Fouls and strikes violating the rules
- Biting, eye gouging, spitting or head butting.
- Wrestling, back or arm locks or any similar judo or wrestling hold.
- Deliberately falling on the opponent.
- Holding the ropes for any reason.
- Swearing or the use of abusive language during the contest.
- Knocking out or injuring the opponent after the referee has ordered the contest to stop for any reason.
- Deliberately striking the groin area.
- This will be penalised by the deduction of 1 point for each time committed.
- An athlete, who has been hit in the groin, may request a 5 minute break before continuing the contest.
- Deliberately striking the back of the head of an opponent
FOOTBALL
Dimensions
The field of play must be rectangular and also the touch line must be greater than the length of the touch line.
Length minimum 100m, maximum 110m
Width minimum 64m, maximum75m
Field Markings
The field of play is marked with lines and each belongs to areas of which they are boundaries. The two longer boundary lines are touch lines and the shorter called goal lines. Also all lines are not more than 12 cm wide. The centre mark is indicated at the midpoint of the halfway line. A circle with a radius of 9.15 m is marked around it.
The Goal Area
A goal area is defined at each end of the field: Two lines are drawn at right angles to the goal line, 5.5 m from the inside of each goalpost. These lines extend into the field of play for a distance of 5.5 m and are joined by a line drawn parallel with the goal line
The Penalty Area
A penalty area is defined at each end of the field: Two lines are drawn at right angles to the goal line, 16.5 m from the inside of each goalpost. These lines extend into the field of play for a distance of 16.5 m and are joined by a line drawn parallel with the goal line. Within each penalty area a penalty mark is made 11 m from the midpoint between the goalposts. An arc of a circle with a radius of 9.15 m from each penalty mark is drawn outside the penalty area.
Flagposts
A flagpost not less than 1.5 m high, without a pointed top and a flag is placed at each corner.
The Corner Arc
A quarter circle with a radius of 1 m from each corner flagpost is drawn inside the field of play.
Goals
Goals consist of two upright posts equidistant from the corner flagposts and joined at the top by a horizontal crossbar.
The distance between the posts is 7.32 m and the distance from the lower edge of the crossbar to the ground is 2.44 m.
Both goalposts and the crossbar do not exceed 12 cm. The goal lines are the same width as that of the goalposts and the crossbar. The goalposts and crossbars must be white.
Safety
Goals must be anchored securely to the ground. Portable goals may only be used if they satisfy this requirement.
Decisions of the international FA board
1. If the crossbar becomes displaced or broken the play is stopped until it has been repaired or replaced in position. If a repair is not possible, the match is abandoned. If the crossbar can be repaired, the match is restarted with a dropped ball at the place where the ball was located when play was stopped.
2. Goalposts and crossbars must be made of wood, metal or other approved material. Their shape may be square, rectangular, round or elliptical and they mustn’t be dangerous to players.
3. No kind of commercial advertising, is permitted on the field of play and field equipment from the time the teams enter the field of play until they have left it at half-time and from the time the teams re-enter the field of play until the end of the match. No advertising material of any kind may be displayed on goals, nets, flagposts or their flags.
4. There shall be no advertising of any kind within the technical area or within one metre from the touch line and outside the field of play on the ground.
5. The reproduction, of representative logos or emblems of FIFA, confederations, national associations, leagues, clubs or other bodies, is forbidden on the field of play during playing time.
The ball must be:
- spherical
- made of leather or other suitable material
- not more than 450 g in weight and not less than 410 g at the start of the match
- of a pressure equal to 0.6 - 1.1 atmosphere (600 - 1100 g/cm2) at sea level (8.5 lbs/sq in 15.6 lbs/sq in)
Replacement of a Defective Ball
If the ball bursts or becomes defective during the course of a match the match will be stopped and then restarted by dropping the replacement ball at the place where the first ball became defected
If the ball bursts or becomes defective whilst not in play at a kick-off, goal kick, corner kick, free kick, penalty kick or throw-in the match will be restarted accordingly
The ball may not be changed during the match without the authority of the referee.
Decisions of the International FA Board
1. In competition matches, only footballs which meet the minimum technical requirements are permitted for use.
In FIFA competitions and in competition matches organised under the auspices of the confederations acceptance of a football for use is conditional upon the football bearing one of the following three designations:
Either the official FIFA approved or the FIFA inspected logo or the reference “International Matchball Standard"
Such a designation on a football indicates that it has been tested officially and found to be in fulfilment with specific technological requirements. The list of the additional requirements specific to each of the relevant categories must be approved by the International F.A. Board. The institutes conducting the tests are subject to the approval of FIFA.
National association competitions may require the use of balls bearing any one of these three designations.
2. In FIFA competition matches and in competition matches organised under the auspices of the confederations and national associations, no kind of commercial advertising on the ball is permitted, except for the emblem of the competition, the competition organiser and the authorised trademark of the manufacturer.
