Game

There are twelve players in one team, 10 of them are court players and two are goal keepers. But not more than seven players do not enter the court at one time. Six of them are court players and one is goal keeper. The remaining five are substitutes. The duration of the game is 30 minutes of 2 equal periods with an interval of 10 minutes. The playing time begins when the court referee whistles for the throw-off and ends when the time keeper gives an audible signal indicating that the period of play is ended.

Substitutes may enter the game at any time without notifying time keeper as long as the players they are replacing have already left the court. A foul substitution is penalized by a free throw to be taken from the place where the substitute entered the court. In addition the player is suspended for 2 minutes.

The goal keepers must never act as court players. A court player, however may act as goal keeper. The players are permitted to stop, to catch, to throw, to bounce or to strike the ball in any manner and in any direction by using hands (fists or open hands), arms, head, body, thighs or knees. They are permitted to hold the ball for a maximum time of 3 seconds and to take a maximum of three steps while holding the ball.

It is not  permitted to touch the ball with any part of the leg below the knee except when the ball has been thrown at the player by an opponent. It is not  an offence however, if it does not give the offender or his team an advantage and it is a contravention of the rules if the ball is thrown on the player's leg or foot by an opponent.

Only the goal keeper is allowed to enter the goal area. The goal area, is regarded as entered when a court player touches the ground therein with any part of the body. Court players who enter the goal area are penalized as follows :

• free throw - when the player is in possession of the ball

• free throw - when the player is not in possession of the ball, but gains an advantage or gives his team an advantage by entering the goal area.

• penalty throw - when a court player of the defending team by entering the goal area gains an advantage over the attacking opponent who is in possession of the ball.

If a player intentionally plays the ball into his own goal area the referee shall rule

• goal - if the ball goes wholly into the goal

• penalty throw - if the goal keeper touches the ball and the ball does not go wholly into the goal

• free throw - from 9m line parallel to foul throw, if the ball comes to rest inside the goal area or goes over the goal line outside the goal

• play continues -  if the ball travels the goal area and continues into the playing area again without having been touched by the goal keeper