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Rule 12 - INTERFERENCE |
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12. INTERFERENCE 12.1 The player whose turn it is to play the ball is entitled to freedom from interference by the opponent. 12.2 To avoid interference, the opponent must make every effort to provide the player with: (see Guideline 6) 12.2.1 unobstructed direct access to the ball after completion of a reasonable follow-through. 12.2.2 a fair view * of the ball on its rebound from the front wall. * We know that players do not like this part of the Rules, as it almost prohibits them from using disguise to play a good shot. We and the players were expecting 'fair view' to have been removed for the 2001 rewrite. This has not occurred !! |
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| Guideline 7 | 12.2.3 freedom to hit the ball with a reasonable swing. 12.2.4 freedom to play
the ball directly to any part of the front wall. |
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12.3
Interference occurs if the opponent fails to fulfil any
of the requirements of Rule 12.2, even though the
opponent makes every effort to fulfil those requirements.
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12.4 A player's excessive swing can contribute to interference for the opponent when it becomes the opponent's turn to play the ball. * The point about excessive versus reasonable is very open to interpretation - and to whether the Referee has any knowledge of the playing style of the two opponents. You may remember a certain New Zealand player who was allowed for many years to use what everyone considered an excessive backswing. He even became World Champion using that swing !! We consider that excessive is when a player makes an exaggerated movement, unlike their normal style of play. |
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12.5 A player encountering possible interference has the choice of continuing to play or of stopping and making an appeal to the Referee. 12.5.1 A player seeking a let or a stroke should appeal by saying "Let please". 12.5.2 Only the player whose turn it is to play the ball may appeal. The player must appeal either immediately the interference occurs or, when clearly not continuing play beyond the point of interference, without undue delay. |
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12.6
The Referee shall decide on the appeal and shall announce
the decision with the words "No let", "Yes
let" or "Stroke to...(name of appropriate
player)" (see flowchart in Appendix
4.1). The Referee alone
makes all decisions, which are final. The Referee, if
uncertain of the reason for an appeal, may ask the player
for an explanation (before making the decision). |
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12.7 The Referee shall not allow a let and the player shall lose the rally if the Referee decides that: 12.7.1
there was no interference or the interference was so
minimal that the player's fair view of the ball and
freedom to get to and play the ball were not affected. |
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12.8 The Referee shall award a stroke to the player if: 12.8.1 there was interference, which the opponent did not make every effort to avoid, and the player would have made a good return. 12.8.2
there was interference, which the opponent made every
effort to avoid, but the opponent's position prevented
the player's reasonable swing and the player would have
been able to make a winning return. |
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12.8.3 there was interference, which the opponent made every effort to avoid, and the player would have made a winning return; 12.8.4 the player has
refrained from hitting the ball which, if hit, would
clearly have struck the opponent going directly to the
front wall; or to a side wall but in the latter case
would have been a winning return (unless Rule
9.2 - turning, or Rule 10 - further attempt applies). |
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12.9 The Referee shall allow a let if there
was interference, which the opponent made every effort to
avoid, and the player would have made a good return. |
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12.10 The Referee shall not award a stroke to a player who causes interference to the opponent by using an excessive swing. 12.11 The Referee may allow a let under Rule 12.9 or award a stroke under Rule 12.8 without an appeal, if necessary stopping play to do so. |
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Guideline 12 |
12.12 The Referee may also apply Rule 17 when interference occurs. The Referee shall, stopping play if it has not already stopped, apply an appropriate penalty if: 12.12.1 the player made significant or deliberate physical contact with the opponent; 12.12.2 the player endangered the opponent with an excessive swing.
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Continue ? |
Read on - Rule 13 |
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