FOREWORD

Netball is a ball sport played by two teams of seven players, using a rectangular court marked with specified areas. The objective is to score as many goals as possible while preventing the opposing team from scoring. The team with the greater number of goals is the winner of the match.

Players are assigned positions denoting their roles within the team and the areas of the court in which they may move. Players pass and catch the ball and attempt to move it into their team’s goal circle, where a goal may be scored by shooting the ball above and through a raised ring attached to a vertical post. The opposing team attempts to prevent the shot and gain possession of the ball by using defensive movements and strategies. Play restarts with a center after each goal, with teams having alternate possession.

Netball was originally created for women and girls and had unique female-focused foundations that largely avoided physical contact. The sport has evolved to embrace inclusivity and is a sport that is open to all. The modern game is fast, dynamic, and aerial, drawing on the athleticism and skill of the players to produce an entertaining spectacle that is exciting to watch and enjoyable to play.

The Rules of Netball are underpinned by core values of equal opportunity and fair contest, stipulating that player safety must always be the paramount consideration, and that standards of good sporting behavior and mutual respect must always be upheld.

The approval of any variations or trails to the Rules of Netball for international play must be sought in advance from World Netball, which also maintains sole responsibility for issuing any rule interpretations or application guidelines.

RULE 17: CONTACT

RULE 19: FOUL PLAY

UNFAIR PLAY

1. A player must not play fairly even if player safety is not endangered. This includes any instances of delaying play, intentional infringing, repeated infringing, disputed ruling or intimidation.
2. Delaying play: A player or team must not intentionally waste time or delay play.
3. Intentional infringing: A player must not intentionally infringe any rule.
4. Repeated infringing: A player must not persist in repeatedly infringing a rule or a combination of rules. A team must not repeatedly infringe the same rule or a combination of rules.
5. Disputed ruling: A player must dispute a ruling given by an umpire. If an umpire’s call is not clearly heard a player may ask the umpire to repeat the infringement penalized or seek clarification of where a sanction or action is to be taken.
6. Intimidation: A player, either with or without the ball, must not intimidate an opponent by using behavior designed to distract (including verbal comments) to obtain an unfair advantage. Examples of intimidation include (but are not limited to):
   a. Covering an opponent’s eyes.
   b. Swiping the ball directly at an opponent’s face.
   c. Making unnecessary loud or sudden noises.
   d. Stomping the ground.
   e. A player waving their arms erratically.
   f. Sledging an opponent.