Section I – General Interactions

Section II – Specific Contact

Section III – Seekers & the Flag Runner

Section IV – Right of Way

Section V – Unsporting Behavior

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Section I – General Interactions

1. Illegal Physical Contact
   The following forms of physical contact are always illegal unless the contact is determined by the referee to have been incidental:
   1. Intentionally contacting a player of another position, except for keepers and chasers in regard to one another.
   2. Intentionally contacting the flag runner, except for seekers.
   3. Kicking an opponent.
   4. Making forcible contact using the crown of the head.
   5. Making contact with an opponent’s head, neck, or groin.
   6. Initiating contact or exerting force at or below the knees of an opponent.
   7. Tripping an opponent.
   8. Sliding or diving into an opponent.
   9. Jumping, leaping, or climbing onto any player.
   10. Intentionally lifting or continuing to hold another player off the ground, either an opponent or a teammate.
   11. Grabbing the broom or clothing of an opponent.
   12. Attempting to steal the quadball from, contacting, or otherwise interacting with an opposing protected keeper who is in sole possession of the quadball (See: 8.II.2 Keeper-Specific Powers).

   Standard Contact Penalty - Illegal Physical Contact

2. Picks
   A pick is when a player gets to a legal position on the field in the path of an opposing player for the purpose of slowing them down or making them change direction without initially engaging in a push, charge, or wrap.
   1. A pick is considered set once the picking player positions themselves in the anticipated path of their opponent.
   2. All picks are subject to the following rules and restrictions, regardless of whether either player involved has a ball:
      1. It is illegal to pick a player of another position, except for keepers and chasers in regard to one another.
      2. It is illegal to extend a single point of one’s body during a pick, such as the elbow or point of the shoulder, causing the picked player to run into it.
      3. If the player initiates contact rather than being run into, this shall not be considered a pick.
      4. The player’s feet do not need to be set in order for the play to be legal.
         1. If the would-be picking player is moving directly at their opponent during the pick and contact is forceful, the play will instead be considered a charge.
   3. If neither player has possession of a ball, the following restrictions apply in addition to the general pick restrictions:
      1. A pick set from behind must initially give the picked player a step of room to stop and/or change direction.
      2. A pick set on a moving player must be set with enough time for the player to stop and/or change direction, as determined by the picked player’s speed at the time that the pick is set, not by their actual awareness of the pick.
      3. The picked player must make every attempt to avoid charging the picking player, either by slowing down so that the initiation of contact is non-forceful or by avoiding the opposing player entirely.
         1. Incidental contact shall not be penalized.
   4. If a picked player reacts to the pick by changing their path, any motion to move into the new path shall be considered a new pick.
   5. A player charging through an illegal pick shall not be penalized provided they do not increase their force in response to the pick.

   Standard Contact Penalty - Illegal Pick

   Standard Contact Penalty - Illegally Charging a Picking Player

3. Kicking a Contested Ball
   It is generally legal to kick a ball that an opponent is attempting to play. The following rules apply:
   1. A player must not kick any opponent.
   2. Kicking a ball that an opponent is touching with their hand is a dangerous kick.
   3. If the referee determines that a player’s kick would have been illegal if the opponent had not reacted to the kick by actively getting out of the way, the kick must be ruled a dangerous kick.
   4. If the referee determines that the kicked or nearly kicked player was at fault for being kicked or nearly kicked because they moved into the way of the kick late, there is no foul under this rule.

   Yellow Card - Dangerous Kick

   Yellow Card - Kicking an opponent

   Red Card - Violent or egregious illegal kick

4. Sliding & Diving
   Players may slide or dive. However, it is illegal to:
   1. Slide or dive into an opponent.
   2. Slide or dive directly toward an opponent in a way that forces the opponent to change their movement to avoid the slide or dive.

   Standard Contact Penalty - Illegal Slide

   Standard Contact Penalty - Illegal Dive

5. Contact Through a Teammate
   1. It is illegal for any player to primarily contact a teammate with the intent of causing or otherwise affecting that teammate’s physical interaction with any opponent.
   2. Incidental or secondary contact through a teammate shall not be penalized.

