4. Pénalités

When a Skater commits a rule infraction or a foul, a penalty may be assessed as a punishment, handicap, or loss of advantage. Penalties are applied to both a Skater and the Role that Skater is currently playing.

Les Officiel·les signalent et font appliquer les pénalités et les avertissements à mesure qu’ils surviennent pendant le match. Les pénalités ne doivent pas être données pour des actions qui ont peu ou pas d’impact sur le match ou sur les Patineur·ses.

Les types de pénalités suivants sont abordés en détail dans les sections énumérées ci-dessous et dans le Livret de mises en situations (Casebook) des règles du Roller Derby sur piste plate. Ces sections mentionnent des exemples spécifiques qui doivent être explicitement suivis.

Les actions illégales qui ne figurent pas clairement dans l’une des catégories ci-dessous doivent être pénalisées à l’aide de ces descriptions et exemples comme lignes directrices.

Opponent’s Illegal Action

Si une action illégale d’un·e Patineur·se pousse un·e adversaire à commettre inévitablement une action illégale, l’adversaire ne recevra pas de pénalité pour cette action illégale inévitable. Le·la Patineur·se à l’origine de l’action initiale devra être pénalisé·e si l’action illégale initiale a un impact suffisant sur le jeu.

4.1. Pénalités de contact

Gagner une position supérieure sur un·e adversaire ou faire perdre une position supérieure à un·e adversaire sur un·e autre coéquipier·ère grâce à un contact illégal est toujours considéré comme ayant un impact suffisant sur le jeu.

Star Passes may only be blocked by legal means. Skaters who prevent a Star Pass using illegal contact should be penalized.

4.1.1. Impact sur une zone cible illégale

Making contact to an Illegal Target Zone should be penalized based on the impact it has on the target (see Section 2.4.1).

Illegal Target Zones

Illegal Target Zones include:

  • Back of the body, including the back of the buttocks and the back of the thighs

  • Head, down to the collarbone

  • Legs, from below mid-thigh to the wheels of the skate

_images/target_zones.png

Fig. 4.1 Zones cibles légales

Illegal Target Zones Penalized Regardless of Impact

For safety reasons, avoidable forceful contact to the back, or any forceful contact to the head or neck should be penalized regardless of impact.

Initiation with an Illegal Target Zone

A Skater suddenly presenting an Illegal Target Zone to an opponent, giving that opponent no reasonable opportunity to avoid illegal contact, is considered to be initiating with that target zone.

4.1.2. Impact avec une zone de blocage illégale

Making contact with an Illegal Blocking Zone should be penalized based on the impact it has on the target (see Section 2.4.2).

Illegal Blocking Zones

Illegal Blocking Zones include:

  • Head, down to the collarbone

  • Forearm, from the point of the elbow to the fingertips

  • Legs, from below mid-thigh to the wheels of the skate

Forearms are considered a Legal Blocking Zone when they are held close against the initiator’s torso.

_images/blocking_zones.png

Fig. 4.2 Zones de blocage légales

Illegal Blocking Zone Impact Examples

Examples of sufficient impact to warrant a penalty from using an Illegal Blocking Zone include, but are not limited to:

  • The contact puts an opponent significantly off balance;

  • The contact significantly alters an opponent’s trajectory or speed (for example, significantly holding them back);

  • The contact with an opponent allows the Skater to maintain an In Bounds position (that otherwise would not have been maintained); or

  • The contact with an opponent allows the Skater to maintain an Upright position (that otherwise would not have been maintained).

Illegal Blocking Zones Penalized Regardless of Impact

The following types of contact / blocks should be penalized regardless of the impact on the target.

  • Forceful contact initiated with the head or neck

  • Intentional use of the head or neck to positionally block

4.1.3. Other Illegal Contact

Initiating a block is legal when a Skater is moving counterclockwise, in play, upright, and in bounds during a Jam using Legal Contact Zones.

Accordingly, Skaters cannot initiate a block while Down, Out of Bounds, Out of Play, airborne, stopped, or skating clockwise. Skaters also cannot initiate a block on opponents who are Down, fully Out of Bounds, or Out of Play. Skaters may initiate a block on an opponent who is straddling the track boundary, stopped, or skating clockwise.

Actively maintaining a stopped position which impedes an opponent should be penalized regardless of the initiator of the contact.

Initiation of assists should be held to the same metrics as that of blocking, with the exception of assisting a downed teammate to return to an Upright position.

4.1.4. Multiplayer Blocks

Skaters may not form a wall by linking with or grasping a teammate, or otherwise forming an impenetrable connection. This action warrants a penalty if an opponent attempts to get between them and fails to do so due to the illegal formation.

