Some Water Polo Rule Changes Over the Years

History

As in many sports, water polo, as we know it today, arose from one of the more obscure water activities. According to Jeopardy "an early version of this water sport had players riding on barrels painted to look like horses." An accurate description for the oblivious reader would be to classify water polo, at its roots, as an aquatic form of rugby football. This "water rugby" came to be called "water polo" based on the English pronunciation of the Balti word for ball, pulu'.'

During the later parts of the nineteenth century, (May 12, 1870) the London Swimming Association developed a set of rules for indoor water polo. The creation of water polo has been credited to William Wilson, who at the time called it football in water. However, his development of the game was quite marginal and there are no records indicating that he played any role in the evolution of the game.

Water Polo Through History

1870-1900: Birth and Beyond

• In ‘’1869’’ Water polo comes to the surface in England, with the rules varying from region to region. A goal was scored by a player carrying the ball with two hands into a boat. One or two goalkeepers standing on the boat were jumping on the opponent in order to prevent the goal.

• 1870 - London Swimming Association set down 11 rules for the so-called water football.
  
  Duration of the game was 20 minutes.
  
  Ball may be passed or carried from a player to another either on or below the surface of the goal.
  
  No player was allowed to interfere an opponent not holding the ball, otherwise a free throw is awarded to the opponent at the place that the foul occurred.

• 1876 - The Scot WILLIAM WILSON set of rules is published.

• 1879 – This year marked the advent of goal posts similar to those of football.
  
  The dimensions of the field of play were not yet uniform. The number of players was approximately nine.

• 1885 - After improving gradually year by year, the game of water polo was finally accepted by the National Swimming Association of England in 1885.

• 1890 - This year marked the first international game held, featuring England and Scotland. England would win this game by a score of 4-0.

• 1904 - At the Olympic games of Saint Luis, the European teams did not participate since the Americans wanted to apply their own rules, foreshadowing international conflicts during later years.

Moving Forward (1905-1928)

• 1905 - The international splashing and hitting the ball with clenched fist were considered as willful fouls.

• 1908 - FINA is established and adopts the set of rules that were existing by 1900 with minor alterations. The ball had to be made of leather with the inside made from rubber.

• 1918 - The player nearest the occurrence of a foul should execute the free throw.

• 1919 - It was described the manner in which a free throw should be excluded.

• 1926 - LEN is being established.

• 1928 - The system of measuring the dimensions of the field of play by yards was resumed. A free throw awarded to the goalie could be executed by any player closest to him. Disobedience was considered a foul. The depth of the pool had to be at list 1.40 meters.

International Rules (1929 - 1949)

• 1929 - International Water Polo Board (IWPB) is appointed by FINA in order to elaborate new rules.

• 1932 - Fouls were subdivided into well defined categories under the headings of “ORDINARY FOULS,” “MAJOR FOULS AND PENALTIES.” Dimension of the field were set on 30 meters of length to 20 meters wide. The ball should weight between 400 and 450 grams.

• 1936 – James R. Smith proposed the substitution of the leather ball with synthetic rubber ball. In America the new ball is quickly accepted, while in Europe appears after 1956.

• 1938 - Splashing inside the 4 meters area became a major foul resulting to an exclusion from the game and a penalty throw.

• 1942 - Throwing directly at goal from a free throw for major fouls outside the 4 meters area was allowed.

• 1949 - The International Water Polo Board after the Olympic games of London proposed the testing of the South American rules that were giving the possibility to the players to move after the whistling of the referee. The effect was immediate, changing drastically the character of the game. The possibility to throw directly from a free throw for major fouls outside the 4 meters area was abolished.

The Modern Era (1950 - 1960)

• 1950 - That is the end of the standing era of the game.
  
  Test year for a new set of rules like:_ The rule that prohibited the moving of the players after the blowing of the referee whistle was cancelled officially. The duration of the game became two periods of 10 minutes instead of 7 minutes A goal could be scored if the ball has been played by at list 2 players. The goalkeeper was restricted to execute a free throw awarded to himself, not being able to let the closet player to do it for himself.

• 1952 - Every decision of the referee becomes definitive.

• 1956 - The restarting at half field after a goal was introduced.
  
  Committing any foul within the 4 meter area, except a foul on a play from which a goal could probably be resulted, was considered as a major foul. Players committing a 4-meter penalty were not excluded of the game. The exact definition of the underlay was established.
  ( 1961 - 1968)

• 1961 - Duration of the game became four periods of 5 minutes each. The teams should be composed by seven players and four substitutes that could enter the game at determinate moments.

• 1964 - In that year in Toldo FINA instructed to the IWPB to pick up out of the best suggestions of those presented by the member countries.

• 1967 - With the idea to keep during the game equal number of players on both sides is introduced the penalty point system. According to that rule every major foul caused a penalty point. At the third penalty point accumulated by any team, a penalty throw was awarded against the offending team.