   Standard Contact Penalty - Illegal contact through a teammate

6. Helpless Receiver
   A receiver who is in the process of catching a ball that is in the air is considered a helpless receiver.
   1. A receiver does not have to leave the ground in order to be considered a helpless receiver.
   2. A receiver remains helpless until they establish their footing on the ground after either gaining sole and complete possession of the ball or they are no longer attempting to catch the ball.
   3. A helpless receiver may not be pushed, wrapped, charged, or tackled by any opponent.
   4. A player who the referee determines to have thrown a ball to themselves in an attempt to draw a card for illegal contact with a helpless receiver shall not be considered a helpless receiver on that throw.
   5. It is not illegally contacting the player if contact was incidental in an attempt to play the ball at the discretion of the referee.

   Yellow Card - Illegally contacting a helpless receiver

   Red Card - Charging a helpless receiver

   Red Card - Tackling a helpless receiver

7. Stealing
   A steal consists of a player’s attempt to extract a ball from an opponent by either stripping or poking it loose.
   1. A player may attempt to steal from an opponent while wrapping them.
   2. A player must not wind up or swing at the ball in an attempt to punch it loose.
   3. During a steal attempt, only for the purposes of contact between the stealing player and the player being stolen from, the player being stolen from is considered to have sole possession until they lose direct control of the ball.

   Standard Contact Penalty - Illegal attempt to steal

8. Initial Point of Contact
   When pushing, body blocking, charging, or wrapping, a player must not make initial contact with an opponent from behind.
   1. The contact must be initiated from the front of the opponent’s torso.
      1. The front of the torso is defined by a 180 degree straight plane bisecting the player at the middle of both shoulders.
      2. To be considered to the front of the opponent, the navel of the player initiating contact must be in front of this 180 degree plane when contact is initiated.
      3. As long as the body of the contacting player is positioned in this manner the actual point of contact may occur at any legal part of the opponent’s torso, arms, or legs above the knee.
   2. Once contact has been legally established, a player may continue contact even when it results in contact from behind, so long as contact is not broken.
      1. This includes changing the type of contact.
   3. If a player initiates contact by leading with their back, the opposing player may continue the contact and there is no foul.
   4. If a player spins or turns just prior to contact, causing the opposing player to initiate contact from be- hind, there is no foul for contact from behind provided the contacting player did not have reasonable time to react to the spin and completely avoid contact.
   5. If a player outruns or runs by an opponent attempting to initiate contact and the contact is initiated from behind, this is still a foul.

   Standard Contact Penalty - Illegal contact from behind

9. Limited Contact From Behind
   1. It is legal to place a hand or hands on an opponent from behind without applying force.
      1. This includes using an arm, without pushing, to prevent an opponent from moving toward oneself.
   2. Limited contact from behind is allowed in the following circumstances:
      1. Jostling for position.
      2. During an attempt to steal.
   3. Contact initiated from behind under this rule does not allow a player to engage in the contacts listed in 6.1.9.
   4. If the defender has stopped their momentum and is stationary with two feet planted, wraps from behind are also legal.
10. Adjusting Illegal Contact
    1. A player who is forced to make illegal contact on an opposing player due to the direct actions of the opposing player must act immediately to readjust the contact to a legal position or discontinue the contact to avoid penalty.
       1. The player’s readjustment must not use or further the illegal contact.
       2. If the player has enough time to adjust to a legal position prior to initiating contact, they must do so.
11. Playing Recklessly
    It is illegal to play recklessly. This includes playing with complete disregard for danger to others.

    Yellow Card - Playing recklessly

    Red Card - Playing egregiously recklessly

12. Egregious Contact
    Particularly egregious illegal contact is prohibited. The following are always egregiously illegal contact:
    1. Making contact using excessive force.
    2. Deliberately injuring or attempting to deliberately injure any person by using one’s body or any equipment including the balls.
    3. Striking or attempting to strike another person including but not limited to intentionally kneeing, elbowing, or headbutting an opponent.
    4. Intentionally physically contacting another person’s head, neck, or groin.
    5. Intentionally physically contacting an official other than the flag runner.
    6. Charging a helpless receiver (See: 7.I.6 Helpless Receiver).
    7. Tackling a helpless receiver (See: 7.I.6 Helpless Receiver).

