Questions tagged [rules]
Questions about the rules of sports, including regulations for particular competitions or formats. Questions must also be tagged for the specific sport or competition.
1,727
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What happens when ball touches net during serving?
I found some information on rules, but I never found a clear answer to what should be done when a served ball touches the net.
Is it point for opponent, or should the serve be redone?
If redone - will ...
user282
10
votes
1
answer
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Is there a limit on the number of events that a track and field athlete may enter in one meet?
At the high school level, my local district limited an athlete to four events in one track and field meet. Famous sprinters like Carl Lewis have won four gold medals in one meet and other track and ...
- 6,566
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1
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Doubles rules in table tennis
I curious about what the official rules are for playing doubles in table tennis. It seems like every time I play, someone has a different set of rules from what I've played before.
For instance:
Do ...
- 455
19
votes
1
answer
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Rules around shepherding in football
In many ball sports played in Australia there is a familiar term "shepherding". Wikipedia describes it as this:
"Shepherding is the act of legally pushing, bumping or blocking an opposing player ...
- 763
15
votes
2
answers
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Squeezing the ball between two feet and hopping across the field
On occasion you see sometimes players try this tactic where they squeeze the ball between two feet and hop across the goal line in an attempt to score. This is usually kids learning the game or adults ...
- 763
22
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2
answers
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In football, what rules handle a player changing their position with the goalkeeper?
In football it is my assumption that any players on the same team can exchange their positions without waiting for the ball to leave play or without making any explicit indication to the other team.
...
- 763
14
votes
2
answers
2k
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How can a 3rd college quarterback be found if two are injured?
As colleges can't sign a new player like an NFL team can, what do they do if two or three of their starting QBs go down? Is there a rule that lets them get new players or do they have to play their ...
user249
9
votes
2
answers
650
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The position of the net in table tennis
Are there any rules indicating how the net should be placed in table tennis?
Should it touch the top?
Should it touch the table?
I'm not totally sure. It always seems that we just put it in the ...
- 3,297
21
votes
2
answers
2k
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Why does a marathon start need to be near its finish for a record to count
In the answer to a question on the validity or otherwise of a world record, the answer quotes the rule book which says:
"The start and finish points of a course, measured along a theoretical ...
- 1,023
60
votes
5
answers
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Is it legal to throw an alley-oop to yourself in a real game?
In this video, a college basketball player steals the ball, races down court, and avoids the defender by throwing a pass to himself off the backboard.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=...
- 3,286
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1
answer
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Skip a media timeout in NCAA basketball?
In NCAA basketball, there are media timeouts at the first whistle after the 16:00, 12:00, 8:00 and 4:00 minute marks of each half.
What happens if there is no whistle from the four minute mark until ...
- 463
11
votes
3
answers
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Why the limit on manager mound visits?
I recall that Don Mattingly was forced to remove his pitcher due to two mound meetings in an inning. I've read articles that indicate that a limit was placed on manager-led mound meetings to speed up ...
- 6,566
6
votes
4
answers
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How is the slashing rule enforced in hockey?
From the NHL rulebook:
61.1 Slashing - Slashing is the act of a player swinging his stick at an opponent, whether contact is made or not. Non-aggressive stick
contact to the pant or front of the ...
- 6,566
25
votes
3
answers
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Why is drafting allowed on the bike in an Olympic triathlon and not otherwise?
The Olympic (or International) distance triathlon is 1500m swim, 40K bike, 10K run.
Yet when run as the qualifier or at the Olympics, this is draft legal. Where as all tris of that distance I have ...
- 2,297
13
votes
2
answers
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What makes a formation illegal?
Sometimes the referee will flag a team for having an "illegal formation". What are the restrictions on how a team is allowed to line up?
- 235
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1
answer
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In NCAA Basketball what does it mean to be 1 and 1?
I'm a bit unfamiliar with foul rules. Correct me if my assumption is wrong. So a team has to give a certain number of fouls up a half before they're 1 and 1?
Does that mean each point or free throw ...
- 3,297
97
votes
7
answers
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Points are given in tennis 15-30-40. Why 40?
Tennis scoring goes 15-30-40-game. Why 40? Why not 45? What is the meaning of the points being given in tennis as 15-30-40-game? What is the history of this scoring calculation?
- 1,242
75
votes
8
answers
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Why is FIFA against adding instant replay to the game?
Is there any evidence or reason why FIFA is so against adding instant replay to soccer? I find myself seeing many unlucky or just plain wrong decisions made by refs that could be corrected with ...
- 1,399
21
votes
1
answer
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Why is a foul bunt on strike three an out?
Following up on "Why does a foul ball not count as a third strike?", I can understand caught fouls and foul tips being counted as strike 3. But what is the logic behind a 3rd strike foul bunt being an ...
- 577
23
votes
6
answers
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Why isn't spiking the football intentional grounding?
I understand that spiking the football is a time management technique in American football, but I don't understand why there is no penalty (e.g. intentional grounding) associated with it?
- 415
11
votes
1
answer
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Enforcement of traveling in basketball
In most levels of basketball, from youth leagues to the college level, traveling seems to be enforced fairly regularly. However, at the NBA level, traveling seems to be rarely enforced, with the rules ...
- 6,566
25
votes
5
answers
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Why does a foul ball not count as a third strike?
From the Wikipedia entry for foul ball
A strike is issued for the batter if he had fewer than two strikes ...
A strike is, however, recorded for the pitcher for every foul ball the
batter hits, ...
- 3,629
17
votes
3
answers
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Are you allowed to play zone defense in the NBA?
I remember in the "old days" that if a referee caught a team playing zone defense that they would blow the whistle to stop the play and call "Illegal Defense".
I haven't seen this foul called in a ...
- 4,645
19
votes
2
answers
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If a play ends with two runners at the same base who is safe?
In baseball if a play ends and two base runners are at the same base who is safe and who is out? Does the situation change if one of the runners can be forced?
- 9,116
28
votes
11
answers
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Screening in volleyball
The volleyball rules prohibit screening during a service (preventing the receiving team from seeing the ball or the serving player; rule 12.5), however, during any professional game you can see ...
- 3,456
15
votes
2
answers
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As a defensive lineman, can I intentionally encroach to stop the clock?
If a defense is facing a tough situation with no timeouts left, it is difficult to stop the clock. Your options are very limited - you hope the offense passes and you can bat it down, or you hope you ...
- 2,254
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votes
7
answers
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How is offside determined in football?
The offside rule on the pitch is often unclear and called suddenly. How do I know if a player is offside?
- 9,116