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New playing rules to come into effect on May 15

The GAA Congress 2010 passed a number of playing rule changes relevant to football and hurling which will come into effect in all games played on or after May 15th 2010.

In total there are six changes specific to football only and three specific to hurling, while a further six changes affect both codes.

A summary of the changes is as follows:

Football Only
1. Handpass - If a player handpasses the ball using the open hand, there must be a definite underhand striking action.
2. Penalty Kicks - All penalty kicks will now be taken from 11 metres out
3. Kick Outs - All kick outs will now be from the 13 metre line
4. Sideline kicks - Line balls must be kicked from outside the boundary line
5. Illegal Charge - It is illegal for a charge to be made on a player kicking the ball.
6. Definition of bounce - The redefinition of the bounce has the effect that the "Basketball Type", bounce, per se, is not a foul.

Hurling Only
1. Puck Outs - The penalty for taking a puck-out from outside the small rectangle is changed from the award of a 65m free to the opposition to a throw in the ball on the defenders' 20m line.
2. Handpass - The ball must be released and struck with a definite striking action of the hand
3. Penalties - Both attackers and defenders must remain outside the 20m line and the arc until the ball is struck from a penalty and the three defenders on the line must not move off the line until the ball is struck.

Both Hurling and Football
1. Restarting Play - If play is stopped by the referee to enable a seriously injured player to be treated, play will now resume with a free to the team that had possession. However it will not be permitted to score from such a free (if neither team is "in possession", play shall re-start with a throw in)
2. Throw ins - when the play is being restarted by a throw-in, this must take place a minimum of 13 metres from the sideline
3. Advantage - A referee will now signal that advantage is being played by raising his arm
4. Extra Time - Extra time consists of 10 minutes per half only. The provision for two additional periods of 5 minutes per half has been removed
5. Boundary Lines - The penalty for a player deliberately going outside the boundary lines of the pitch to gain an advantage has changed from a caution to a free.
6. Charge - A charge is now defined as "shoulder to shoulder" rather than "side to side"

The full detail and text of the new playing Rules is below.

Playing Rules Motions Passed at Congress - Detail for Referees/Players/Officials

Both Hurling and Football:

1. Rule 3.4 (d), Rules of Specification: "Extra Time (when played) shall consist of two periods of ten minutes each way."
Change: In 2009 the Rule stated that when teams were still level after the designated extra time, two further periods of five minutes each way were to be played. The additional period of extra time is now eliminated.

2. Rule 2.2 additional exception: "When play is restarted by throwing in the ball after a foul(s) within 13m of the sideline, the throw in shall be given 13m from the sideline directly infield from the foul(s) occurred."
Rule 2.8 (H) 2.9 (F): "If opposing players play the ball simultaneously over the sideline, or if the Officials are not sure which team played the ball last, the Referee, facing the players, shall throw in the ball between one player from each team 13m in from the sideline."
Change: Throw in's do not take place within 13m of the sideline. Linesman throws-in in the case of a lineball.

3. Amend 4.32 (H) 4.35 (F): "To deliberately go outside the boundary lines to gain an advantage except as permitted by Rule 1.10 (H), 1.9 (F)."
Penalty: Free kick/puck from where the Foul occurred.
Change: Previously the penalty for this foul was to caution the offender - it is now to award a free kick/puck against him.

4. Addition to Rules 4.34 and 5.36 (H) and 4.37 and 5.30 (F): The referee "shall signal that advantage is being played by raising his extended arm upright.
Change: The only change to the "advantage rule" is the signal to be now given by the referee.

5. Amend Rule 1.9 The Play (H) 1.7 (F): Delete the words "side to side" and replace with the words "shoulder to shoulder".
Change: A legal charge may only be made "shoulder to shoulder".

6. Rule 2 - Set Play - Hurling
A New Section numbered as 2.9 (with existing 2.9 becoming 2.10 and reads:

"2.9 - If in exceptional circumstances play is stopped by the Referee to enable a seriously injured player to be treated on the field or removed from the field of play, play shall resume in one of the following manners:-
(i) If a Team is in possession when the play is stopped, the play shall resume with a free puck to that Team from the position at which the play was stopped, unless the play was stopped inside the opponents 20m line in which case the free shall be awarded from the 20m line opposite the point where the play was stopped. A score may not be made directly from such free.

(ii) If neither Team is in possession when the play is stopped, a throw-in shall be made from the position where the play was stopped, subject to the provisions in Exceptions (v) and (vi) of Rule 2.2.


