For field hockey umpires, by field hockey umpires
Players are most likely to hit the ball in indoor when they are attempting a long pass that requires a high rate of speed to avoid interception. Although this hit wasn’t detected at the time, …
Continue Reading about GERvAUT Hit on long pass then deflection into defender at close range →
After creating body contact with an attempted tackle and the whistle sounding for the attacking free hit, the defender continues his attempts at the ball and knocks it away from the ball carrier, who …
On the first penalty corner of the game, the far right attacker breaks early into the circle prior to the injection. The umpire correctly stops the play, sends the injector to the centre line, allows …
Continue Reading about ARGvNED Attacker breaks early on PC →
After a NZL player is judged to have deflected an attempted interception up into himself, he plays the ball after the whistle has gone against him. As the ESP attacker taps the ball in his self-pass, …
The attacker makes a good reception under tight marking and releases down the sideline. Her defender chases from the left side but is significantly behind. The ball is being carried well out in front …
Continue Reading about NZLvBEL GC for reckless tackle from behind →
A defender makes a great save on the goal line, hitting away a deflection made by an attacker from her knees. Although the ball could have been seen as dangerous, the attacker had put herself in that …
Does the hand in the back on this tackle make a difference? Pay attention to the defender’s stick, the contact made with the ball and the feet of the ball carrier. How would you put these factors …
The BLR defender commits a stick obstruction along the side-boards and, within hearing distance of the whistle, clearly puts her stick down in the way of the NED attacker’s self-pass, breaking down …
This is a tricky aerial because the angle we have from the camera makes it impossible to see the true trajectory of the ball. Our side-on assessment may be that the attacking teammate would have been …
An aerial ball falls to two opposing players, and the attacking teammate attempts an unsuccessful interception 5m away from the defender, after which the latter is permitted to initially receive the …
This is a highly complex shootout attempt. The first issue you may see is that the attacker backs into the goalkeeper, knocking him off-balance. Then, the goalkeeper attempts a poke tackle between the …
When attackers are pressing, it’s important to intervene as soon as possible to prevent a free hit from being taken incorrectly and subsequently reset. Here the ball is rolling, making it impossible …
This high-risk tackle could go either way. If you focus on the movement of the defender, they are basically set in position as the ball carrier comes in. They take a very low body position, and the …
Continue Reading about CHNvBEL Long barrier or good tackle →
Three incidents happen in quick succession here. A ball hit at pace deflects off a defender’s stick and is only dangerous at that point to his teammate who ducks out of the way, so no foul is awarded. …
As the play is moving across the circle away from the controlling umpire, a chasing attacker clips the heels of the defender chasing down the ball. This may well have been blocked from the view of the …
Note the exact spot where the BEL defender commits the initial foul, which is around 1m outside the 5m dotted line. She stands vertically to take up as little passing space as possible and picks up …
Continue Reading about ARGvBEL Caught within 5m and retreating for good tackle →
The umpire does a great job here making a quick decision on a free hit inside the dotted 5m line, and immediately “double-tweeting” to get the players’ attention and verbally signal the correct ball …
Continue Reading about INDvBEL Proactive ball placement inside dotted line →
An aerial is launched into the circle safely over the heads of the players with established positions, falling into a landing area where only a solitary attacker was making a great cut for the ball. …
A defender claims a stick block occurs on this attacking play. As he’s chasing the ball carrier from behind, the ball carrier changes his direction from cutting to the right to going straight at the …
Watching this tackle in slow motion, it’s very clear the attacker went straight at the defender, who had to make no movement at all to meet the ball. The action of standing up and lifting the attacker …
Continue Reading about NZLvESP Fair tackle leads to non-bully →
After an unsuccessful tackle leading to a clear and obvious body obstruction, a teammate follows through on the clearance perilously close to after the whistle. The controlling umpire uses a very …
Continue Reading about AUSvNED Verbal warning to leave the ball →
After a defensive free hit is awarded for danger on the cross, the umpire gets distracted addressing players away from where the ball has drifted to. The team in possession takes advantage and takes a …
Continue Reading about ESPvARG Inattention to ball placement →
As the ball is being switched across the circle through the defenders, a reception is bobbled to a small height. The nearest pressing attacker is far enough away that she is not disadvantaged or …
Continue Reading about BLRvNED No foul on raise inside circle →
On a sweep shot like this it can be difficult to see a back stick as there is no telltale spray or looping ball trajectory as indicators. Here, the best sign is the toe of the stick. When we don’t …
Continue Reading about NEDvAUS VR for backstick on SO goal →
Seconds into this game, a ESP player attempts to dispossess the GER ball carrier and rather recklessly makes body contact (as per the wording of the rule), bowling his opponent over. The GER player is …
