March4,2016
StickChecks,Non-releasableYellowCards,andPenaltyAdministration
Duringthefirstfewweeksofthe2016season,variousscenariosandquestionshave
beenaskedregardingstickchecks,non-releasableyellowcards,andpenalty
administrationregardingillegalsticks.Thefollowinginformationisintendedto
provideclarificationsandinterpretationstoassistcoachesandofficialsasthey
moveforwardinthe2016season.
Doesthenon-releasableyellowcardcounttowardaplayer’stotalcardcount?
Yes,ifaplayerreceivesanon-releasableyellowcardandalsoreceivesayellowcard,
forexample,asaresultofcheckingheropponent’shead,thatplayerissuspended
fromplayingforthedurationofthatgame.Iftheplayerreceivestwonon-releasable
yellowcardsforstickmanipulationduringthegame,sheisalsosuspendedfrom
playingforthedurationofthatgame.
Ifaplayerreceivestwonon-releasableyellowcardsasaresultoftwoillegalsticks
thatwereunabletobefixedpriortothecompletionofthepre-gamestick
inspections,thefollowingshallbethecorrectpenaltyadministration.
- Theplayerisissuedtwonon-releasableyellowcards.
- PursuanttosimilaradministrationoutlinedinAppendixF(whenaplayer
receivestwoyellowcardsonthesameplay),theplayerwillserve
consecutivenon-releasable2-minutepenalties.
- Theplayerissuspendedfromplayingforthedurationofthatgame.
- Iftheplayerisastarter,sheistheonlyplayerwhoservesthepenalty.
- Iftheplayerisanonstarter,thecoachmustdesignateonestartertoservethe
consecutivenon-releasable2-minutepenaltiesinthepenaltyboxwiththe
playerwhowasissuedthecards(thecardsarenotassessedtothestarter’s
cardcountwhowasselectedtoservethepenalties).
Followingtheissuanceofanon-releasableyellowcard,whenisafreeposition
administratedversustheadministrationofadraw?
PursuanttoRule5,Section31andasoutlinedpreviouslyintheclarifications
distributedonFebruary12,2016,thefollowinglistincludesthetimeperiodsthat
teamsarepermittedtorequestastickcheck.Theinformationhighlightedinyellow
outlineswhetherthepenaltyadministrationisadraworfreeposition.
Timeouts–Teamtimeoutsonly.Teamstickcheckrequestsarenotpermitted
duringofficials’timeouts,injurytimeouts,orTVtimeouts.
Illegal=FreePosition
AtHalftime–Teamstickcheckrequestsmaybemadeatanypointduringhalftime.
Illegal=FreePosition
BeforetheGame–Teamstickcheckrequestsarepermittedonlyafterthefieldhas
beenclearedfollowingwarm-upforpre-gameinspections.
*TheonlyexceptiontothisisRule5,Section33,whereateammayuseoneofits
requestsforthemeasurementoftheoveralllengthandthedistancebetweenthe
sidewallsofanopponent’sstick.Thismustbemadeatleast15minutesbeforethe
scheduledstartofthegame.
Illegal=Draw
BeforeOvertime–Teamstickcheckrequestsmaybemadeatanypointduringthe
5-minuterestperiodfollowingtheendofregulationandbeforethefirstperiodof
overtimeorduringthe3minuterestperiodfollowingeach6-minuteperiodof
overtime.
Illegal=FreePosition
PriortotheStartoftheDraw–Teamstickcheckrequestsmaybemadeatany
pointbeforetheofficial’shandsareonthedrawers’sticks.Ifateamrequestsastick
checkfollowingagoalandpriortothestartofthedraw,nocoachingmaytakeplace
whiletheofficialisconductingtheexaminationofthestick.Additionally,playersmust
remainonthefieldandcoachesmaynotgoontothefield.
Illegal=FreePosition
Key:Anon-releasableyellowcardissuedduringthecourseofthegameis
consideredamisconductfoulandplayisrestartedwithafreeposition(seeRule6,
Section9(h)andRule7,Section29).Thisdoesnotapplytoanon-releasableyellow
cardissuedbeforethegame(forexample,duringpre-gameinspections).
