The International Hockey Federation (FIH) released the revised free hit rules because of the great interest in them. The next Rules of Hockey will take affect from 1 May 2009 and the full set of rules will be published as soon as possible. Please find below the text of the revised free hit rules.
The text of the free hit rules which will apply in international hockey from 1 May 2009 is provided below.
One of the objectives of the FIH and therefore of the Hockey Rules Board (HRB) is to decrease the number and duration of interruptions to the flow of play and to increase the length of time the ball is in active play. A “self-pass” from a free hit has therefore been introduced. It enables the player taking the free hit to play the ball again after taking the free hit which will encourage free-flowing hockey.
As with other actions on the hockey pitch, this must take place safely. Other aspects of the free hit rules have therefore been reviewed. The HRB is concerned that the ball is often played hard, indiscriminately and therefore potentially dangerously into the circle from free hits in the attacking 23 metres area. In future, these free hits must not be played directly into the circle.
FIH believes these are indications of the way it wishes to see hockey develop. Exciting innovations will take place but there will also always be a concern that the game should be as safe as reasonably possible.
These Rules changes above are referred to as Mandatory Experimental Rules. They are mandatory because they must be played throughout hockey; they are experimental to show that they will be reviewed after experience before deciding if they become permanent Rules. When the full set of the Rules of Hockey is published, small changes to some wording and various additional notes will also added to clarify certain current rules. It is anticipated that the full set of Rules will be published in the next month or so.
The text of the relevant free hit Rules will be as follows:
13.1 Location of a free hit:
a a free hit is taken close to where the offence occurred
‘Close to’ means within playing distance of where the offence occurred and with no significant advantage gained.
The location from which a free hit is taken must be more precise inside the 23 metres area.
b a free hit awarded within 5 metres of the circle to the attack is taken at the nearest point 5 metres from the circle
c a free hit awarded outside the circle to the defence within 15 metres of the back-line is taken up to 15 metres from the back-line in line with the location of the offence, parallel to the side-line
d a free hit awarded inside the circle to the defence is taken anywhere inside the circle or up to 15 metres from the back-line in line with the location of the offence, parallel to the side-line.
13.2 Procedures for taking a free hit, centre pass and putting the ball back into play after it has been outside the field:
a the ball must be stationary
b opponents must be at least 5 metres from the ball
If an opponent is within 5 metres of the ball, they must not interfere with the taking of the free hit or must not play or attempt to play the ball. If this player is not playing the ball, attempting to play the ball or influencing play, the free hit need not be delayed.
c when a free hit is awarded to the attack within the 23 metres area, all players other than the player taking the free hit must be at least 5 metres from the ball
d the ball is moved using a push or hit
e the ball must not be raised intentionally directly from the free hit
f if the player taking the free hit is the next player to play the ball, the actions of taking the free hit and of next playing the ball must be two separate actions
g before another player of the team which took the free hit is allowed to play the ball, the ball must move at least 1 metre
The ball does not have to move 1 metre before the player taking the free hit may play the ball again.
h from a free hit awarded to the attack within the 23 metres area, the ball must not be played into the circle until it has travelled at least 5 metres or has been touched by a player of either team other than the player taking the free hit.
WorldHockey
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Double blow for Sports School
BUKIT Jalil Sports School (BJSS) received a double blow this season as the new format for the local league will rob them of one tournament, and they will only be fielding under- 17 players.
BJSS, the double champions last year, have a collection of ten titles under their belt -- six League and Four Overall. They were the ‘unbeatable’ in the JHL since 2003, as they won 24 out of 25 matches - losing only to Petaling Jaya City Council in the 2006 Overall title hunt.
Last season, BJSS fielded a team in the Junior Hockey League (JHL) and also played in the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL), but a change in format will see them play in only one tournament this year.
The Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) competitions committee has decided that this year, there will no longer be a JHL and MHL, but a premier Division and Division One for the seniors, and Division Two and Three for the under-19 boys.
And unlike previous years, the Under-19 team or their players cannot take part in the Premier and Division One.
“Last season we were in an ideal situation because BJSS played in the MHL and also the JHL, but it looks like we will have to make do with only one tournament after the format was changes,” lamented BJSS coach S. Prakash.
But Prakash does not mind fielding only under-17 boys, as his older charges are in training for the Junior World Cup on June 7-21.
The MHF have also decided not to release the World Cup trainees for the local leagues.
“We were a much stronger team in the past seasons because we had pre-university boys with us, but this year, we will only be fielding under-71 boys.
“But that is not a problem, because the duty of the school is to provide national material, and we are glad to be able to blood more youngsters,” Prakash.
But with the new format, the quality playing hours of BJSS boys will be drastically reduced.
The under-19 tournament will start on Feb 20, while the Premier Division is slated sometime in October.
BJSS, the double champions last year, have a collection of ten titles under their belt -- six League and Four Overall. They were the ‘unbeatable’ in the JHL since 2003, as they won 24 out of 25 matches - losing only to Petaling Jaya City Council in the 2006 Overall title hunt.
