VRC Hong Kong Beach Water Polo Tournament 2022

Game Rules

1. Game Format and Duration:

1.1. Each Game - 3 sets, highest score or first team to score 6 goals wins the set and gain one set point.

1.2. Each set is 5 minutes running clock. There is no timeout except in the case of player injury or 5m penalty shot.

2. Men’s Open: 10 Teams

Preliminary: 2 groups of 5 teams in round robin

2.1. Game system: Round Robin

Final

2.2. Preliminary each group the Champion will progress through to Cup, the second and third place together with the forth and fifth will play cross over game. Winner of second and third place cross over game will proceed to Cup, Loser to the Plate; Winner of forth and fifth place cross over game will proceed to Plate, loser will contest for 9th place.

2.3. There will be Cup and Plate in the final round. Each consisted of 4 teams. 

2.4. Game System: Knockout rounds consisting of semifinals and the gold and bronze medal matches.

3. Women’s Open: 4 Teams

Game system: Round Robin

4. Match Scoring:

The winner gains 3 points and the loser gains no point. If the match ends in a draw, each team will gain 1 point.

4.1 In the Round-robin stage, the classification of teams will be made on point. If 2 or more teams in the same group score the same points the ranking of the teams involved will be determined according to the following order of priority:

(i) Head-to-head points - the number of set points obtained in the group matches between the teams concerned

(ii) Head-to-head goal difference - the goal difference resulting from the group matches between the teams concerned (calculated by subtracting goals conceded from goals scored)

(iii) Head-to-head goals scored - the number of goals scored in the group matches between the teams concerned 

If the ranking of the teams scoring the same points cannot be determined on the basis of criteria (i) to (iii) mentioned above, the team that has the greater goal difference among all teams on the group table will be placed in the higher ranking. If the goal differences are also equal, the team scoring more goals as indicated on the group table will get a higher ranking. If the scores are still equal, ranking will be decided by 5M penalty shot as the same in knockout stage.

4.2. In knockout stage, if tie in 3 sets will go to 5M penalty shot, each team presents 3 players for the first round , if still tie will become the Golden goal for the rest players , cannot shot twice until all player shot once.

5. Teams and Substitutes:

5.1. Each team shall consist of four players, one of whom shall be the goalkeeper, and not more than three reserves who may be used as substitutes.

5.2. A goalkeeper who has been replaced by a substitute may play in any position.

5.3. At any time in the game, a player may be substituted by leaving the field of play at the team’s designated substitution areas. The substitute may enter the field of play from the exclusion re-entry area as soon as the player has visibly risen to the surface of the water within the re-entry area. Substitution from the designated lateral substitution area is allowed when both players, the exiting player and the substitute, are in the water, outside of the field of play and touch hands above the water.

6. No show

No showing up after 5 mins of the starting time of the match, will count as lose 0:3 in set score.

7. Other rules:

7.1. For restarting after a goal, goalkeeper puts the ball in play immediately after scoring.

7.2. Direct shot after foul is allowed beyond 5 meters.

7.3. Goalkeepers cannot shoot and over half court.

7.4. A goal can be scored by a direct shot from a corner throw or by a shot after the ball is put into play and the player swims with the ball and/or fakes before taking the shot.

7.5. In case of Exclusion Foul, Player need swim to the corner on the opposite side of the referee and touch the marker (a coloured buoy), after touched can back to the field immediately.

7.6. If both side got exclusion at the same time, offensive side can maintain its possession of the ball.

7.7. Women players are allowed to join men’s open group.

8. Major foul:

8.1. Unlimited Exclusion in the match.

8.2. If referee to believe players who continue/ conscious major foul, referee can directly to give the players Yellow Card or Red Card (Suspense on that match).

8.3. A brutality foul is called when a player kicks or strikes an opponent or official with malicious intent. For player that has been get exclusion with brutality, he/she will be banned in the whole tournament as well.

8.4. Foul language is prohibited in the tournament. Player will get red card on violate this rule.

9. Wasting time

No shot clock but Referee can consider giving foul to team which stagnant play /continue Back Pass goalkeeper.

10. Other rules and regulations shall follow the latest version from FINA.

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