FIBA OFFICIAL RULE CHANGES
Effective 1st October 2010
This document identifies the changes to the FIBA Official Basketball Rules that are effective
from 1st October 2010. The document rests upon the paper FIBA Assist: Rules Changes 2010
written by Trevor Baker, and I acknowledge the work done by Trevor in the production of his
paper. The document has been edited and formatted from my original draft notes by Terry
Doherty, in order to provide a document, not only technically correct, but deliverable as a
teaching aid.
Within this document I have used the following editorial devices:
1. All Rule Book articles are included in the document in their correct order.
2. When an article or sub-article has changes to the intent or application of the rule, these
changes are explained using red font.
3. Some articles have been identified with blue font references pointing to further required
reading of the FIBA Official Interpretations Manual to clarify specific situations.
4. When an article has no changes in intent or application of the rule, the article is identified
as Article: No change.
5. Some articles or sub-articles have been reformatted in the Rule Book to dot-form without
any changes to the intent or application of the rule. These articles or sub-articles are
identified as having changed in format, but usually the text of these articles and sub-articles
is not printed in this document.
6. Where numbers are written in the articles, their numerical values have been added in
brackets, for example: two (2); four (4); five (5); fifteen (15).
7. Relevant and references diagrams displaying new court markings and measurements are
included in the final pages of the document.
The major references which support this document are:
 FIBA Official Basketball Rules 2010: San Juan, Puerto Rico. 17th April 2010
 FIBA Official Basketball Rules; Official Interpretations 2010: San Juan, Puerto Rico. 17th
April 2010
 FIBA Assist: Rules Changes 2010: NBL Issue
Bob Lambourn
September 2010
RULE ONE – THE GAME
Art. 1
Definitions
No change
RULE TWO – COURT AND EQUIPMENT
Art. 2
Court
2.1
Playing court
No change
2.2
Backcourt
New description. No change to the meaning.
2.3
Frontcourt
New description. No change to the meaning.
2.4 (Old 2.2)
Lines
No change
2.4.1 (Old 2.2.1)
Boundary line
New wording. No change to measurements.
2.4.2 (Old 2.2.2)
Centre line, centre circle and free-throw semi-circles
New wording. No change to measurements or
meaning
2.4.3
New!
Free-throw lines, restricted areas and free-throw rebound places
 A major change to be implemented in 2010 is the shape and
measurement(s) of the restricted area.
 The trapezoid that has been unique to FIBA for so many years
will be replaced by a rectangular restricted area similar to what is
found in the NBA. An illustration is provided in Article 2.4.7,
Page 8 of the Official Basketball Rules, 2010
 Though the shape of the restricted area changes, the rule and
related interpretations remains the same.
2.4.4
New!
Three-point field goal area
 A major change to be implemented in 2010 is the extension of
the shooting range to score three-points.
 The 3-point field goal semi-circle shall be extended to a radius of
6.75 metres from a previous radius of 6.25 metres.
 The specific illustration of the arc can be found in Diagram 1,
Page 7 of the Official Basketball Rules 2010.
 Although the 3-point area has become slightly smaller because
the shooting range has been extended, all related rules and
interpretations remain unchanged.
2.4.5
Team bench area
2.4.6 and 17.2.4
New!
Throw-in lines. Throw in
 A change to be implemented in 2010 refers to situations when a
time-out is taken during the last two minutes of the 4th period or
any extra period by the team entitled to possession of the ball for
a throw-in in that team’s backcourt.
 Previously the throw-in was administered at the centre line
extended, opposite the scorer’s table.
 With the 2010 rules, however, two new lines (The throw-in lines:
Art. 2.4.6) have been added to the court’s markings. Each line is
perpendicular to the sideline and outside the playing court
opposite each team bench area and at the top of the 3-point arc.
New wording. No change to the meaning.
 The above-mentioned throw-in that previously had been
administered at the centre line extended shall now be
administered from the appropriate throw-in line in the frontcourt
of the team entitled to that throw-in (Art. 17.2.4).
 The lines can be viewed on Diagram 1 on Page 7 of the Official
Basketball Rules, 2010.