4.1.5. Unsporting Contact

Some contact is considered unsporting, either because it falls outside the boundaries of expected normal gameplay or is inherently unsafe. Examples of such actions include:

  • Pinning an opponent, such as between an appendage and the body, or by hooking a limb around an opponent’s limb

  • Engaging in dangerous and illegal actions that pose a substantial hazard to oneself or another

  • Intentional and forceful jabbing with elbows or knees

Legal means of blocking do not include pinning or holding an opponent, even if the contact is made using legal Blocking Zones. Skaters who restrict opponents in this way should be penalized based on how the contact impacts a receiver’s safety.

4.2. Pénalités concernant la structure du match

Lorsque les règles de base du match sont enfreintes de façon à donner un avantage à une équipe, la personne ou l’équipe qui enfreint la règle doit être pénalisée.

Une équipe obtient un avantage si une action illégale a pour effet :

  • An opponent becoming (or remaining) unable to block

  • A gain of position or a teammate’s gain of position

  • The game flow being altered

4.2.1. Illegal Positioning

Failure to Maintain a Pack

If a Skater’s illegal action destroys the Pack, or if a Skater’s actions prevent or delay the reformation of a Pack, that Skater should be penalized.

Skaters in an Unblockable Position

It is illegal to adopt or maintain a position in which one cannot be blocked. Skaters may not intentionally leave the track, nor may Blockers intentionally leave the Engagement Zone. While there are many legal actions that would cause a Skater to be put into an illegal position (for example, Out of Bounds or Out of Play), intentionally adopting such a position is illegal. It is legal for Jammers and Pivots to either leave the track or adopt a Down position to retrieve an Out of Bounds helmet cover. A Skater who is illegally positioned must immediately act to regain a legal position.

Skaters With Reason to Believe they are Legally Positioned

Si un·e Patineur·se a des raisons de croire qu’il·elle est positionné·e légalement (même s’il·elle ne l’est pas), ou a des raisons de croire qu’il·elle ne peut pas se repositionner légalement, il·elle doit être averti·e avant de recevoir une pénalité pour ne pas être revenu·e en position légale.

Skaters Illegally Positioned at Jam Start

If a Skater is not legally positioned at the start of a Jam, the Skater must immediately Yield position to all Skaters in the vicinity. Failing to do so after a warning is considered to be intentionally maintaining an illegal position and should be penalized.

4.2.2. Gain de position

It is illegal for a Skater to use the Out of Bounds area to gain position on someone who is Upright and In Bounds. This action is referred to as « cutting the track. » Skaters who are Out of Bounds must return in bounds behind any Upright and In Bounds Skater who they were behind when they left the track. The position of Downed Skaters is not assessed until they are Upright.

If there is a Pack, Skaters who are Out of Bounds may return In Bounds in front of any Out of Play Skaters. If there is no Pack, Skaters who are Out of Bounds may return In Bounds in front of any Skaters more than 20 ft (6.10 m) from the last defined Pack.

Cutting one single teammate does not have enough impact to warrant a penalty.

Skaters Returning to the Track

Skaters who intentionally, but legally, leave the track (examples include to report to the Penalty Box or to fix equipment) must return to the track behind all in-play Blockers. If there is no Pack, they must return to the track behind all Blockers within 20 ft (6.10 m) of the last defined Pack. Skaters returning to the track from the Penalty Box must do so without illegally gaining position.

Skaters Out of Bounds Due to a Block

If a Skater is put Out of Bounds due to an opponent’s block, the Skater must return In Bounds behind that opponent, even if the Skater was in front of the opponent before being blocked. That opponent gives up this advantage if they go Down, Out of Bounds, or Out of Play (or more than 20 ft [6.10 m] from the last defined Pack if there is no Pack) prior to the Skater reentering the track. Skaters other than the initiator of the block are able to reestablish their superior position if they are Upright, In Bounds, and In Play before the Skater returns to the track.

Ceding Illegal Position

Skaters who illegally reenter the track may immediately Cede by returning fully Out of Bounds.

4.2.3. Interfering with the Flow of the Game

All efforts should be made by teams and Officials to ensure that the period clock runs according to the rules of the game, and that Jams start and end as specified in the rules. Any inappropriate action that interferes with the game—including causing the period clock to stop, preventing a Jam from starting, or ending a Jam prematurely—should be penalized.