Last season, BJSS fielded a team in the Junior Hockey League (JHL) and also played in the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL), but a change in format will see them play in only one tournament this year.
The Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) competitions committee has decided that this year, there will no longer be a JHL and MHL, but a premier Division and Division One for the seniors, and Division Two and Three for the under-19 boys.
And unlike previous years, the Under-19 team or their players cannot take part in the Premier and Division One.
“Last season we were in an ideal situation because BJSS played in the MHL and also the JHL, but it looks like we will have to make do with only one tournament after the format was changes,” lamented BJSS coach S. Prakash.
But Prakash does not mind fielding only under-17 boys, as his older charges are in training for the Junior World Cup on June 7-21.
The MHF have also decided not to release the World Cup trainees for the local leagues.
“We were a much stronger team in the past seasons because we had pre-university boys with us, but this year, we will only be fielding under-71 boys.
“But that is not a problem, because the duty of the school is to provide national material, and we are glad to be able to blood more youngsters,” Prakash.
But with the new format, the quality playing hours of BJSS boys will be drastically reduced.
The under-19 tournament will start on Feb 20, while the Premier Division is slated sometime in October.
Grey areas a worrying factor
THERE are plenty of grey areas in the proposed auto-play rule which the International Hockey Federation (FIH) aim to introduce by May, but still the Malaysian Hockey Federation Umpires Board (MHFUB) will use it for the Under-19 tour nament which starts on Feb 20.
In a gist, the auto-play rule no longer requires a player to pass the ball from a free hit, before he can play it again. The player can now immediately start attacking from a free-hit, making the game much faster.
The Euro Hockey League has already started using it.
“We have yet to receive a draft of the proposed rule change from FIH, and I will be writing to them soon to clear some matters as the Umpires Board feels the players should be given a head start as we will be hosting the Junior World Cup in June,” said MHFUB chairman Amarjit Singh.
The new rule is set to cause more misery to defenders, as players taking a free-hit just outside the opponents semi- circle may be allowed to run with the ball into the semi-circle and take a hit at goal, or manufacture a penalty corner.
“These are some of the grey areas which has yet to be addressed by the FIH, and when we hold a meeting on Feb 15, we hope to have more answers so that we can advise teams taking part in the Under-19 tournament on the correct procedures,” said Amarjit.
Malaysia will co-host the Junior World Cup with Singapore on June 7-21, and it is highly likely that the new rule will be used.
Meanwhile, the International class umpires pool has al most reached its last drop in Malaysia, as Amarjit is the only one eligible to umpire in the Junior World Cup.
“Yes, I am the only one left standing, but I have yet to receive an appointment from the FIH for the Junior World Cup.
“The situation is quite bad, as even though we have a pool of about 200 umpires, but the majority are too old as the youth are staying away.
“The MHFUB held its first meeting recently, and we will come out with a guidebook for umpires this month, and with the help of the Education Ministry, we hope to have a pool of young teachers soon.”
Amarjit is also of the opinion that club and national coaches should also undergo umpires courses, as it will make them more tolerant when sitting on the bench.
“I will speak to coaching committee chairman Dr Balbir Singh on how we can work together to have some umpiring courses for the coaches, and hopefully, there will not be many disputes once they come to terms with certain rules,” said Amarjit.
In a gist, the auto-play rule no longer requires a player to pass the ball from a free hit, before he can play it again. The player can now immediately start attacking from a free-hit, making the game much faster.
The Euro Hockey League has already started using it.
“We have yet to receive a draft of the proposed rule change from FIH, and I will be writing to them soon to clear some matters as the Umpires Board feels the players should be given a head start as we will be hosting the Junior World Cup in June,” said MHFUB chairman Amarjit Singh.
The new rule is set to cause more misery to defenders, as players taking a free-hit just outside the opponents semi- circle may be allowed to run with the ball into the semi-circle and take a hit at goal, or manufacture a penalty corner.
“These are some of the grey areas which has yet to be addressed by the FIH, and when we hold a meeting on Feb 15, we hope to have more answers so that we can advise teams taking part in the Under-19 tournament on the correct procedures,” said Amarjit.
Malaysia will co-host the Junior World Cup with Singapore on June 7-21, and it is highly likely that the new rule will be used.
Meanwhile, the International class umpires pool has al most reached its last drop in Malaysia, as Amarjit is the only one eligible to umpire in the Junior World Cup.
“Yes, I am the only one left standing, but I have yet to receive an appointment from the FIH for the Junior World Cup.
“The situation is quite bad, as even though we have a pool of about 200 umpires, but the majority are too old as the youth are staying away.
“The MHFUB held its first meeting recently, and we will come out with a guidebook for umpires this month, and with the help of the Education Ministry, we hope to have a pool of young teachers soon.”
