IRF Rule Book 2016
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INTERNATIONAL RACQUETBALL FEDERATION INTERNATIONAL RACQUETBALL FEDERATION Rule 3.16a Rule 3.1 ere will be two timeouts allowed per e server has two opportunities to put game (reduced from three in the first two the ball into play in all divisions including games and two in the tiebreaker). the Open division (changed from one serve only in the Open division. Rule 3.16d ere will be a two-minute rest period between all games (reduced from five Rule A.7 minutes between the second and third Each player/team will be allowed to make games. a maximum of three "not accepted" appeals per game (changed from five "not accepted" appeals per 15 -point game, and three "not accepted" appeals the 11-point tiebreaker. OFFICIAL INTERNATIONAL RULE MODIFICATIONS RACQUETBALL FEDERATION 4.0 Doubles 5.0 Multi-bounce RULES 6.0 Wheelchair 1 — THE GAME 1.1 Types of Games OFFICIATING All Regulations such as: Uniform, 1.2 Description Seeding, etc. are covered in the IRF 1.3 Objective Competition Format as a separate 1.4 Points and Outs document. 1.5 Match, Game, Tiebreaker 1 – THE GAME 2 — COURTS & EQUIPMENT Rule 1.1 Types Of Games 2.1 Court Specifications Racquetball is played by two or four 2.2 Ball Specifications players. When played by two, it is 2.3 Ball Selection called singles and when played by four, 2.4 Racquet Specifications doubles. A non-tournament variation 2.5 Eyeware Specifications of the game that is played by three players is called cutthroat. 3 — PLAY REGULATIONS 3.1 Serve Rule 1.2 Description 3.2 Start Racquetball is a competitive game in 3.3 Manner which a strung racquet is used to serve 3.4 Readiness and return the ball. 3.5 Delays 3.6 Drive Service Zones Rule 1.3 Objective 3.7 Defective Serves e objective is to win each rally by 3.8 Dead-Ball Serves serving or returning the ball so the 3.9 Fault Serves opponent is unable to keep the ball in 3.10 Out Serves play. A rally is over when a player (or 3.11 Return of Serve team in doubles) is unable to hit the 3.12 Changes of Serve ball before it touches the floor twice, is 3.13 Rallies unable to return the ball in such a 3.14 Dead-Ball Hinders manner that it touches the front wall 3.15 Avoidable Hinders before it touches the floor, or when a 3.16 Timeouts hinder is called. 3.17 Technical Fouls and Warnings Rule 1.4 Points And Outs 1. Short Line. e back edge of the Points are scored only by the serving short line is midway between, and is side when it either services an parallel with, the front and back irretrievable service (an ace) or wins a walls. rally. Losing the service is called a 2. Service Line. e front edge of sideout in singles. In doubles, when the the service line is parallel with, and first server loses the service, it is called a five feet in front of, the back edge of handout, and when the second server the short line. loses the service, it is a sideout. 3. Service Zone. e service zone is the 5' x 20' area bounded by the Rule 1.5 Match, Game, Tiebreaker bottom edges of the side walls and by A match is won by the first side the outer edges of the short line and winning two games. e first two the service line. games of a match are played to 15 4. Service Boxes. e service boxes points. If each side wins one game, a are located at each end of the service tiebreaker game is played to 11 points. zone and are designated by lines parallel with the side walls. e edge 2 — COURTS & EQUIPMENT of the line nearest to the center of the Rule 2.1 Court Specifications (See page 23) court shall be 18 inches from the e specifications for the standard nearest side wall. four-wall racquetball court are: 5. Drive Serve Lines. e drive serve (a) Dimensions. e dimensions shall lines, which form the drive serve be 20 feet wide, 40 feet long and 20 feet zone, are parallel with the side wall high, with a ceiling and with a back and are within the service zone. e wall at least 12 feet high. All surfaces edge of the line nearest to the center shall be in play, with the exception of of the court shall be three feet from any gallery opening, any back wall the nearest side wall. surface above the 12-foot out-of-court 6. Receiving Line. e receiving line line, surfaces designated as out-of-play is a broken line parallel to the short for a valid reason (such as being of a line. e