    Ejection - Egregiously illegal contact against a teammate

    Red Card - Egregiously illegal contact against an opponent, spectator, official, or event staffer

Section II – Specific Contact

1. Body Blocking
   A body block consists of applying force to an opponent using body parts other than arms or hands not pinned to the torso, where any significant force of the contact is applied after non-forceful contact has already been established by the blocking player’s aforementioned body parts.
   1. It is illegal to body block using the head, legs, or feet.
   2. It is illegal to extend the point of the elbow into an opponent during a body block.
   3. It is illegal to body block if contact was initiated from behind (See: 7.I.8 Initial Point of Contact).

   Standard Contact Penalty - Illegal Body Block

2. Pushing
   A push consists of initiating force upon an opponent with an extended arm, be it extended during or before the initiation of contact.
   1. It is illegal to push using the point of an elbow.
   2. It is illegal to push if contact was initiated from behind (See: 7.I.8 Initial Point of Contact).
   3. It is illegal to directly push an opponent’s broom.
      1. Incidental pushing of an opponent’s broom is not illegal.

   Standard Contact Penalty - Illegal Push

3. Charging
   A charge consists of forcefully initiating contact with an opponent using body parts other than arms or hands not pinned to the torso.
   1. It is illegal to charge using the head, legs, or feet.
   2. It is illegal to charge an opponent who is not in complete and sole possession of a ball unless the charging player has possession of a ball.
   3. It is illegal to initiate contact during a charge so that a single point of the charging player’s body initiates the contact, such as leading with the point of a shoulder or elbow.
      1. Point-of-shoulder to point-of-shoulder contact is allowed.
   4. It is illegal for a charging player’s feet to completely leave the ground while applying the primary force of a charge.
   5. It is illegal to charge if contact was initiated from behind (See: 7.I.8 Initial Point of Contact).

   Standard Contact Penalty - Illegal charge

4. Wrapping
   A wrap consists of encircling any part of an opponent with an arm or arms. The arm includes the hand.
   1. It is illegal to wrap an opponent who is not in possession of a ball.
   2. It is illegal for a player to leave the ground during a wrap in an attempt to spear or otherwise propel their body into an opponent.
   3. Once a wrap has been initiated legally, the wrapping player may continue the already initiated motion of the wrap due to momentum even if the player being wrapped releases the ball.
      1. The referee must shout “ball out” the moment the ball is released.
      2. Once aware of the ball being released the player cannot continue contact beyond previously created momentum.
   4. It is illegal to wrap if contact was initiated from behind (See: 7.I.8 Initial Point of Contact).
   5. A grab is a form of wrap that involves holding an opponent or any part of an opponent with a closed hand.
      1. It is illegal to grab an opponent’s broom or clothing.
      2. It is illegal to yank any part of an opponent or pull their arm that is holding the broom during a grab.
      3. It is illegal to apply sharp, sudden force to an opponent’s arm while solely wrapping that arm.
   6. A tackle is the act of wrapping a player and bringing them to the ground.

   Standard Contact Penalty - Illegal Wrap

Section III – Seekers & the Flag Runner

1. Seeker Interactions with the Flag Runner
   While seekers have the standard contact and interaction rules with regard to interactions with each other, different rules apply to interactions with the flag runner.
   1. The following interactions are legal for a seeker to do to a flag runner:
      1. Body blocking the flag runner, subject to standard body block rules (See: 7.II.1. Body Blocking).
      2. Pushing or moving the flag runner’s arms.
      3. Reaching around or over the flag runner with one or both arms.
         1. Any arm reaching around the flag runner must only have incidental contact with them.
         2. It is illegal to squeeze or otherwise restrict the flag runner’s body with an arm that is reaching around them.
   2. The following interactions are illegal for a seeker to do to a flag runner:
      1. Contacting the head, neck, or groin of the flag runner.
      2. Charging the flag runner.
      3. Pushing the flag runner’s legs, waist, or torso.
      4. Holding down or grabbing the flag runner’s arms.
      5. Illegally hurdling the flag runner
      6. Tackling or attempting to tackle the flag runner.
      7. Grabbing the flag runner’s clothing.
         1. No penalty shall apply if the seeker immediately releases the clothing.
         2. Any catch made by the offending seeker immediately after or as a result of grabbing the flag runner’s clothing shall still be ruled invalid, even if no penalty is assessed.
      8. Making forceful contact with the flag runner while sliding or diving.
         1. Minor incidental contact shall not be penalized.
      9. Making egregiously illegal contact with the flag runner (See: 7.I.12. Egregious Contact).
   3. If the flag runner’s arms are held tight against or are otherwise pinned against their torso, they shall be treated as part of their torso.

