Rule 10 / 11 — Ball / Player at the Net

1. The rule (10.1.2) gives the right to recover the ball from the opponent team’s free zone. During the match, the players and coaches must recognize practically and make the appropriate movement if in the free zone to give space to the opponent player who will recover the ball to his / her court.

If the ball rebounds from the player and goes towards the opponent or his / her free zone, close to the second referee, in this case the second referee should move in a way to refrain from collision and ensure the player can play with the ball. While giving way to the player the second referee shouldn’t jump, run, and turn his / her back to the playing action. In addition, the second referee will not move to the direction either of the ball or of the player chasing the ball. As the player plays the ball the second referee must adjust his / her view, so as to see the ball, the player and the direction of the retrieved ball.

Similarly, if the ball is coming behind the first referee and towards the opponent’s free zone, advertisement panels, spectator stands, the first referee should arrange his / her movements in such a way that he / she spreads one of his / her feet to the side and rotates his / her whole body (not just his/. Her head and/or upper torso). The main reason for the first referee’s recommended movement pattern is to enable him / her to observe, among others:

a) Faults in playing the ball of the player

b) Possible injuries of the player

c) The direction of flight of the ball in case of a retrieving action

d) External interference in the playing area

If the ball crosses the vertical plane of the net, within the crossing space, to the opponent’s free zone and is touched by the player attempting to return this ball back, the referees must whistle the fault at the moment of the contact and show “out”.

2. The action of playing the ball at the net finishes when the player, after a secure landing, is ready to make another action.

The action of playing the ball is any action of players who are close to the ball and are trying to play it, even if no contact is made with the ball. Attention should be paid to the following situations:

If a player at the net completes his/her action of playing the ball by making a secure landing, and then brushes the net while getting ready to make another action, no fault is committed. Touching the net after having made a secure landing is not a fault unless it interferes with the play.

If a player is in his/her playing position on his/her court and the ball is driven from the opposing side into the net and causes the net to touch the player no fault is committed by the latter. The player may apply a movement defending his/her body but has no right to do an active action towards the ball in order to change deliberately the path of the rebounding ball. The latter situation should be considered as a faulty net touch.

Where a payer makes an incidental contact with an opponent, this should not automatically be considered as a fault, where both players had a legitimate cause to be competing for the ball. Should such accidental contact force an opponent to make a net touch fault, this should not be regards as a fault by either player. However, should this contact be seen as a consequence of a deliberate attempt to make an opponent fault and / or confuse or distract the referees, the rally should be stopped, and a point awarded to the non-offending team. Then a misconduct sanction should be applied to the player for his / her action in accordance with the sanction scale.

Contact with the net by a player’s hair: This must only be considered a fault if it is clear that it affected the opponent’s ability to play the ball or interrupted the rally (e.g., a ponytail gets tangled in the net).

3. If the player touches an external part of the net (top band outside the antennas, cables, poles, etc.), this is can never be considered as a fault, unless it affects the structural integrity of the net itself or the net touch is deliberate.

4. When the penetration into the opponent court beyond the centre line is with the foot, i.e., the foot touches the floor on the opponent’s court, to be legal, a part of it should remain in contact with the center line or above it.

5. On account of the top quality of the teams participating, the game near the net is of fundamental importance and the referees must be attentive to cases of net fault or interference.

It is a Net Fault when:

a) The net between the antennae is contact by the player during the action of playing the ball, or attempting to play the ball, or faking a play on the ball

It is Interference when:

b) The natural rebound is affected by the deliberate action of an opponent moving towards the net, or

c) Where the net is caught and the ball is through out of the net (sling shot), or

d) A player is preventing an opponent from moving to reach the ball legitimately, or

e) Breaking the ropes through contact / catching them

6. Many contacts occur in a match, but the referee should whistle (e.g., first referee in the case of reaching beyond the net; second referee in the case of penetration of the centre line) a player if he / she interfered with or stopped the opponent’s ability to play. Interference means a player stops an opponent from moving, or playing the ball, or disturbing the opponent while attempting to play the ball. Interference may occur even if there is no physical contact between the players. The first referee has the right to stop the game due to the fault of the penetrating player and if necessary to warn / sanction him / her is he / she acted deliberately.

7. In order to facilitate the collaborative work of the two referees, the division of work shall be as follows:

a) The first referee will concentrate primarily on the path of the ball

b) The second referee will focus on the net faults during the entire length of play at the net.