2.4.7
New!
No-charge semi-circle areas
 A major change first approved in 2008 but taking effect in 2010
will be the no-charge semi-circle rule.
 Semi-circles, each with a radius of 1.25 metres, will be drawn on
the court from centre points immediately below each basket.
Each semi-circle will have a radius of 1.25 metres measured to
the inner edge of the semi-circle.
 The semi-circles can be viewed on Diagram 2 on Page 8 of the
official Basketball Rules, 2010.
 For the actual rule related to these areas see Art.33.10, presented
later in this document.
2.5
Position of the scorer’s table and substitution chairs
Art. 3
Equipment
No change
No change
RULE THREE - TEAMS
Art. 4
4.1
4.2
4.3
Teams
Definition
Rule
Uniforms
4.4
Other equipment
4.4.1
Appropriate equipment
4.4.2
New!
 Four additions have been made to the list of other equipment that
a player may legally wear.
 Undergarments that extend below the shorts of the same
dominant colour as the shorts
 Compression sleeves of the same dominant colour as the shirts.
 Compression stockings of the same dominant colour as the
shorts. If for the upper leg it must end above the knee; if for the
lower leg it must end below the knee.
 Non-coloured transparent taping of arms, shoulders, legs, etc.
4.4.3
New!
During the game a player may not display any commercial,
promotional or charitable name, mark, logo or other identification
including, but not limited to, on his body, in his hair or otherwise.
4.4.4 (Old 4.4.3)
Equipment not specifically mentioned
No change
Art. 5
Players: Injury
 Refer to the Official Interpretations, Pages 2 & 3
No change
Art. 6
Captain: Duties and powers
No change
No change
No change
No change
No change
Art. 7
Coaches: Duties and powers
No change
 Article 7.3 is rewritten to clarify those entitled to sit on the team
bench.
 Refer to the Official Interpretations, Pages 3 & 4
RULE FOUR – PLAYING REGULATIONS
Art. 8
Playing time, tied score and extra periods
 There has been some re-numbering of Articles 8.1, 8.2 and 8.3
 In Article 8.8, free throws are described as administered not
taken, thus creating consistency of terminology with Article 8.9
Art. 9
Beginning and end of a period or the game
Refer to the Official Interpretations, Pages 4 & 5
9.1
New!
There is a change to when the pre-game interval ends and when the
1st period begins.
 The first period begins when the ball leaves the hand(s) of the
referee on the jump ball.
9.2 – 9.8
No changes
Art. 10
10.1
Status of the ball
No change
10.2
New!
There is a change to the moment when a ball becomes live during
the jump ball. The first dot-point of Article 10.2 now reads:
The ball becomes live when:
 During the jump ball, the ball leaves the hand(s) of the referee on
the toss.
10.2
There are no changes to when the ball becomes live:
 During a free throw, or
 During a throw-in
10.3 – 10.4
No changes
Art. 11
11.1
One new court
line is added to
this sub-article!
Location of a player and an official
Although there is no change to the intent of the rule, an additional
court line is included within the lines identified in Article 11.1.
 The location of a player is determined by where he is touching
the floor.
 While he is airborne, he retains the same status he had when he
last touched the floor.
 This includes the boundary line, the centre line, the three-point
line, the free-throw line, the lines delimiting the restricted area
and the lines delimiting the no-charge semi-circle area.
11.2
Delete the old Article 11.2
11.3 new 11.2
Renumber the previous Article 11.3 as Article 11.2
Art. 12
12.1
12.2
12.3
12.4 &
12.5
Jump ball and alternating possession
 Refer to the Official Interpretations, Pages 5 & 6.
Definition
No change
Procedure
No change
Jump ball situations
No change
Alternating possession
No change in intent. These
articles have been clarified.
Alternating possession procedure
Art. 13
How the ball is played
No change
Art. 14
Control of the ball
No change
Art. 15
Player in the act of shooting
No change
Art. 16
Goal when made and its value
A change has been made to scoring within the final three-tenths of a
second in any period of the game. This has been encompassed in a
new article, Article 16.2.5, explained below.
16.2.5
New!