( 1969 - 1980)

• 1969 - Trial year for new changes of the rules around the world. To promote understanding of the rules FINA creates illustrations for the most frequently occurring fouls.

• 1970 - Instead of the penalty point system is introduced the three personal major fouls (Exclusions) was excluded definitely from the game and only one (1) minute after another player could take his place.

• 1971 - Exclusion of a player committing a major foul for one (1) minute is introduced.
  
  Every foul committed on dead time was considered as a major foul. Possession of the ball for the attack was restricted to 45 seconds. Replacements were possible after scoring a probable goal caused a 4-meter penalty throw. An excluded player should re-enter within 2 meter from the corner of the field of play on the side of goal judges. Behind the line of the ball there was no offside not even into 2 meters area.

• 1977 - Possession of the ball is reduced to 35 seconds.
  
  Exclusion time is reduced to 45 seconds. The two referees system was introduced. Goalkeepers can throw the ball up to the opponent's 4-meter line Any player can take the free throw given to his team, but without any delay and from the place that the free throw has been awarded. The assigned free throw due to an exclusion fault, could be executed as soon as the excluder player started to leave the playing field. (Until that time the game had to stop waiting the excluded player to leave the field of play). Regarding fouls committed in dead time was specified that if such a foul has been committed by an attacker, a free throw should be awarded to the opponent and a personal fault (to be recorded) against the player committing the offensive foul. Regarding such a foul committed by a defender, an exclusion 45 seconds should be awarded (or until a goal has been scored). When the ball was out of the field of play are serve ball should immediately thrown in. Cups with ear protector were introduced.7th PERIOD (1981-1992)

• 1981- A unified code of signals for the referees has been introduced. The number of players has been raised to 13 (6 substitutes). Duration of the game becomes four periods of 7 minutes. Goalkeepers can throw off the ball at any point within the 2-meter area and not only from the goal line between the goal post.
  
  At the beginning of the game the clock starts at the moment that one of the two players swimming for the ball, is touching the ball. Putting the ball underwater in order to prevent a goal cause a 4-meter penalty.

• 1984 - FINA Congress at Los Angeles.
  
  The TWPC presented two revolutionary rules: To reduce the exclusion effect by the immediate substitution of the excluded player from a substitute player at the corner of the field. The target of that proposition was to decrease the importer nee of the man up situation and urge the players to act more rapidly. To prohibit to a player having his back toward the opponent goal post nd already have received a free throw to remain at his place. Both proposals were not accepted.

• 1986 - FINA Technical Congress in Madrid.
  
  The following changes were approved. The exclusion time reduced to 35 seconds and the excluded player can re-entry on the signal of the referee if his team recovers the ball. Committing ordinary fouls in a raw is not any more a major foul. Committing an offensive foul should not be any more considered as personal fault.

• 1991 - FINA Congress at Perth during the World Championships. The following changes were approved:
  
  The exclusion time is reduced to 20 sec. and the excluded player can re-enter on the signal of the referee if his team recover the ball. The goalkeeper can score. At the end of 35 sec. of possession or at the end of a period of playing if the ball is on the way to the goalpost and enters, the goal is valid.

• 1992 - FINA on December 1992 decides the organization of the 1st World Water Polo Seminar.

8th PERIOD (1993-1997)

• 1993 - Rome hosts the Arts Water Polo Seminar (October 1993)

• 1994 - FINA T.W.P.C (Technical Water Polo Committee) in RIO de Janeiro (February 1994) Wished to:_ Create a balance between the countries by allowing more pools to meet the requirements for Water Polo: Make the game more spectacular and better product for T. V. Speed up the game and increase the number of counterattacks. Create more action in front of the goal. and proposed: The experimentation of eight revolutionary rules like:_ 1- Reduction of the size of the field to 25 x 16 meters. 2- Reduction of the number of players on six instead seven 3- The use of smaller ball. 4- Immediate re-entry of the excluded player. 5- Substitution of a player could be done at any time 6- Immediate shot out of 7 meters after a free throw. 7 - Refereeing should be do be without flags. 8- Coaches of teams in possession of the ball may request 2 time outs of one (1) Minute per game.

• 1994 - At the FINA Technical Congress in Rome, August 19994. It was decided to experiment the new rules during the Junior World Championships at Dunkirk 1995.

• 1996 - FINA extraordinary Congress at Berlin during the Pre Olympic Water Polo tournament (Feb. 1996)
  
  The Congress rejected the first four basic revolutionary rules and were approved the second four (5-8) to be enforced after the Olympic Games in Atlanta.

New World Encyclopedia contributors, 'Water polo', New World Encyclopedia, 5 February 2009, 23:09 UTC, <http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Water_polo?oldid=920071> [accessed 23 April 2011]