August 26, 2002
1. A team intends to make a replacement involving the libero during the dead ball at 8 points of the fifth game. Should the exchange take place before or after the court switch?
Answer: The rules only require that the libero exchange take place prior to the next authorization for service. The libero exchange can take place before or after the court switch, using the protocol described in Rule 11-2-5-b-4.
2. As Team S’s player #8 is preparing to rotate to right back, the coach substitutes #10 for #8. After #10 serves and Team S loses the rally, the libero replaces #10. When the libero’s position rotates to the left front position, #8 replaces the libero.
Answer: There are three possible scenarios in this situation. (A) If Team S quickly realizes that the replacement is wrong, and corrects the problem without intervention by the officials and without disrupting the tempo of the game, the action can be ignored and play continues; (B) If the officials have to intervene to correct the problem prior to the next beckon for service, or the team discovers the problem but the match is disrupted by the correction, a team delay results; (C) If the incorrect replacement is on the court when the next service is contacted, a position fault results. In all these scenarios, a request for substitution is allowed as well.
3. Team R player #3 replaces the libero. During that same dead ball, a Team R player is sanctioned with an individual red card. Can the Team R libero now re-enter the game?
Answer: Yes. The rules state “there must be a rally between two libero replacements”. Any legally contacted serve, or any action that results in a loss of rally is considered to be a rally. Therefore, the libero would be allowed to re-enter following an individual penalty (red card), expulsion, disqualification or team red card, a wrong server, or a play-over resulting from a foreign object disrupting play.
4. In game one, the libero exchange occurs after the first referee has beckoned for service, but before the ball is contacted for service. What action should the referees take?
Answer: If the game is not disrupted by the late replacement, allow the play to continue. At the end of the rally, verbally warn the coach that the libero exchange must take place prior to the beckon, and the next occurrence in the match will result in a team delay sanction. However, if a position fault occurs because of a late replacement, play should be stopped immediately and a loss of rally results..
5. In game one, the Team R libero (#5) is injured and cannot continue play. What rules apply to this situation?
Answer:
? First, the libero must be replaced by the player she replaced.
? The team is not required to redesignate another libero at that time. If, before a redesignation is made, the original libero is recovered, she may re-enter the game.
? The team may redesignate a new libero at any time; the redesignated libero may be any player on the bench at the time of redesignation. The redesignated libero remains the libero for the rest of that game.
? The redesignated libero must now wear a contrasting jersey. If a contrasting jersey with her original number on it is not available, the redesignated libero may change to a jersey with a different number on it, as long as that number is unique (not worn by any teammate).
? Once a redesignation is made, the original libero may not re-enter that game in any position.
6. In game one, the Team R libero (#5) is injured and cannot continue play. Later in that game, player #11 is redesignated as the libero, but changes to a contrasting shirt with #99 on it to play as libero. What choices does Team R have regarding libero use in game two?
Answer: Team R’s can take any of the following actions for subsequent games:
? Play the game with no libero.
? Use player #5 (the original libero who was injured) as the libero. Or, player #5 can be used as a non-libero player if she changes to a #5 jersey that is identical to her teammates.
? Continue with the redesignated libero from game one as libero, wearing the second number (#99 in this example). The team may also choose to have that player return to a non-libero position, wearing #11 again.
? Designate a third (new) libero. This player must wear a contrasting jersey, and retain the number she has already worn in the match.
7. On the scoresheet, where should the “c” be placed to designate the libero as captain, since the libero’s number is not entered on the score sheet?
Answer: There is not a designated place for noting the libero’s number on either the score sheet or the libero tracking sheet, but that number should be noted on both (spaces will be provided on the 2003 forms). A suggestion is to write the libero’s number next to the team name at the top of each form. Then, if the libero is designated as captain, the ‘c’ can be marked on the score sheet next to the number.
8. A team has only seven players, and is playing with six players plus a libero (all players have already been in the game). The libero (#3) has been replacing the middle blocker (#9). While the libero (#3) is on the court, the outside hitter (#1) is injured, and cannot continue play. What is the legal order of events to substitute for injured player #1?
Answer: The first action is to replace the libero (#9 replaces #3). Then, the libero (#3) can become the exceptional substitute for injured player #1 and play as a non-libero player. If the libero does not have a jersey that matches her teammates, she may remain in the libero jersey. If an injury had occurred while the libero was on the bench, she becomes the exceptional substitute.
