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Polo sports: the rules for playing the game |
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- height: it is allowed to play with ponies of different kinds of height.
- The ponies can play only two chukkas in one afternoon but with a rest of one chukka in between.
- Size of the ball: between 78 and 90 milimeters of diameter, and 120 and 135 grams of weight.
- The players:
a)- if the grass field is full sized the number of players for each team is four, but in an enclosed arena the number is three (generaly in winter it is use the second tipe of ground)
b)- It is not allowed for the players to use the stick with their left hand.
c)- If some of the players is hurt during the match or has any other physical disability, it would be replaced by another player. The consideration of the umpire is very important in the evaluation of the disability of the player to continue the match. Each team may have two substitute players.
- The handicap of the players can be from –2 up to 10 goals on a 4-6 chukka basis. The team handicap is computed only with the handicap of the players that have actually played. When in a tournament both teams don´t have the same aggregate handicap, that team is given a calculated number of goals in the beginning of the match.
- In all the official tournament when a team does not appear 30 minutes after the official schedule, the absent team lost the game unless this absence is appropiatly justified .
- A regular game has 8 chukkas in total but sometimes in small clubs a game may have 4 or 6 chukkas. Each chukka lasts 7 minutes, when it is finished a bell is rung but that is not the end of the game. A chukka finishes when the ball goes out of the play. The intervals between the chukkas are timed to last 3 minutes ussually but in the half time they are timed to last 5 minutes.
- Only the captain of the team can discuss questions with the umpire, it is forbidden for the other players to appeal to the umpire for fouls.
Fouls
The rules related to the fouls have the same purpose that all the regulations of the whole game: try to avoid accidents involving players or even animals.
- The Right of Way of a player over all the others happens when one player follows the ball on its precise line. If one of the other players crosses on the Right of Way so close that it would become dangerous, this player commits a foul.
- It is absolutly forbidden to play dangerously or to make rough handling.
- Only when a player is on the same side of the pony of his opponent (as the ball), can hook his stick. Otherwise any hook to an opponent´s stick is considered a foul.
- In general the penalties can vary according to how dangerous is the play or according to the closeness of the cross the player makes.
When the Umpire has already considered a foul as one this are this are the penalties that may be given:
- Penalty 1: this one is given when a player commits a deliberate or dangerous cross near a posible goal of the opponents. Then a goal is given to the damage team. After the goal both teams remain in the same sides of the field and the ball is thrown near the place where the foul was commited.
- Penalty 2 (30 yards): a free hit is given at 30 yds from the back line in front of the centre of the goal (of the team that has commited foul). The defenders have to be behind the back line but out side the goal post. After the ball is hit they can not ride through it.
- Penalty 3 (40 yarsd): a free hit is given at 40 yds in same conditions as penalty 2.
- Penalty 4 (60 yards): a free hit is given at 60 yds from the goal post of the team who has commited the foul. Defenders may place anywhere but at 30 yds from the ball.
- Penalty 5: a free hit is given in the place where the foul was commited. The defenders must be 30 yards from the ball.
- Penalty 6: a free hit is given in the centre of the ground.
If the Umpire considers unnecessary the delay in hitting the ball when a penalty is given, he would make the whistle sound and throw the ball. Both teams have to be place as in an usual throw-in.