contact foul of a behavioural nature including, but not limited to:

• Disregarding warnings given by officials.

• Disrespectfully dealing with the officials, the commissioner, the table officials or the team bench personnel.

• Disrespectfully communicating with the officials, the commissioner, the table officials or the opponents.

• Using language or gestures likely to offend or incite the spectators.

• Baiting and taunting an opponent

• Obstructing the vision of an opponent by waving/placing his hand(s) near his eyes.

• Excessive swinging of elbows.

• Delaying the game by deliberately touching the ball after it passes through the basket or by preventing a throw-in from being taken promptly.

• Fake being fouled.

• Hanging on the ring in such a way that the weight of the player is supported by the ring, unless a player grasps the ring momentarily following a dunk shot or, in the judgement of an official, is trying to prevent injury to himself or to another player.

• Goaltending during the last free throw by a defensive player. The offensive team shall be awarded 1 point, followed by the technical foul penalty charged against the defensive player.

36.2.2. A technical foul by any person permitted to sit on the team bench is a foul for disrespectfully communicating with or touching the officials, the commissioner, the table officials or the opponents, or an infraction of a procedural or an administrative nature.

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36.2.3. A player shall be disqualified for the remainder of the game when he is charged with 2 technical fouls, or 2 unsportsmanlike fouls, or with 1 unsportsmanlike foul and 1 technical foul.

36.2.4. A coach shall be disqualified for the remainder of the game when:

• He is charged with 2 technical fouls ('C') as a result of his personal unsports-manlike behaviour.

• He is charged with 3 technical fouls, either all of them ('B') or one of them ('C'), as a result of the unsportsmanlike behaviour of other persons permitted to sit on the team bench.

36.2.5. If a player or a coach is disqualified under Art. 36.2.3 or Art. 36.2.4, that technical foul shall be the only foul to be penalised and no additional penalty for the disqualification shall be administered.

36.3. Penalty

36.3.1. If a technical foul is committed:

• By a player, a technical foul shall be charged against him as a player foul and shall count as one of the team fouls.

• By any person permitted to sit on the team bench, a technical foul shall be charged against the coach and shall not count as one of the team fouls.

36.3.2. The opponents shall be awarded 1 free throw. The game shall be resumed as follows:

• The free throw shall be administered immediately. After the free throw, the throw-in shall be administered by the team which had control of the ball or was entitled to the ball when the technical foul was called, from the place nearest to where the ball was located when the game was stopped.

• The free throw shall also be administered immediately, regardless whether the order of any other possible penalties for any other fouls has been determined or whether the administration of the penalties has been started. After the free throw for a technical foul, the game shall be resumed by the team which had control of the ball or was entitled to the ball when the technical foul was called, from the place where the game has been interrupted for the technical foul penalty.

• If neither team had control of the ball nor was entitled to the ball, a jump ball situation occurs.

• With a jump ball in the centre circle to begin the first quarter.

Art. 37 Unsportsmanlike foul

37.1. Definition

37.1.1. An unsportsmanlike foul is a player contact foul which, in the judgement of an official is:

• Not a legitimate attempt to directly play the ball within the spirit and intent of the rules.

• Excessive, hard contact caused by a player in an effort to play the ball or an opponent.

• An unnecessary contact caused by the defensive player in order to stop the pro-gress of the offensive team in transition. This applies until the offensive player begins his act of shooting.

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• Contact by the defensive player from behind or laterally on an opponent in an attempt to stop the fast break and there is no defensive player between the offensive player and the opponent’s basket. This applies until the offensive player begins his act of shooting.

• Contact by the defensive player on an opponent on the playing court when the game clock shows 2:00 minutes or less in the fourth quarter and in each overtime, when the ball is out-of-bounds for a throw-in and still in the hands of the official or at the disposal of the player taking the throw-in.

37.1.2. The official must interpret the unsportsmanlike fouls consistently throughout the game and to judge only the action.

37.2. Penalty

37.2.1. An unsportsmanlike foul shall be charged against the offender.

37.2.2. Free throw(s) shall be awarded to the player who was fouled, followed by:

• A throw-in from the throw-in line in the team’s frontcourt.

• A jump ball in the centre circle to begin the first quarter.

The number of free throws shall be awarded as follows:

• If the foul is committed on a player not in the act of shooting: 2 free throws.

• If the foul is committed on a player in the act of shooting: the goal, if made, shall count and, in addition, 1 free throw.

• If the foul is committed on a player in the act of shooting and the goal is not made, 2 or 3 free throws.

37.2.3. A player shall be disqualified for the remainder of the game when he is charged with 2 unsportsmanlike fouls or 2 technical fouls, or with 1 technical foul and 1 unsports-manlike foul.

37.2.4. If a player is disqualified under Art. 37.2.3, the unsportsmanlike foul shall be the only foul to be penalised and no additional penalty for the disqualification shall be administered.

Art. 38 Disqualifying foul

38.1. Definition

38.1.1. A disqualifying foul is any flagrant unsportsmanlike action by players, substitutes, coaches, assistant coaches, excluded players and accompanying delegation members.