9. The libero wears a mesh vest to achieve contrast from her teammates, and her number is visible through the vest. Is this a legal jersey?
Answer: The only two criteria that the libero must meet are (a) wear a contrasting color from her teammates, and (b) wear a visible, legal number as described in Rule 7-1-2. If the vest and the jersey underneath meet those two criteria, the libero is in a legal uniform. If the number on the jersey is not visible through the vest, the number can be added (securely taped, etc.) to the outside of the vest.
10. The visiting team is late in arriving, and has not called to make arrangements for a late arrival. How should the warm-up protocol be handled if the visiting team is still not present within 29 minutes of the scheduled match time?
Answer: The official warm-up protocol will start when (and if) the visiting team has six players present; the protocol to be used at that time will be the 29-minute minimal protocol described in Rule 9-1-1. Until that official warm-up begins, the home team can be on the court at their discretion. At the scheduled match time, the home team should submit a line-up, and the first game will be forfeited. A 10-minute waiting period is then allowed before game two is forfeited (Rule 8-5-2-1). If, during those 10 minutes, the delayed team arrives, the minimum 29-minute warm-up should be started immediately.
11. What is the correct decision by the referees if the server’s toss strikes an overhead obstruction?
Answer: Regardless of the height of the obstruction, the result is an immediate whistle, and a loss of rally.
12. Can an expelled player participate in a timeout?
Answer: Yes. This player is, of course, expected to demonstrate appropriate behavior, or further sanctions may result.
13. What should the referee do if an expelled player leaves the playing and spectator areas and goes to the locker room?
Answer: In this case, the referees should deem the player to be indisposed, and not interfere unless she returns to the playing area during that game, in which case she is again relegated to the bench.
14. Can a player who is pursuing a ball to the opponent’s free zone take a path under the net? What if they step into the opponent’s court?
Answer: When a player is pursuing a ball, the centerline rule as written in Rule 14-2-3 remains in effect. Therefore, if a player in pursuit of a ball contacts the opponent’s court with one foot (or hand), and does not interfere or create a safety hazard, no fault has been committed.
SIGNIFICANT RULE BOOK CORRECTIONS
1. Page 11, Rule 1-1-2: The conversion for 12.5 meters is incorrect. The correct measurement in parenthesis should be 41 ft. 0 in.
2. Page 20, Rule 4-2-3-a-4: Should read “ When Rule 14-1-1 is in effect, the team’s second contact causes the ball to cross the net plane to the opponent’s side and then contacts such an obstruction above the opponent’s team area on the team’s second contact.”
3. Page 24, Rule 5-2-4-e: “Designated coaches may give instructions to players during the match but may not argue with the referees. Coaches entering the court while the match is in progress (except during timeouts) may be sanctioned for unsporting behavior.”
4. Page 32, Sanction Scale: The appropriate Card(s) Shown for Rude conduct is a Red card, not a yellow card, and the consequence is a Loss of Rally, not a Warning.
5. Page 49, Rule 11-1-3-a: Should read “In a match that is broadcast over television or radio, a media timeout (not charged to either team) may be taken when the first team has scored 15 points in games one through four, or 8 points in game five, unless one team requests a standard timeout before that point.
6. Page 52, Rule 11-2-3-d: Should read “The subsequent substitution(s) will be refused entry, and the team is charged with an improper request team delay.”
7. Page 81, Rule 17-4-1: Should read “The scorekeeper’s and an assistant scorekeeper will be positioned is on the side of the court opposite the first referee and behind the second referee and an assistant scorekeeper.”
8. Page 83, rule 17-5-2-a-4: The rule reference should read “See Signal 9a, Page 162”.
9. Page 119, 4th paragraph: Should read “During the court change….and the SUBSTITUTION (SUBS) numbers are circledslashed, and timeout scores are recorded).
10. Page 123, deciding game scoresheet example: On the far left (Silver) scoring section, the final “R” for player #18 should be circled, and player #9 should have been designated as captain (‘c’). On the far right (Silver), player #9 should have been designated as captain (‘c’); that ‘c’ should then be slashed, and player #3 designated as captain.
Page 162, Signal #9a: Should be titled “Antenna fault” instead of “Ball outside the antenna”.
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