Section 7: Violations & Penalties
7.1 Ordinary Fouls (Turnovers)
Ordinary fouls result in a free throw to the opposing team. Common ordinary fouls include:
- Impeding or blocking the movement of an opponent who is not holding the ball
- Pushing the ball underwater
- Taking the ball underwater when tackled
- Holding the ball with two hands (field player)
- Wasting time (failing to progress the ball)
- Pushing off an opponent to gain position or momentum
- Standing on or pushing off the bottom of the pool (if depth allows it physically)
- Deliberately splashing water in an opponent’s face
7.2 Exclusion Fouls (20-Second Penalty)
Exclusion fouls result in the offending player being removed from the water for 20 seconds of actual play, or until a goal is scored, or until the excluded player’s team regains possession. The excluded player must leave the water and enter the penalty area immediately.
- Holding, sinking, or pulling back an opponent who is not holding the ball
- Interfering with a free throw, goal throw, or corner throw
- Deliberately impeding the free movement of an opponent during a dead-ball situation
- A goalkeeper going beyond the half-distance line
- Intentional splashing to distract or impede a player taking a throw
- Misconduct (showing disrespect toward officials, using offensive language)
7.3 Accumulation and Ejection
- 3 exclusion fouls: Player is permanently excluded from the remainder of the match; a substitute may enter after 20 seconds
- The ejected player’s team plays short-handed for the 20-second exclusion period of the third foul
- A substitute wearing the ejected player’s cap number enters after the exclusion period ends
7.4 Penalty Fouls
A penalty throw is awarded when an exclusion foul is committed inside the 5 m area by a defending player against an attacker who has possession of the ball and a probable scoring opportunity. Penalty fouls include:
- Pulling back, holding, or sinking an attacker with the ball within the 5 m area who has a probable goal
- A goalkeeper or defender deliberately pulling down the goal to prevent a goal
- A field defender using two hands to block a shot inside the 5 m area
- A defender committing an act of brutality inside the 5 m area during a probable-goal situation
7.5 Brutality
- Red card: Player permanently excluded with no substitution for 4 minutes of actual play
- Team plays one player short for the full 4-minute penalty
- Defined as kicking, striking, or attempting to strike with malicious intent; head-butting
- May be called regardless of whether the ball is in play
- The offending player must leave the competition area entirely (not just the pool)