Continue Reading about ESPvGER Reckless physical tackle early →
A ball sent into the circle deflects high off a defender’s stick, striking the next attacker in the arm, where the umpire is unsighted. Rather than attempting to play on from a poor angle, the …
Continue Reading about GBRvAUS VR danger can’t play advantage →
When a raised shot at goal strikes a defender who is 5m or fewer from the ball, the rule requires us to examine the height. Had this shot struck the runner below the knee, it is not considered …
In attempting to clear the ball, the defender sends it at a sharp angle off the back-line. Giving his body position and the full purchase he had on the ball, it’s appropriate to deem this an …
Continue Reading about NZLvARG Intentionally off back-line →
Big decisions require clarity, timing and a strong presentation. In disallowing this goal, the umpire is looking at the size of the backswing of this hit. Although the stick remains on the court …
The initial decision on the penalty corner was a free hit for the defence. The attacking team referred it for a stick obstruction. On review, the video umpire found simultaneous fouls by both the …
Continue Reading about INDvARG VR stick obstruction no foul no bully Pibworth Rule →
It’s a fine line picking out whether a ball is within playable distance of an obstructed attacker who is at a full run. Inside the circle, given the close proximity of many players and the goal, a …
Continue Reading about AUSvBEL No call third party obstruction →
It’s difficult to be prepared for first time a player at your level breaks a relatively unknown regulation. The FIH shoot-out regulations (which are often mimicked in domestic competitions but not …
The AUS player fails to both start her stick on the ground as required in 6.5(a), but also fails to tap her stick against her opponent’s with the flat side over the ball (it appears to be either the …
Continue Reading about UKRvAUS Foul on the bully no flat side →
After a turnover, a defender tracks the ball carrier up the near sideline and presumbly trips her up. Note that the side-on camera angle doesn’t show what we need to see, but from the umpire’s angle …
Continue Reading about NEDvAUS GC for breakdown play along sideline →
A third party is missed along the sideline when the red player screens a yellow player from attempting to make a tackle that was within reach. Sidelines are congested areas and our positioning is …
The free hit is awarded for an obvious combination foot and obstruction foul. A second defender taps the ball away after the whistle, preventing the attacker from taking a quick self-pass which would …
Continue Reading about ARGvESP PC upgrade playing ball away →
This penalty stroke decision is referred to the video umpire to downgrade it to a penalty corner. The defender reached in from behind and obstructed by briefly hooking the attacker’s stick, preventing …
Continue Reading about NZLvUSA VR PS for intentional stick obstruction →
A subtle but physical breakdown foul is missed on the near sideline in front of the 23m line. The umpire is running the outside line with her head turned, making it difficult to see the push in the …
This ball is forced into a fairly set defender from close range and should be considered dangerous. To access this content, you must purchase FHU3T Green, FHU3T Green 365, FHU3T Yellow 365 …
A dangerous play emerges when a defender deflects the ball up in the air and the attacker attempts to pick it with their stick, hitting the fouling player in the forehead. The initial danger was still …
Continue Reading about NZLvESP VR for danger and stick injury →
A free hit is taken just inside the 23m area. It travels towards the circle and hits the edge of the circle line, which constitutes inside the circle. A free hit is given for the defence, taken where …
Continue Reading about NZLvGBR Attacking free hit directly into circle →
As this penalty corner is being injected, the far right-side attacker breaks early into the circle. The supporting umpire communicates this to the controlling umpire over the radios and the penalty …
A green card is given for this breakdown stick tackle from behind. It’s very subtle but near the end of Q1 in which a few niggling tackles have already occurred, this isn’t a bad time for this level …
The IND attacker lifts his stick dangerously when attempting to evade a tackle and strikes the defender in the face. This isn’t a red card situation, as the play was reckless but within the context of …
An attacker is awarded a side line ball. Taking it on the roll, she doesn’t quite move it 5m before sending the cross into the circle, and the free hit is given. To access this content, …
Continue Reading about CHNvNED Side line ball not moved 5m →
The fine line between the onrushing goalkeeper putting himself into the attacker and the attacker receiving to back into the goalkeeper is in question here. Expanding your vision so you can perceive …
Continue Reading about ESPvNED Goal on potential GK obstruction →
An attacker picks up the ball on a 3D dribble and goes straight at the upright defender, without making any attempt to go around. The umpire correctly calls this as dangerous. Switch your focus to the …
As an outnumbered counterattack flows into the circle, the deflected crossing attempt is deflected high off the goalkeeper’s stick. It then strikes his defending teammate in the chest and slowly …
A reading of this play is that the whistle was blown for the free hit after the defender bumped the ball carrier and ran across his path, but it wasn’t heeded by the ARG attacker who preferred the …
Continue Reading about ARGvESP GC missed and free hit not taken →
