New rules in hockey next year

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE International Hockey Federation (FIH) has announced changes to rules of the game which will come into effect on January 1, 2019.

The new rules were ratified by the FIH executive board and among a raft of changes include the introduction of a match format of four quarters as standard.

“In international matches, teams have been playing four quarters for some years and it is felt that uniformity in match formats can be achieved when all match formats are based on a four quarter principle. Like in international matches, time is stopped between the awarding of a penalty corner and the taking of that penalty corner.

“Other than in international matches, where this is covered by FIH Tournament Regulations, time is not stopped to celebrate goals as this was introduced primarily for television coverage. The four quarters has additional advantages at junior levels of the sport in which coaches often umpire youth/school matches and the additional breaks provide for coaching opportunities,” reads the new changes.

Another change is a mandatory experiment of taking out the option for teams to play with a field player with goalkeeping privileges.

Teams now have two options, they either play with a goalkeeper who wears full protective equipment comprising at least headgear, leg guards and kickers and who is also permitted to wear goalkeeping hand protectors and other protective equipment, or they play with only field players.

Any change between these options should be treated as a substitution.

“It is hoped that this experimental rule will enhance safety as field players will no longer have goalkeeping privileges so will not be entitled to use their body to stop shots at goal and it also enhances the promotion of the sport by eliminating the issue of outfield players wearing other shirts to indicate goalkeeping privileges,” says the FIH.

It has now been made clear that players other than the attacker taking the free hit must be at least five metres away, including when they are in their circle.

If the attacker, however, chooses to take the free hit immediately, then defenders who are inside the circle and within five metres from the ball may shadow around the inside of the circle.

As in indoor hockey, a defender may now take a free hit awarded in the circle anywhere inside the circle or up to 15 metres from the backline in line with the location of the offence, parallel to the side-line.

“Rule 13.6 that described the completion of a penalty corner for substitution purposes and for a penalty corner at the end of a period has been deleted. The option that a penalty corner is completed when the ball travels outside the circle for the second time no longer exists,” reads the new format.