38.1.2. A coach who has received a disqualifying foul shall be replaced by the assistant coach as entered on the scoresheet. If no assistant coach is entered on the scoresheet, he shall be replaced by the captain (CAP).

38.2. Violence

38.2.1. Acts of violence may occur during the game, contrary to the spirit of sportsmanship and fair play. These should be stopped immediately by the officials and, if necessary, by public order enforcement officers.

38.2.2. Whenever acts of violence occur involving players on the playing court or in its vicinity, the officials shall take the necessary action to stop them.

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38.2.3. Any of the above persons who are guilty of flagrant acts of aggression against opponents or officials shall be disqualified. The crew chief must report the incident to the organising body of the competition.

38.2.4. Public order enforcement officers may enter the playing court only if requested to do so by the officials. However, should spectators enter the playing court with the obvious intention of committing acts of violence, the public order enforcement officers must intervene immediately to protect the teams and officials.

38.2.5. All areas beyond the playing court or its vicinity, including entrances, exits, hallways, dressing rooms, etc., come under the jurisdiction of the organising body of the competition and the public order enforcement officers.

38.2.6. Physical actions by players or any person permitted to sit on the team bench, which could lead to damaging of game equipment, must not be permitted by the officials.

When behaviour of this nature is observed by the officials, the coach of the offending team shall be given a warning.

Should the action(s) be repeated, a technical or even disqualifying foul shall immedia-tely be called on the individual(s) involved.

38.3. Penalty

38.3.1. A disqualifying foul shall be charged against the offender.

38.3.2. Whenever the offender is disqualified according to the respective articles of these rules, he shall go to and remain in his team's dressing room for the duration of the game or, if he so wishes, he shall leave the building.

38.3.3. Free throw(s) shall be awarded:

• To any opponent, as designated by his coach in the case of a non-contact foul.

• To the player who was fouled in the case of a contact foul.

• A throw-in from the throw-in line in the team’s frontcourt.

• A jump ball in the centre circle to begin the first quarter.

38.3.4. The number of free throws shall be awarded as follows:

• If the foul is a non-contact foul: 2 free throws.

• If the foul is committed on a player not in the act of shooting: 2 free throws.

• If the foul is committed on a player in the act of shooting: the goal, if made, shall count and in addition 1 free throw.

• If the foul is committed on a player in the act of shooting and the goal is not made: 2 or 3 free throws.

• If the foul is a disqualification of a coach: 2 free throws.

• If the foul is a disqualification of an assistant coach, substitute, excluded player or an accompanying delegation member, this foul is charged against the coach as a technical foul: 2 free throws.

In addition, if a disqualification of an assistant coach, substitute, excluded player or an accompanying delegation member after leaving the team bench area is for their active participation during any fight:

• For each single disqualifying foul of an assistant coach, substitute and excluded player: 2 free throws. All disqualifying fouls shall be charged against each offender.

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• For each single disqualifying foul of any accompanying delegation member: 2 free throws. All disqualifying fouls shall be charged against the coach.
  
  

All free-throw penalties shall be executed, unless there are equal penalties against the opponent’s team to be cancelled.

Art. 39 Fighting

39.1. Definition

Fighting is physical interaction between 2 or more opponents (players, substitutes, coaches, assistant coaches, excluded players and accompanying delegation members).

This article only applies to the substitutes, coaches, assistant coaches, excluded players and accompanying delegation members who leave the confines of the team bench area during a fight or during any situation which may lead to a fight.

39.2. Rule

39.2.1. Substitutes, excluded players or accompanying delegation members who leave the team bench area during a fight, or during any situation which may lead to a fight, shall be disqualified.

39.2.2. Only the coach and/or assistant coach are permitted to leave the team bench area during a fight, or during any situation which may lead to a fight, to assist the officials to maintain or to restore order. In this situation, they shall not be disqualified.

39.2.3. If a coach and/or assistant coach leaves the team bench area and does not assist or attempt to assist the officials to maintain or to restore order, they shall be disqualified.

39.3. Penalty

39.3.1. Irrespective of the number of persons disqualified for leaving the team bench area, a single technical foul (‘B’) shall be charged against the coach.

39.3.2. If persons of both teams are disqualified under this article and there are no other foul penalties remaining for administration, the game shall be resumed as follows.

If at approximately the same time as the game was stopped because of the fighting:

• A valid field goal or a last free throw is scored, the ball shall be awarded to the non-scoring team for a throw-in at any place behind that team’s endline.

• A team had control of the ball or was entitled to the ball, the ball shall be awarded to that team for a throw-in at the place nearest to where the ball was located when the fighting started.

• Neither team has control of the ball nor was entitled to the ball, a jump ball situation occurs.

39.3.3. All disqualifying fouls shall be recorded as described in B.8.3 and shall not count as a team foul.

39.3.4. All possible foul penalties against players on the playing court involved in a fight or any situation which leads to a fight, shall be dealt with in accordance with Art. 42.

39.3.5. All possible disqualification foul penalties against assistant coach, substitute, excluded player or an accompanying delegation member involved actively in a fight or any situation which leads to a fight, shall be penalised in accordance with Art. 38.3.4, sixth bullet.

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