Amarjit is also of the opinion that club and national coaches should also undergo umpires courses, as it will make them more tolerant when sitting on the bench.
“I will speak to coaching committee chairman Dr Balbir Singh on how we can work together to have some umpiring courses for the coaches, and hopefully, there will not be many disputes once they come to terms with certain rules,” said Amarjit.
Friday, January 30, 2009
South Korea blow to Azlan Shah Cup
THE Azlan Shah Cup has lost South Korea to the credit crunch, and now the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) is literally scrapping the barrel to find a replacement.
Egypt, more famous for its pyramids than hockey, will make their debut in the Azlan Shah Cup on April 3-12, while Ireland and Japan are being courted as well.
The only confirmed teams to date are India (world ranked 11th), Pakistan (eighth) New Zealand (seven), Egypt (20th) and Malaysia (15th).
"We sent out invitations to 14 teams, but received confirmation from only five, and now South Korea have withdrawn because they lack funds.
"A change of guard is also expected as the Korean Hockey Federation will be holding its BGM (Biennial General Meeting) soon.
"Most of the other teams who declined were also forced to do so due to the of lack of funds, or because they had prior commitments," said MHC secretary Hashim Yusoff.
South Korea are ranked fifth in the world, and if 18th ranked Ireland accept the offer, they will be making their debut in the tournament which was incepted in 1983.
The Azlan Shah Cup used to have the best in the world, and was once dubbed as the shadow of the Champions Trophy as Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Australia and a host of other top-six teams used to scramble to secure a spot.
"We can't go below Egypt, who are ranked 20th in the world, to keep some standard in the tournament. And if Japan and Ireland both decline, we will have to make do with five teams."
The national juniors, preparing for the Junior World Cup, can't be included in the Azlan Shah cast, as they have a European Tour planned at the same time.
But some quarters feel that the juniors should be included into the Azlan Shah Cup, as the invited teams are not highly ranked, and will be good sparring partners.
The seniors, meanwhile, will be using the tournament to prepare for the Asia Cup in Dubai on May 8-15, where only the champions advance to the 2010 New Delhi World Cup.
Egypt, more famous for its pyramids than hockey, will make their debut in the Azlan Shah Cup on April 3-12, while Ireland and Japan are being courted as well.
The only confirmed teams to date are India (world ranked 11th), Pakistan (eighth) New Zealand (seven), Egypt (20th) and Malaysia (15th).
"A change of guard is also expected as the Korean Hockey Federation will be holding its BGM (Biennial General Meeting) soon.
"Most of the other teams who declined were also forced to do so due to the of lack of funds, or because they had prior commitments," said MHC secretary Hashim Yusoff.
South Korea are ranked fifth in the world, and if 18th ranked Ireland accept the offer, they will be making their debut in the tournament which was incepted in 1983.
The Azlan Shah Cup used to have the best in the world, and was once dubbed as the shadow of the Champions Trophy as Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Australia and a host of other top-six teams used to scramble to secure a spot.
"We can't go below Egypt, who are ranked 20th in the world, to keep some standard in the tournament. And if Japan and Ireland both decline, we will have to make do with five teams."
The national juniors, preparing for the Junior World Cup, can't be included in the Azlan Shah cast, as they have a European Tour planned at the same time.
But some quarters feel that the juniors should be included into the Azlan Shah Cup, as the invited teams are not highly ranked, and will be good sparring partners.
The seniors, meanwhile, will be using the tournament to prepare for the Asia Cup in Dubai on May 8-15, where only the champions advance to the 2010 New Delhi World Cup.
Johor to the rescue...
Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman (second right) checking on the progress of work at the Taman Daya Hockey Stadium on Jan 23. Pic: HAIRUL ANUAR ABD RAHIMTHE financial uncertainty surrounding the Junior World Cup is a thing of the past as the Johor state government has come in strongly, providing a total RM1 million in cash and kind.
Malaysia will host the June 7-21 tournament in Johor Baru.
The Taman Daya stadium and facilities, subject to much speculation, will be ready by March -- in time for a quadrangular on Mar 11-15 featuring the Malaysian Juniors, India, Pakistan and a yet-to-be-confirmed side.
"And our organisational cost has also become cheaper as the Johor government has agreed to provide buses for 10 teams who will play in Johor Baru," said MHC secretary Hashim Yusof.
"The government will also secure a title sponsor, which will further reduce our burden."
Hashim said national juniors coach K. Rajan will identify the fourth team for the quadrangular.
"We have Egypt, Singapore and Germany as the possible fourth team, and will let the coach have his pick," said Hashim.
"The players will face a tougher time in training after the Chinese New Year holidays, and by March, they should be able to put up a fight in the quadrangular," said Rajan.
Malaysia, in Group C of the Junior World Cup, will have Spain, United States, South Korea and England for company with the top two teams qualifying for the quarter-finals.
The fixtures, released by the International Hockey Federation, will pit Malaysia against European Junior Cup champions Spain in the curtain raiser.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