For a player to secure possession of the ball and attempt a field goal
(a) following a throw-in or
(b) on a rebound after a last or only free throw,
the game clock must indicate no less that three-tenths of a second
remaining. If less than three-tenths remains, a valid field goal must
result from tapping or directly dunking the ball.
 Refer to the Official Interpretations, Pages 6 & 7
Art. 17
Throw-in
A change has been made to throwing-in the ball during the last two
(2) minutes of the fourth (4th) quarter and during the last two (2)
minutes of each extra quarter, explained below.
17.2.4
New!
See Art 2.4.6
 During the last two (2) minutes of the fourth (4th) quarter and
during the last two (2) minutes of each extra quarter.
 Following a time-out taken by the team that is entitled to
possession of the ball from its backcourt the throw-in shall be
taken at the throw-in line opposite the scorer’s table in the
team’s frontcourt.
Art. 18
Time-out
No change
Art. 19
Substitution
No substantive change
19.3.1
New!
This is a minor
administrative
change only.
 A minor administrative change has been added to the rule at
Article 19.3.1
 Only a substitute has the right to request a substitution. He (not
the coach or the assistant coach) shall go to the scorer’s table and
ask clearly for a substitution or sit on the substitution chair. He
must be ready to play immediately.
Art. 20
Game lost by forfeit
20.2.3
New!
Tournament play
only
A change has been made to forfeits in tournaments.
 If in a tournament the team forfeits for the second time, the team
shall be disqualified from the tournament and the results of all
games played by this team shall be nullified.
Art. 21
Game lost be default
Change in tournaments only
No change
RULE FIVE - VIOLATIONS
Art. 22
Violations
No change
Art. 23
Player out-of-bounds and ball out-of-bounds
No change
Art. 24
Dribbling
 Refer to the Official Interpretations, Pages 13 & 14
Art. 25
Travelling
 Refer to the Official Interpretations, Page 14
No change
Art. 26
Three seconds
No change
Art. 27
Closely guarded player
No change
Art. 28
New!
Eight seconds
The Eight seconds rule has been redesigned resulting in two
changes. These two changes are identified in Article 28.1.1 and
Article 28.1.2, explained below.
28.1.1
New!
Whenever:
 A player gains control of a live ball in his backcourt,
 On a throw-in, the ball touches or is legally touched by any
player in the backcourt and the team of that player taking the
throw-in remains in control of the ball in its backcourt,
that team must cause the ball to go into its frontcourt within eight (8)
seconds.
28.1.2
New!
The wording of Article 28 regarding the movement of the ball from
the backcourt to the frontcourt has been edited and one rule change
has been made.
 That change is covered in Article 28.1.2, 2nd dot-point:
 The ball touches or is legally touched by an offensive player who
has both feet in contact with his frontcourt
Art.28
As with the previous rules, the ball will continue to move to the
frontcourt when:
 it touches or is legally touched by a defensive player who has
part of his body in contact with his backcourt (that is, the
offensive team’s frontcourt
 though not in control of any player, it touches the frontcourt
 it touches an official who has part of his body in the frontcourt
 during a dribble from the backcourt to the frontcourt, both feet of
the dribbler and the ball are in contact with the frontcourt.
 Refer to the Official Interpretations, Pages 14 & 15
No changes have
been made to
these aspects of
the Eight
seconds rule
Art. 29
New!
No change
Twenty-four seconds
There is significant re-wording and substantive changes as explained
below.
29.1.1
New!
Whenever:
 A player gains control of a live ball on the playing court,
 On a throw-in, the ball touches or is legally touched by any
player on the playing court and the team of that player taking the
throw-in remains in control of the ball,
that team must attempt a shot for a field goal within twenty-four
(24) seconds.
That is, following a throw-in, the 24-second clock will start when
the ball touches or is legally touched by any player, either offensive
or defensive, provided that the team of the player making the throwin remains in control of the ball.
29.2.1
New!
Article 29.2.1 has undergone a significant re-wording that includes a
major rule change.
