Question:

If a skater is ejected or expelled during a jam and leaves the playing area before the jam ends, does this time count towards her minute of penalty time?

Answer:

Yes, the ejected/expelled skater’s time off the track does count towards her penalty time. If the jam ends before her penalty time is complete, the remainder of her penalty time will be served by a substitute in the following jam.

Timing of the minute penalty for an ejected or expelled skater begins after the referee:

1) has made sure the ejected/expelled skater has immediately left the track and returned to the locker room or staging area (per rules 7.5.1.2) and then,
2) has instructed the penalty box official to begin timing one minute for the removed skater.

If at the moment she is penalized it is not known the skater is on her fifth turn in the box and the penalized skater is already seated in the penalty box, the timing of the minute has already begun upon her arrival in the box. The skater should be instructed by the referees to return to the locker room/staging area, and the timing of her penalty should continue in her absence.

7.5.1.2 When a skater fouls out of a game, the ejection applies to the current period only. It does not carry over to subsequent periods or games.  The ejected skater must immediately leave the track and return to the locker room or staging area. She may not remain on the floor with her team or in an area where she can interfere with skaters on the track. Another player from her team must serve any applicable penalty time; this substitute must serve in the same position (Pivot, Blocker or Jammer) as the ejected skater. Substitutions for ejected players cannot happen during an in-progress jam.  The ejected player is not permitted to return to play and her team must skate a player short for the remainder of the jam (see Section 7.1.1).

The WFTDA has recently approved of a new Appendix C (Hand Signals) Document to accompany Rules version 4.0. There are several notable changes, and this new set should start being used immediately by anyone refereeing the Official WFTDA 4.0 Ruleset.

On July 15 the WFTDA updated the Minimum Skills Requirements for participation in sanctioned interleague play.  The WFTDA encourages everyone to use this as a baseline for minimum skill, and we wish to encourage everyone to continually raise the bar, athletically and strategically.

The permanent home of this file is Appendix A of the Official Rules on the Official Rules page.

Question:

Rules 6.5.7.2 requires a skater to “reform a pack immediately or be subject to out of play penalties per 6.5.4.” Rule 7.3.2 states “When a skater is sent to the penalty box, she must immediately exit the track and skate to the penalty box in a counter-clockwise direction.” When applying the rules, what is the appropriate definition of “immediately”?

Answer:

“Immediately” means at the first legal opportunity. Delaying the reformation of a pack for any reason, or exiting the track and/or entering the penalty box, is in violation of these rules.

Question:

Should actions that result in a no-pack situation be penalized as intentionally destroying the pack?

Answer:

A skater or group of skaters is always responsible for the consequences of their actions. If their actions create a no-pack situation (excepting those covered in rule 6.5.7.2), they should be penalized as directed in rules 6.5.10-6.5.13. When determining responsibility of a no-pack situation, per rule 4.1.2, both teams are responsible for maintaining a legally defined pack.

4.1.2 When two or more groups of Blockers equal in number are on the track; are more than 10 feet from one another; and no single group meets the pack definition, no pack can be defined. Skaters will be issued a penalty for intentionally creating a no pack situation i.e. destroying the pack (see Section 6.5.7). Both teams are responsible for maintaining a legally defined pack.

6.5.7.2 Forcing an opponent down or out of bounds is NOT to be considered illegal destruction of the pack; however, players still must reform a pack immediately or be subject to out of play penalties per 6.5.4.

Question:

Is it legal for skaters to skate clockwise in the referee lane before re-entering the track after their release from the penalty box?

Answer:

It is legal. While skating clockwise on the way to the penalty box is prohibited, the rules do not specify that such skating after release from the penalty box is illegal.

Question:

Does touching an opposing skater’s back for an extended period of time result in a penalty?

Answer:

Yes. Extended touching* with an ILLEGAL blocking zone of an opponent’s legal and/or illegal target zone gives an illegal advantage of tracking this opponent, and an ability to sense which direction that opponent may or may not move. This should be penalized as an Illegal Blocking minor penalty.

*Extended touching is considered three seconds or more.

Question:

Can Jammer status be transferred during through an illegal star pass?

Answer:

No. In an illegal star pass, the Jammer status is not transferred, even if the Pivot then has possession of the helmet cover. Both skaters retain their original status and the initiator of the pass is penalized accordingly.

Question:

Does a Jammer jumping or stepping from a standstill over the Jammer line, but not touching the floor beyond this line, qualify as “accelerating” for the purposes of determining false start?

Answer:

No. To be accelerating, a skater needs to be running or skating. Stepping or jumping from a standstill is not accelerating, and is not to be penalized.

Question:

Can a Referee downgrade an expulsion to an ejection? Is there anytime/reason other than fouling out that a Referee may eject a player?

Answer:

No, Referees cannot downgrade an expulsion to an ejection. Ejection is a consequence specifically of the accumulation of minors and/or majors totaling five turns in the penalty box. Any behavior not warranting expulsion shall be penalized according to guidelines set forth in section 6: Penalties.