StickCheckRequestsandtheGoalScorer’sStick
Duringthedurationofagame,pursuanttoRule5,Section32,teamsarepermitted
touseoneofitsthreestickcheckrequeststorequestafullexaminationofthegoal
scorer’sstickfollowingagoalandbeforethegameisrestartedwithadraw(either
“priortothestartofthedraw”orduringateam“timeout”followingagoal,but
beforeplayhasrestartedwithadraw).Ifthegoalscorer’sstickisfoundtoviolate
AppendixE(excludingpocketdepth),theplayershallbeissuedanon-releasable
yellowcard,thegoalshallnotcount,thestickshallberemoved,andplayshall
resumewithafreepositionatthecenterline.Playerpositioningforthedrawwill
apply.(SeeRule5,Section32(a)).
Ifagoalisscoredbeforethewhistlehasbeenblownorbeforethehornhassounded
attheendofahalforovertimeperiodandthereisnotimeleftoftheclock,officials
willperformtherequiredpocketdepthcheckonthegoalscorer’sstick(Rule5,
Section32).However,ateammaynotuseoneofitsthreestickcheckrequeststo
requestafullexaminationofthegoalscorer’sstick(seeRule5,Section31forthe
timeperiodswhenteamstickcheckrequestsarepermitted).
Oncehalftimeortherestperiodbeforeanovertimeperiodhascommenced,a
requestmaybemadetocheckthegoalscorer’sstick.Ifthestickisfoundtoviolate
AppendixE(excludingpocketdepth),theplayerwillbeissuedanon-releasable
yellowcard,andplaywillresumewithafreepositionatthecenterlineduringthe
subsequenthalforovertimeperiod.Playerpositioningforthedrawwillapply.
However,thegoalstillstands.
Foragoalscoredduringsudden-victoryovertime,officialswillperformthe
requiredpocketdepthcheckonthegoalscorer’sstick(Rule5,Section32),buta
teammaynotuseoneofitsthreestickcheckrequeststorequestafullexamination
ofthegoalscorer’sstick(seeRule5,Section31forthetimeperiodswhenteamstick
checkrequestsarepermitted).
TeamRequestedStickChecks
PursuanttoRule5,Section31(d),theteamrequestingthestickcheckwillnotlose
anyofitsthreeallowablerequestsifthestickisfoundtobeillegal.
“TeamDrawStick”/SticksontheBench
Ifastickcheckrequestismadeona“teamdrawstick”orastickinthebencharea
thatdoesnotclearlybelongtoaplayer,andthestickisfoundtoviolateAppendixE
(excludingpocketdepth)thenthenon-releasableyellowcardwillbeissuedtothe
HeadCoach(thisisinaccordancetoothercardsissuedforbenchdecorum).The
HeadCoachmustdesignateaplayeronthefield(orastarterifpriortothegame)to
servethenon-releasableyellowcardpenalty.
However,assoonasaplayertakesthe“teamdrawstick”orastickfromthebench
areaontothefieldforuse,andtheopposingteamrequestsastickcheckonthat
stick,ifthestickisfoundtoviolateAppendixE(excludingpocketdepth),theplayer
willbeissuedthenon-releasableyellowcard.
PossessionArrow
Ifusingtherecommendedarrowtodisplayalternatepossession,thearrowshall
pointinthedirectionthattheteamwhohasalternatepossessionisattacking.The
officialsshallchangethedirectionofthearrowathalftimeasteamsswitchends,
potentiallybeforeovertime(ifteamsswitchends),andaftereach3-minutesegment
ofovertime.Ifaconeorothermethodisusedtodisplayalternatepossession,
officialsandcoachesmustagreeonthatmethodduringthepregamemeetingand
howalternatepossessionwillbeindicatedbythatmethod.
Recommendation
ItisrecommendedthatanannouncementbemadeoverthePAsystemwhenthere
are2minutesremaininginahalf(ifaPAsystemisnotavailablethenthe
announcementshallbemadebyeithertheOfficialTimer).