   Standard Contact Penalty - Illegal interaction with the flag runner

Section IV – Right of Way

1. Interposition Right of Way
   Players of different positions may not physically interact with each other, except for keepers and chasers in regard to one another. The following rules apply to these interactions:
   1. The following is the order of priority for right of way between two players of different positions from highest to lowest priority:
      1. A stationary player with a ball.
      2. A stationary chaser/keeper without a ball.
      3. A moving player with a ball.
      4. A stationary beater or seeker without a ball.
      5. A moving player without a ball.
   2. Players with lower priority must yield to players with higher priority which may include moving out of the way.
      1. Players of lower priority who fail to yield are generally “at fault.”
   3. When two players of the same priority interact, the player whom the referee judges to be at fault for the interaction shall be deemed at fault.
      1. If the players are judged to be equally at fault for the interaction, no penalty shall be given.
   4. If a player clearly acts with the intent of causing an illegal interposition interaction, that player shall be deemed at fault, regardless of their priority.
   5. If a player moves with the intent of causing an opponent to enter an illegal interposition interaction with or yield to another player of equal or higher priority, that player shall be deemed at fault rather than either of the interacting parties.
   6. If the referee determines that there was not enough time for the at fault player to reasonably react and yield, the interaction shall be deemed incidental and no penalty shall be given.
      1. This provision shall not activate if the at fault player could be reasonably expected to be aware or acted to ensure they would be unaware of the opposing player with whom they interacted.
   7. Only the at fault player is penalized for an illegal interposition interaction.
      1. If the illegal interposition interaction was accidental, and overall gameplay was unaffected, they shall instead be penalized for a minor illegal interposition interaction.

   Back to Hoops - Minor illegal interposition interaction

   Yellow Card - Illegal interposition interaction

   Red Card - Violent or egregious illegal interposition interaction

2. Interactions With Knocked Out Players
   1. It is illegal for any player to intentionally attempt to initiate contact, continue contact, or otherwise interact with a knocked out opponent.
      1. If contact was initiated before or as the knockout occurred, reasonable allowance shall be made for the player to safely disengage from the knocked out opponent.
      2. Knocked out players must still make all reasonable efforts to avoid interacting with play while they are knocked out.

   Yellow Card - Illegally interacting with a knocked out opponent

   Red Card - Violently or egregiously illegally interacting with a knocked out opponent

Section V – Unsporting Behavior

1. Unsporting Conduct
   1. Players are generally allowed to celebrate and taunt during gameplay as long as the following criteria are met:
      1. The language, gestures, or actions used are not hostile, discriminatory, extreme, abusive, or vulgar.

   Yellow Card - Unsporting Conduct

   Red Card - Egregious Unsporting Conduct

2. Internal Unsporting Conduct
   Unsporting conduct that is undirected or solely directed at one’s teammates or oneself is internal unsporting conduct.
   1. Internal unsporting conduct is not penalized unless it is either:
      1. Repeated use of explicit or vulgar language.
      2. Egregious
   2. The penalties for this section apply in lieu of the penalties in 7.V.1. Unsporting Conduct.

   Blue Card - Repeated use of explicit or vulgar language

   Ejection - Egregious internal unsporting conduct

3. Physical Altercations
   It is illegal to engage in physical altercations with any person.

   Ejection - Engaging in a physical altercation with a teammate

   Red Card - Engaging in a physical altercation with an opponent, spectator, official, or event staffer

4. Serious Foul Play
   It is illegal to commit serious foul play, including egregious conduct and flagrant cheating.
   1. If an instance of serious foul play cannot be attributed to a specific player, the coach must receive the penalty.

   Red Card - Serious foul play

5. Faking a Foul
   It is illegal to pretend to be fouled.

   Yellow Card - Pretending to be fouled