If the game is stopped by an official:
 For a foul or violation (not for the ball having gone out-ofbounds) by the team not in control of the ball,
 For any valid reason by the team not in control of the ball,
 For any valid reason not connected with either team,
Possession of the ball shall be awarded to the same team that
previously had control of the ball.
If the throw-in is administered in the backcourt, the twenty-four (24)
second clock shall be reset to twenty-four (24) seconds.
If the throw-in is administered in the frontcourt, the twenty-four (24)
second clock shall be reset as follows:
 If the resulting throw-in is to be administered in the backcourt,
the 24-second clock shall be reset to 24 seconds.
 If the resulting throw-in is to be administered in the frontcourt
and 14 seconds or more was displayed on the 24-second clock
at the time the game was stopped, the 24-second clock shall not
be reset but shall remain the same.
 If the resulting throw-in is to be administered in the frontcourt
and 13 seconds or less was displayed on the 24-second clock at
the time the game was stopped, the 24-second clock shall be
reset to 14 seconds.
Refer to the Official Interpretations, Pages 16 – 19 for many
examples of possible situations, with the appropriate ruling.
Art. 30
No change
Ball returned to backcourt
 Although this Article has been rewritten for clarity, there are no
changes to its intent or application.
 Refer to the Official Interpretations, Pages 19 & 20
Art. 31
No change
Goal tending and interference
 Although this Article has been rewritten for clarity, there are no
changes to its intent or application.
 Refer to the Official Interpretations, Pages 20 - 22
RULE SIX - FOULS
Art. 32
Fouls definition
No change
Art. 33
33.1
33.2
33.3
33.4
33.5
33.6
33.7
33.8
33.9
Contact: General principles
Cylinder principle
Principle of verticality
Legal guarding position
Guarding a player who controls the ball
Guarding a player who does not control the ball
A player in the air
Screening: Legal and illegal
Charging
Blocking
No change
No change
No change
No change
No change
No change
No change
No change
No change
33.10
New!
No-charge semi-circle areas
The No-charge
semi-circle areas
are described at
Article 2.4.7
 The no-charge semi-circle areas are drawn on the playing court
for the purpose of designating a specific area for the
interpretation of charge/block situations under the basket.
 On any penetration play situation into the no-charge semi-circle
area a contact caused by an airborne offensive player with a
defensive player inside the no-charge semi-circle shall not be
called as an offensive foul, unless the offensive player is illegally
using his hands, arms, legs or body, when
 the offensive player is in control of the ball whilst airborne,
and
 he attempts a shot or passes off, and
 the defensive player has both feet inside the no-charge semicircle area.
The purpose of the no-charge semi-circle rule is not to reward a
defensive player who has taken a position under his own basket in
order to draw a charging foul against an offensive player who is in
control of the ball and is penetrating towards the basket.
For the no-charge semi-circle rule to be applied:
a) The defensive player shall have both feet inside the semi-circle
area (see Diagram 1). The semi-circle line is not part of the
semi-circle area.
b) The offensive player shall drive to the basket across the semicircle line and attempt a shot for a field goal or a pass while
airborne.
The no-charge semi-circle rule is not to be applied and any contact
shall be judged according to normal regulations, e. g. cylinder
principle, charge/block principle:
a) For all play situations occurring outside the no-charge semicircle area, also developing from the area between the semicircle area and the endline.
b) For all rebounding play situations when, after a shot for a field
goal, the ball rebounds and a contact situation occurs.
c) For any illegal use of the hands, arms, legs or body by either
offensive or defensive player
33.10 continued
New!
 Refer to the Official Interpretations, Pages 22 – 23 for many
examples of possible situations, with the appropriate ruling.
 The Official Interpretations include sketches of the no-charge
semi-circle areas with displays of players’ positions
inside/outside the no-charge semi-circle area.
 These diagrams are also displayed below


Position of a player inside/outside the no-charge semi-circle area
Outside of the semi-circle no-charge area
Inside of the semi-circle no-charge area
Editorial note:
 The semi-circles and the feet in these diagrams might move during transmission of this
document.
 It is a simple matter to place the semi-circles and the feet in their proper places.
 The correct positioning of the diagrams and the feet must be checked prior to printing
the document.
