2017 Field Hockey Rules Book
By Nathaniel Nelson
Download the 2017 FIH Field Hockey Rules Book.
Based on recommendations made by the FIH Rules Committee, the International Hockey Federation (FIH) has released the Rules of Hockey 2017.
These will formally come into effect for International Hockey from 1st January 2017, with National Associations free to choose the date of their implementation.
In summary, there have been no major changes to the Rules of Hockey 2015 and the subsequent adjustment to Rule 13.2, which came into force February 2016, has now been formally incorporated.
The Rules of Hockey 2017 do contain a number of adjustments that feature in the already published Rules of Indoor Hockey 2017, as applicable to the outdoor game. The FIH believes that it is crucially important the both sets of rules are aligned as closely as possible and, in keeping with that philosophy, has included these adjustments in the Rules of Hockey 2017.
A summary of the adjustments to the Rules of Hockey 2017 can be found below.
- Rule 1.10 No equipment etc. to be placed inside the goals
- Rule 2.1 Clarification that decisions taken prior to correcting a team having more than the permitted number of players on the pitch cannot be changed if time and/or play has already been re-started
- Rule 2.2 Clarification that any change between goalkeeping options, even for Players with Goalkeeping Privileges, either on or off the pitch, must take place as a substitution
- Rule 4.2 Change of the description of ‘gloves’ to ‘hand protection’; specification of the size of hand protection which may be used, both for normal play and to defend Penalty Corners; addition of guidance regarding the use of knee pads when defending Penalty Corners
- Rule 4.3 Deletion of ‘single’ in colour of Goalkeeper shirt
- Rule 9.8 Adjustment to the guidance to ‘A ball is also considered dangerous’
- Rule 9.16 Addition into guidance that if a ball hits discarded Penalty Corner defence equipment then a Free Hit will result if outside the circle or a Penalty Corner if inside the circle
- Rule 13.2 The changes to Rule 13.2, which were posted to the FIH website on 16 February 2016 as an adjustment to the previous Rules, are now formally incorporated
- Rule 13.7d Tidying up of two paragraphs of repeated guidance concerning the completion of Penalty Corners
- Rule 13.8e Addition of ‘once the whistle has been blown to start the Penalty Stroke’ for no movement of the Goalkeeper’s feet at a Penalty Stroke
- Rule 13.10d Adjustment of the guidance for the caution/carding procedure for a Goalkeeper moving early at a Penalty Stroke, bringing it into line with the Indoor Rule
- Addition of the new ‘Corner’ signal in the Umpiring Signals section
All changes or clarifications in the Rules of Hockey 2017 are indicated by a line in the left hand margin against the relevant text. To download the Rules of Hockey 2017, click here.
Source: FIH
