Rules
Note: Rules spelled out herein are intended for club play, and may be modified as required to reflect club requirements, pool situations, and player skill level (e.g., for safety and to encourage good sportsmanship) —also known as “house rules The coach, player-coach, or club referee should review these rules and any house rules with new and visiting players, prior to start of play. At the time of this printing the sections with known house rules variants have been marked with [Q].
Overview
Underwater Football is a sport played within a swimming pool by two teams of 5 players (plus spares). Each player wears the basic skin diving equipment, i.e. fins, face-mask, and snorkel (no compressed gases). The object of the game is to carry a negatively buoyant ball underwater and deposit it within' the opposing team's goal area.
The ball carrier may be tackled or stripped of the ball. A tackler must keep the ball 1n' view and immediately release the ball carrier if the ball is dropped.
Philosophy of Club Play
In club play the purpose of scrimmages is to have fun, build skills, and encourage physical fitness. As such, play styles that are intended to hurt and/or injure other players are strongly discouraged. As such, grappling and tackling other players should follow a principle of “less is more”. If 5 pounds of force are sufficient to immobilize an appointed player then there is no need to go to 10 pounds.
Due to the nature of the sport and the weightless environment, it is rare that one has to use enough force to cause a bruise to tackle or strip the ball off an opponent.
Playing Area
The playing area shall be a swimming pool or part thereof (rectangular). Typical dimensions are a depth of water between 3 metres and 5 metres. with a width of 10 metres and a length of 15 metres.
The goal areas are on the pool gutters/deck. The goal lines are marked on the side of the pool, both above and below the surface approximately 3 metres in from the sides of the playing area.
Note: some clubs may be limited by their pool; this is one of the purposes of “house rules”. E. g., it may be open on one side, in which case an out of bounds area is defined and players leaving the playing area incur a minor penalty.
The Football
The prime considerations in the selection of a ball are that it be soft sided and negatively buoyant. Currently, the ball in use is a #4
basketball sanded to a smooth surface and filled with one of two different substances: com-syrup or saltwater.
Team Substitutes
Substitutions may only be made during a natural break in play. E.g.:
- When a goal is scored or at half time.
- In the event of an accident or injury (when play has stopped)
- When play is stopped due to an infringement of the rules.
Substitutions may not be done “on-the-fly”
Team Equipment and Identification
All team members shall wear proper swim suits.
Wet suits and weight belts may not be worn.
All team members shall wear coloured tape on their wrists and ankles. Each team shall display a different colour.
Appropriate ear protection is strongly recommended. If worn, the colour of the ear protection must be consistent with the rest of their team. [Q]
Personal Equipment
- Each player shall be equipped with goggles or dive mask (which must be fitted with tempered glass or plastic lenses), a snorkel and pair of swim fins.
- The wearing of watches, rings, and other jewellery is not permitted.
- Players may not use equipment which may be deemed hazardous, I i.e., masks or fins with sharp or pointed edges.
- Long fingernails shall not be allowed.