Rule 2 - Set Play - Football
A New Section numbered as 2.10 (with existing 2.10 becoming 2.11) reads:

"2.10 - If in exceptional circumstances play is stopped by the Referee to enable a seriously injured player to be treated on the field or removed from the field of play, play shall resume in one of the following manners:-
(iii) If a Team is in possession when the play is stopped, the play shall resume with a free kick to that Team from the position at which the play was stopped, unless the play was stopped inside the opponents 13m line in which case the free shall be awarded from the 13m line opposite the point where the play was stopped. A score may not be made directly from such free.

(iv) If neither Team is in possession when the play is stopped, a throw-in shall be made from the position where the play was stopped, subject to the provisions in Exceptions (v) and (vi) of Rule 2.2.


Penalty (in both Codes) - for "scoring" from such a free
(i) Cancel free kick/puck
(ii) Throw-in ball where the foul occurred, except as provided for under Exception (v)* of Rule 2.2

* (The New Section (v) re throw-ins being made 13m infield is referred to above).


Change: (i) Previously play would have re-started with a throw in, now a free kick/puck for the team in possession.
(ii) When neither team is "in possession", play shall re-start with a throw in.
(iii) If the free kick/puck results directly in a score then the score shall be disallowed and play restarted by a thrown in at the place from where the free kick/puck was taken.

Football:

7. Rule 1.7 (b) The Play amend to read: "Who is playing the ball other than when kicking it."
Change: It is illegal for a charge, otherwise to be considered fair, to be made on a player kicking the ball.

8. Rule 1.4 (e) the Rules of Football amended to read: "played away with (a) the fist (b) the open hand(s) provided it involves a definite underhand striking action."

"7 Handpass (Definition)
Football
When in possession, the ball may be played away with
(i) the fist
or
(ii) an open hand - in which instance there shall be a definite underhand striking action.
The striking hand shall not be in contact with the ball before delivering the strike.
When both hands are involved, the ball may be struck off a holding hand by the other hand or released from the holding hand and struck with the other hand.
When one hand is involved, the ball may be released from the holding hand and struck with the same hand.
The releasing of the ball, when used, is considered an integral part of the fisted/open Handpass.


Change: A player may execute a pass using the hand by either:
(a) The fist
(b) Open hand provided it is struck underhand
In either case there must be a definite striking action, with the striking hand not being in contact with ball before delivering the strike.


9. Rule 2.3 Set Play: "A penalty kick shall be taken from the ground from a point 11m from the centre of the goal line."
Change: The penalty is moved two metres closer to the goal, now 11m rather than 13m.
All other players, with the exception of the player taking the kick, shall be outside the 20m line and the arc, be at least 13m from the ball, and shall not cross the 20m line or the arc until the ball has been kicked. The goalkeeper may move along the line, but may not advance from the goal-line until the ball has been kicked.

10. Rule 2.7 (a) and (b) amended and incorporated into one rule: "All kick outs shall be taken from the 13m line in front of the scoring space. All players except the goalkeeper and the player taking the kick out (if other than the goalkeeper) shall be outside the 20m line. All other players shall be 13m from the ball until it has been kicked."
Change: All kick outs 13 m line. Everything other rule relating to the kick out is unchanged.

11. Definition of bounce: "For a player who has caught the ball to play the ball against the ground with his hands and to catch it on return to his hands."
Change: This redefinition of the bounce has the effect that the "Basketball Type", bounce, per se, is not a foul.
A "double bounce" is not effected until the ball is "caught" on completion of the second bounce.

12. Rule 2.9 Set Play relating to the line ball: "……. a free kick from the hand shall be awarded to the opposing team from outside the boundary line from the place where the ball crossed the side-line."
Change: Line Ball must be kicked from outside the boundary line:
(i) Linesman may notify the referee of a breach of the rule by raising his flag.
(ii) Penalty for breach of this rule is: (a) Cancel sideline kick and (b) Throw in the ball 13m in from the sideline.

Hurling:

4. Handpass definition: "The ball must be released and struck with a definite striking action of the hand."
Change: A player is in breach of the rule if there is not a definite striking action.

5. Rule 4.15 - the penalty relating to taking the puck out from outside the small rectangle: "(i) Cancel the puckout and (ii) Throw in the ball on the defenders' 20m line in front of the scoring space."
Change: The penalty for taking a puck-out from outside the small rectangle is changed from the award of a 65m free to the opposition to:
(i) Cancel the puckout and
(ii) Throw in the ball on the defenders' 20m line.

6. Rule 4.16 (a) and (b) amend the rule to: "….before the ball is struck……"
Change: This change in wording essentially clears up a potential anomaly. As a result of this change both attackers and defenders must remain outside the 20m line and the arc until the ball is struck from a penalty and the three defenders on the line must not move off the line until the ball is struck.

Implementation Date: All Playing Rules become operative one month from Congress, i.e Games played on Saturday, May 15th will use the "new" rules.