33.11
Contacting an opponent
With the hand(s) and/or arm(s)
No change. Renumbered from 33.10
33.12
Post play
33.13
Illegal guarding from the rear
33.14
Holding
33.15
Pushing
No change. Renumbered from 33.11
No change. Renumbered from 33.12
No change. Renumbered from 33.13
No change. Renumbered from 33.14
Art. 34
Personal foul
Art. 35
No change
Double foul
 Refer to the Official Interpretations, Pages 23 & 24
Art. 36
No change
Unsportsmanlike foul
 Refer to the Official Interpretations, Pages 24 & 25
Art. 37
Disqualifying foul
Art. 38
No change
Technical foul
 Refer to the Official Interpretations, Pages 25 - 28
Art. 39
No change
Fighting
 Refer to the Official Interpretations, Page 28
No change
No change
RULE SEVEN – GENERAL PROVISIONS
Art. 40
Five fouls by a player
No change
Art. 41
Team fouls: Penalty
No change
Art. 42
No change
Special situations
 Refer to the Official Interpretations, Pages 28 & 29
Art. 43
Free throws
Although there are some formatting changes in Article 43, only
one sustantive change, to Article 43.2.1, has been made.
43.2.1
New! This clarifies an
existing situation.
When a personal foul is called the free throw(s) shall be
awarded as follows:
 The player against whom the foul was committed shall
attempt the free throw(s).
 If there is a request for him to be substituted, he must
attempt the free throw(s) before leaving the game.
 If he must leave the game due to injury, having committed
his five (5) fouls or having been disqualified, his substitute
shall attempt the free throw(s). If no substitute is available,
any team-mate as designated by his coach shall attempt the
free throw(s).
Art 44.
Correctable errors
No change
 Refer to the Official Interpretations, Pages 30 & 31
RULE EIGHT –
OFFICIALS, TABLE OFFICIALS, COMMISSIONER:
DUTIES AND POWERS
Art. 45
Officials, table officials and
commissioner
Art. 46
Referee: duties and powers
Although there are some formatting changes in Article 46, only
one substantive change, to Article 46.12, has been made.
46.12
New!




No change
In the previous rules the referee has been authorized to use
technical equipment to decide if a last shot at the end of
each period or any extra period was released during playing
time.
This authorization is expanded in the 2010 rules to include
the use of such equipment at the end of each period or extra
period to determine if a shot for goal counts for 2 points or 3
points.
Note also Section C, Protest Procedure, section C4 (see
below).
Refer to the Official Interpretations, Pages 32 & 33
Art. 47
The only change to Article 47 is the addition of sub-article 47.8.
47.8
New!
Decisions made by the officials are final and cannot be
contested or disregarded.
Art. 48
Scorer and assistant scorer: Duties
Art. 49
Timer: Duties
On several occasions, including at Article 49.1, the rules now
refer to the timer’s stopwatch.
Art. 50
Twenty-four second operator: Duties
 Article 50 has been reformatted considerably.
 The only changes in meaning to Article 50 are brought about
by the changes to Article 29.2.1 which articulates the
changes to resetting the 24-second clock to 14-seconds
under certain circumstances.
 Refer to the Official Interpretations, Page 33
50.2
New!
No change
SECTION ‘A’ – OFFICIALS’ SIGNALS
Signal #9
Additional use for
Signal #9
 The signal previously used to signal a reset of the 24-second
clock will also be used to signal a reset to 14-seconds when
appropriate.
 See Article 29.2.1 and Article 50.2
SECTION ‘C’ – PROTEST PROCEDURE
Section C.4
Use of videos and the
like
Videos, films, pictures or any equipment, visual, electronic,
digital, or otherwise, may be used only to:
 Decide if a last shot for a field goal at the end of each period
or each extra period was released during playing time and/or
whether that shot for a field goal counts for two (2) or three
(3) points.
SECTION ‘D’ – CLASSIFICATION OF TEAMS
Section D. 3.4
Concerning forfeits
Delete the 2nd paragraph and add a new 2nd paragraph:
 If the team forfeits for the second time, the results of all
games by this team shall be nullified.