The Challenge Referee’s headset failed mid-match.
What is the best solution to continue the match and maintain Challenge capability?
Ruling
Spare headsets should be located with the Challenge Referee. While the complete communication network remains ideal, if spares are not to hand, the scorer must function without a headset, and can interact with the referees with hand signals, or by face to face dialogue with the 2nd referee. The Challenge Referee must therefore receive the scorer’s push-to-talk headset.
Data for two substitutions was sent by the assistant coach. However, a different pair of players entered the substitution zone.
What should the 2nd referee / 3rd referee and scorer do?
Ruling
The actual request is the entrance of the substitute player(s) into the substitution zone. The electronic team tablet (ETT) in this case does not over-ride the rule text. The technology is designed to help, but human error can occur, and must not be used as a basis of refusing the substitution.
The 2nd referee (or 3rd referee) and scorer should simply accept the players who enter the substitution zone, provided they are legal. The scorer should accept on the e-score one by one rather than “accept all”.
The scorer should speak the phrase “going manual” through the headset, so that the 2nd referee knows to allow a little more time for the scorer to “drag and drop” the new players into the line-up on the e-score computer.
Rule: 15.10.3.1, 15.10.4
In an FIVB World competition, numbered paddles were not used.
Is this correct?
Ruling
In top level events, played over a lengthy period, larger squads are permitted, so numbers may be up to 99, for example.
As a consequence, numbered paddles are impractical.
Additionally, the paddles can create multiple mistakes in themselves, leading to possible and undesirable delay sanctions.
Not using the paddles here is the better option.
However, where full technology is not used, and where squad numbers are according to normal practice, the paddles should still be used.
Rule: 15.10.3.3
Using the Tablet, the coach transmits data for a time out a fraction of a second before the scorer presses start rally, but crucially the 1st referee’s
whistle.
The players are walking to the bench as the opponent serves into an empty court.
What should the 1st referee do to maintain the integrity of the game?
Ruling
The 1st referee can apply the concept of smooth refereeing to avoid confusion.
Here, the situation was precipitated by the scorer’s inattention, as the time out horn should have been automatically disengaged by the start rally button.
The 1st referee could use discretion here, to help the image of the sport, by converting the service signal smoothly into a time out signal.
Rule: 15.11.1, 15.11.1.1,16.1.4
During the rally, the ball strikes the net then penetrates completely to the opponent side, before being recovered. The complete penetration was only confirmed to the challenging team when it challenged for net fault.
Ruling
The rules state that the ball is “out” when it passes completely under the net. According to the Challenge Regulations, the first fault which is seen during the video verification, even if not the action which is being challenged, will decide the rally.
Here, although the challenge was for net fault, and there was no net fault, the 1st referee was able to confirm his original decision that the ball was played when completely on the side of the USA team. This is the fault whistled.
On the other hand, this situation happened because the net was not as taut as it should have been. This must be checked and fixed before the match and controlled during the match, to avoid situations similar to this causing a “bitter” taste to the teams.
Rules: 8.4.5
A player listed on the line‐up transmitted by the team was injured before the start of the match.
What happens with the electronic score sheet?
Ruling
Transmitted line ups count in the same way as a written and signed line up sheet. Therefore, the player may be replaced but this would count as a substitution, unless special rules are applied for the given event.
Rules:7.3.2, 7.3.4
A player arrived in correct time in the substitution zone – but no data had been transmitted.
How is this handled?
Ruling
The official request for substitution is when the substitute player(s) enter the substitution zone.
Therefore, the scorer, before any action, should check if the request is legal.
If it is, he/ she should accept the request manually, and speak into the microphone “going manual”, to prepare for allowing a little more time for the administration of the exchange of players.
If the request is illegal, it should be rejected and the referees have to follow the respective rules.
Rules 15.5.1, 16.1.3
After a Challenge, it was clear that the Video Challenge Operators had shown the wrong video clip.
What option does the 1st referee have in this circumstance?
Ruling
The 1st referee must appreciate that the Video Challenge System is designed to ensure fairness, as far as possible in decision making.
Hence, the 1st referee should insist that the correct video is shown, and should simply not accept unconditionally.
Where the Video Challenge System operates, teams are allowed to challenge for suspected faults perhaps missed by the referees.
If the opponent admits the fault, how should the 1st referee react?
Ruling
In the spirit of fair play, the admission by the opponent is welcome. The 1st referee can, therefore, accept the player’s admission and hence prevent the challenge being required or cancel the challenge process.
In the 2023 edition of the VNL Finals, the Fair Play Moment was tested, to avoid the waste of time for video revision when a team recognizes the block touch or the net touch.
Rules:7.3.2, 7.3.4