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Water polo Equipment and History

Equipment

The ball weighs between 400g and 450g. The circumference of the ball is 0.68m to 0.71m for men and 0.65m to 0.67m for women.

Coloured bathing caps with individual numbers and ear protectors. Used to distinguish the various players on a team as well as to provide protection.

Used to distinguish the field of play and imaginary distances from the goals.

Two goals, 3.0m wide and 0.9m high, float on the water.

The swimsuit should be non-transparent or with a separate undergarment.

MEN'S EVENTS

WOMEN'S EVENTS

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Advantage rule
A rule permitting a referee to refrain from calling a foul if it appears the call would advantage the offender''s team.

Backhand
A deceptive shot or pass flipped backward.
Ball under
A foul called on a player for taking or holding the ball underwater when an opponent tackles the player.
Brutality
Dangerously rough play, such as elbowing an opponent in the face or punching.

Centre-back
A defensive player whose main task is to counter the opposition''s centre-forward.
Centre-forward
A team''s main attacking player, usually big and strong in men''s play, who takes position directly in front of the opponent''s goal between the two-metre and four-metre lines; also known as the hole man, hole set or two-metre man.
Corner throw
A throw used to restart play if a defensive player touched the ball last before it went out over the goal line.

Dead time
The time between the whistle for a foul and the restarting of play and the clock.
Dead-time foul
Any foul committed during dead time.
Double dead-time foul
Simultaneous fouls by both an offensive and defensive player during dead time.
Double hole
An offence using two hole sets, one in front of each post of the goal; also known as a double post.
Double post
An offence using two hole sets, one in front of each post of the goal; also known as a double hole.
Dribble
To swim with the ball.
Drive
To swim quickly into the space in front of the goal on offence without the ball.
Driver
A player, usually a fast swimmer, whose main task is to move the ball into goal-scoring position.
Drop
A defensive strategy in which the players drop back to protect the centre of the pool and help block shots.
Dry pass
A pass made so that the receiver can catch it before it hits the water.

Eggbeater
The alternating leg kick used to tread water and lift players vertically out of the water.
Exclusion area
The designated area outside the field of play where excluded players wait to return to the game.
Exclusion foul
A foul serious enough that the offending player is sent to the exclusion area.

Face off
A throw by a referee giving each team an equal chance to reach the ball following a stoppage where neither team was solely to blame; also called a neutral throw.
Field player
Any player other than the goalkeeper.
Four-metre foul
A foul by a defensive player inside the four-metre line directly aimed at preventing a goal.
Four-metre line
An imaginary line marked with yellow buoys four metres from each goal line.
Free throw
The standard method of restarting play after the ball crosses the sideline or after any foul that does not earn a penalty throw.
Front
To defend between the ball and the hole set, preventing the hole set from receiving a pass.

Goal throw
A throw by the defending goalkeeper to restart play if an attacking player was the last to touch the ball before it went out over the goal line.

Half-distance line
An imaginary line marked with white buoys that divides the field of play into two equal ends.
Hold
To lift or carry the ball, press it underwater or place the hand over or under it.
Hole guard
A defensive player who takes position in front of his or her own goal and guards the hole set.
Hole man
A team''s main attacking player, usually big and strong in men''s play, who takes position directly in front of the opponent''s goal between the two-metre and four-metre lines; also known as the centre-forward, hole set or two-metre man.
Hole set
A team''s main attacking player, usually big and strong in men''s play, who takes position directly in front of the opponent''s goal between the two-metre and four-metre lines; also known as the centre-forward, hole man or two-metre man.

Impeding
To hinder the movement of a player not in possession of the ball.
Inside water
The position of being in front of a defender and moving toward the goal.

Lane press
A defensive strategy where players are positioned in the passing lanes, or between the ball and the players they are guarding, instead of between the offensive players and the goal.
Live time
When the clock is running.

Man-down
A 20-second situation for the defensive team where it plays with one less player than the offence after a defensive player commits an exclusion foul.
Man-up
A 20-second situation for the offensive team where it plays with one more player than the defence after a defensive player commits an exclusion foul.
Moving pick
A move by an offensive player to swim in front of a player defending another offensive player, freeing that team-mate for a pass or shot .

Neutral throw
A throw by a referee giving each team an equal chance to reach the ball following a stoppage where neither team was solely to blame; also called a face off.

Ordinary foul
An infringement by a player that, in most cases, leads to the referee awarding possession of the ball to the opposing team.

Penalty foul
A foul committed by a defending player within his four-metre area that is judged to have prevented a goal from being scored.
Penalty throw
A throw from the four-metre line by a member of the attacking team, defended only by the goalkeeper, after a penalty foul against a defending player.
Personal foul
An exclusion foul or penalty foul recorded against a player.
Point
The position on offence that is farthest from the goal in the 12 o''clock position.
Press
To extend the defence beyond its normal range to increase the pressure on each offensive player.

Seven-metre line
An imaginary line marked with green buoys seven metres from each goal line.
Sink
To push a player under the water during a tackle.
Splashing
An exclusion foul for deliberately splashing water in an opponent''s face.
Stalling
An ordinary foul for a team''s failure to shoot or advance the ball within 35 seconds.
Stationary pick
A move by an offensive player to stop in the path of a player defending a team-mate, freeing that team-mate for a pass or shot.
Swim-off
A race for the ball in the centre of the field of play to start each period.

Two-metre man
A team''s main attacking player, usually big and strong in men''s play, who takes position directly in front of the opponent''s goal between the two-metre and four-metre lines; also known as the centre-forward, hole man or hole set.
Two-metre violation
An ordinary foul called when a player is inside the opponent''s two-metre line and the ball is not farther ahead.

Wet pass
A pass from one player to another, but designed to land in the water.
Wet shot
A shot attempted while the ball is controlled in the water, usually a quick wrist shot.