back edge of the receiving very different material or not in line is five feet from the back edge of alignment with the back wall), and the short line. e receiving line designated court hinders. begins with a line 21 inches long that extends from each side wall. ese (b) Markings. Racquetball courts shall lines are connected by an alternate be marked with lines 1-1/2 inches wide series of six-inch spaces and six-inch as follows: lines. is will result in a line composed of 17 six-inch spaces, 16 (b) During the course of a match the six-inch lines, and two 21-inch lines. referee at, his/her discretion or at the 7. Safety Zone. e safety zone is the request of both players/teams, replace 5' x 20' area bounded by the bottom the ball. Only an IRF approved ball edges of the side walls and by the shall be used in all sanctioned back edges of the short line and the tournaments. receiving line. e zone is observed only during the serve. See Rules Rule 2.4 Racquet Specifications 3.10(i) and 3.11(a). (a) e racquet, including bumper 8. Out-of-court line (Not pictured). guard and all solid parts of the handle, e upper edge of the out-of-court may not exceed 22 inches in length. No line is on the back wall parallel with additional tolerance. and located 12 feet (3.65m) above the floor. (b) e racquet frame may be any material judged to be safe. Rule 2.2 Ball Specifications (a) e standard racquetball shall be (c) e racquet frame must include a 2-1/4 inches in diameter; weigh cord that must be securely attached to approximately 1.4 ounces; have a the player’s wrist. e cord must be hardness of 55-60 inches durometer; secured around the wrist at all times and bounce 68-72 inches from a 100- during play as well as during warm-up inch drop at a temperature of 70-74 periods. e first offense is a referee degrees Fahrenheit. technical. ereaer, players are disqualified from the match. (b) Official ball. Any ball which carries the endorsement stamp of approval (d) e string of the racquet must be from the IRF is an official ball. gut, monofilament, nylon, graphite, plastic, metal, or a combination Rule 2.3 Ball Selection thereof, and must not mark or deface (a) e ball shall be selected by the ball. agreement between the players and at least two acceptable balls should be (e) e penalty for using an illegal agreed upon before the match racquet is a technical. e penalty for commences. If the players cannot agree, requesting that an opponent’s racquet the referee shall make the selection and be measured resulting in the racquet this decision shall be binding on the being declared legal will be a technical participants. on the requesting team/player for delay of game. players or teams score an equal number of points in the first two games, Rule 2.5 Eyewear Specifications another coin toss will take place and (a) All players competing in an IRF the winner of the toss will have the sanctioned event will be required to option to serve or receive. wear lensed protective eyewear manufactured for racquet sports, with Rule 3.2 Start the exception of prescribed non- Games are started with the referee breakable protective lenses. e calling the score ( “Zero serves zero.”). eyewear must be worn properly and not e server may not initiate the pre- altered in any way. Note: National service motion from outside of the Federations are empowered to apply service zone. Stepping on the short line and enforce the published national (back), but not over, is permitted. Aer safety standards of their country in the starting the service motion, the server matter of protective eyewear for their may step over the service (front) line. athletes. See Rule 3.9(a) and 3.10(i) for violations. (b) Players must wear acceptable eyewear during play as well as during Rule 3.3 Manner warm up aer being summoned to their A serve is commenced as the ball leaves court. e first offense is a referee the server's hand. e ball must bounce technical. ereaer, players are on the floor in the service zone and on disqualified from the match. the first bounce be struck by the server's racquet in an obvious attempt to serve 3 — PLAY REGULATIONS the ball. e ball must strike the front Rule 3.1 Serve wall first and on the rebound hit the e server has two opportunities to put floor back of the short line, either with the ball into play in all divisions.