Duties
Two assistant referees are appointed whose duties, subject to the decision of the referee, are to indicate:
- when the whole of the ball has passed out of the field of play
- which side is entitled to a corner kick, goal kick or throw-in
- when a player may be penalised for being in an offside position
- when a substitution is requested
- when misconduct or any other incident has occurred out of the view of the referee
- when offences have been committed whenever the assistants are closer to the action than the referee (this includes, in particular circumstances, offences committed in the penalty area)
- whether, at penalty kicks, the goalkeeper has moved forward before the ball has been kicked and if the ball has crossed the line
Assistance
The assistant referees also assist the referee to control the match in accordance with the Laws of the Game. In particular, they may enter the field of play to help control the 9.15m distance.
Goal Scored
A goal is scored when the whole of the ball passes over the goal line, between the goalposts and under the crossbar, provided that no infringement of the Laws of the Game has been committed previously by the team scoring the goal.
The team scoring the greater number of goals during a match is the winner. If both teams score an equal number of goals the match is drawn.
Competition Rules
For matches ending in a draw, competition rules may state provisions involving extra time, or other procedures approved by the International F.A. Board to determine the winner of a match.
Offside Position
It is not an offence in itself to be in an offside position. A player is in an offside position if he is nearer to his opponents' goal line than both the ball and the second last opponent
A player is not in an offside position if:
- he is in his own half of the field of play
- he is level with the second last opponent
- he is level with the last two opponents
Offence
A player in an offside position is only penalised if, at the moment the ball touches or is played by one of his team, he is, in the opinion of the referee, involved in active play by:
- interfering with play
- interfering with an opponent
- gaining an advantage by being in that position
No Offence
There is no offside offence if a player receives the ball directly from:
- a goal kick
- a throw-in
- a corner kick
Infringements or Sanctions
For any offside offence, the referee awards an indirect free kick to the opposing team to be taken from the place where the infringement occurred.
The Penalty Kick
A penalty kick is awarded against a team which commits one of the ten offences for which direct free kicks is awarded, inside its own penalty area and while the ball is in play. A goal may be scored directly from a penalty kick. Additional time is allowed for a penalty kick to be taken at the end of each half or at the end of periods of extra time.
Position of the Ball and the Players
The ball is placed on the penalty mark. The player taking the penalty kick is properly identified and the defending goalkeeper remains on his goal line, facing the kicker, between the goalposts until the ball has been kicked
The players other than the kicker are located:
- inside the field of play
- outside the penalty area
- behind the penalty mark
- at least 9.15 m from the penalty mark
The Referee does not signal for a penalty kick to be taken until the players have taken up position in accordance with the Law and decides when a penalty kick has been completed
Procedure
- the player taking the penalty kicks the ball forward
- he does not play the ball a second time until it has touched another player
- the ball is in play when it is kicked and moves forward
When a penalty kick is taken during the normal course of play, or time has been extended at half-time or full time to allow a penalty kick to be taken or retaken, a goal is awarded if, before passing between the goalposts and under the crossbar the ball touches either or both of the goalposts and/or the crossbar, and/or the goalkeeper
Infringements or Sanctions
If the referee gives the signal for a penalty kick to be taken and, before the ball is in play, one of the following situations occurs:
The player taking the penalty kick infringes the Laws of the Game:
- the referee allows the kick to proceed
- if the ball enters the goal, the kick is retaken
- if the ball does not enter the goal, the kick is not retaken
The goalkeeper infringes the Laws of the Game:
- the referee allows the kick to proceed
- if the ball enters the goal, a goal is awarded
- if the ball does not enter the goal, the kick is retaken
A team-mate of the player taking the kick enters the penalty area or moves in front of or within 9.5 m of the penalty mark:
- the referee allows the kick to proceed
- if the ball enters the goal, the kick is retaken
- if the ball does not enter the goal, the kick is not retaken
A team-mate of the goalkeeper enters the penalty area or moves in front of or within 9.15 m of the penalty mark:
- the referee allows the kick to proceed
- if the ball enters the goal, a goal is awarded
- if the ball does not enter the goal, the kick is retaken
A player of both the defending team and the attacking team infringe the Laws of the Game therefore the game is retaken
If, after the penalty kick has been taken: The kicker touches the ball a second time (except with his hands) before it has touched another player:
- an indirect free kick is awarded to the opposing team, the kick to be taken from the place where the infringement occurred
The kicker deliberately handles the ball before it has touched another player:
- a direct free kick is awarded to the opposing team, the kick to be taken from the place where the infringement occurred
The ball is touched by an outside agent as it moves forward:
The ball rebounds into the field of play from the goalkeeper, the crossbar or the goalposts, and is then touched by an outside agent:
- the referee stops play
- play is restarted with a dropped ball at the place where it touched the outside agent