Examples of inappropriate actions include, but are not limited to:

  • Penalized Skaters not in the Penalty Box at the Jam start

  • Skaters queued for the Penalty Box not on the track at the Jam start

  • No Blockers from one team on the track at the Jam start

  • All Blockers from one team entirely out of position at the Jam start

  • Either team not fielding a Jammer for the Jam

  • A team fielding too many Skaters during a Jam which results in an advantage that cannot be removed by the removal of the extra Skater(s)

  • A team successfully requesting a Team Timeout when they have none remaining

  • A team member who is neither the Captain nor the Alternate successfully requesting a Team Timeout or Official Review

Officials and Skaters should work together to ensure that the game flows according to the rules.

4.2.4. Autres procédures illégales

Skaters who violate the rules of the game should be penalized if the violation has a significant impact on the game. Examples of this are listed in the Rules of Flat Track Roller Derby Casebook; however, Skaters and Officials should work to ensure that the rules are followed as swiftly as possible, and to rectify any illegal or potentially illegal play before it has sufficient impact on the game to warrant penalization. Nevertheless, if a technical violation by one team results in an advantage, this should be penalized.

4.3. Penalties for Unsporting Conduct (Misconduct)

All participants in a game of roller derby must be respectful of one another. This includes but is not limited to Skaters, Team Staff, Officials, mascots, event staff, and spectators. When Skaters or Team Staff behave in an unsporting manner, their misconduct should be penalized accordingly.

Misconduct can take many forms and does not have to be intentional to be considered unsporting. Examples include, but are not limited to:

  • Deceiving or ignoring Officials

  • Disrespectful contact or conduct directed at another participant

  • Forceful contact to an Official, where that contact is negligent or avoidable

  • Being abusive toward another person

  • Failure to abide by Governing Body policies during the game pertaining to Skaters, Team Staff, and the immediate play area

Actions which seriously undermine the legitimacy of the sport or display a lack of respect for the sport, its execution, and those who contribute to it may also be penalized.

4.4. Mise en application des pénalités

Upon completion of the correct verbal cue and hand signal from an Official, the penalized Skater must immediately leave the track. Upon sitting in any seat in the Penalty Box, the Skater’s penalty time begins. Skaters serve 30 seconds of Jam time for each penalty assessed to them. The final 10 seconds of their penalty time must be served while standing.

  • Si un·e Patineur·se se lève trop tôt, son chronomètre est stoppé jusqu’à ce qu’il·elle soit à nouveau assis.e.

  • Si un·e Patineur·se ne se tient pas debout d’une façon claire pour que les Officiel·les, Patineur·ses et spectateur·rices comprennent qu’il·elle est en train de purger ses 10 dernières secondes, son chronomètre est stoppé jusqu’à ce qu’il·elle se tienne debout.

Penalties are only timed while a Jam is in progress. Penalty timing is paused between Jams, and timing for Skaters who sit between Jams does not begin until the start of the following Jam.

Personne ne peut entrer dans la Penalty Box à l’exception des Officiel·les et des Patineur·ses qui purgent des pénalités.

4.4.1. Mise en application des pénalités pour les Bloqueur·ses

No more than two Blockers for the same team may sit in the Penalty Box at the same time. If a third Blocker reports to the Penalty Box while two Blockers for their team are seated, the third Blocker will be placed In Queue and instructed to return to play. If a Blocker is standing in the Penalty Box, another Blocker may sit in the open seat.

A Blocker In Queue may return to the Penalty Box when there is space in the Penalty Box, unless doing so would destroy the Pack. A Blocker must immediately return if instructed to do so by an Official. Once a Blocker In Queue returns to the track, they should be treated like any other unpenalized Blocker.

4.4.2. Mise en application des pénalités pour les Jammeur·ses

Un·e Jammeur·se voit son temps de pénalité réduit si un·e autre Jammeur·se reçoit également une pénalité. Dans ce cas, les deux Jammeur·ses purgent aussi peu de temps possible, à condition que :

  1. The two Jammers serve an equivalent amount of penalty time, per penalty

  2. Whenever possible given point 1, there is at least one Jammer who is not serving a penalty

Le·la Jammeur·se, qui doit être libéré·e parce que l’autre Jammeur·se s’assied, doit être libéré·e immédiatement après que le·la Jammeur·se est assis.e. Si les deux Jammeur·ses s’assoient en même temps, ils·elles sont tou·tes les deux relâché·es immédiatement.

Jammers Seated Between Jams

If one Jammer sits between Jams, the other Jammer should be released at the start of the next Jam. If both Jammers sit between Jams, they should both be released at the start of the next Jam.

Jammers Sent to the Box with No Opposing Jammer

Si un·e Jammeur·se est envoyé·e en Box lorsqu’il n’y a pas de Jammeur·se adverse (par exemple, parce que le·la Jammeur·se adverse fait face à une défaillance de son équipement), le Jam se termine dès que le·la Jammeur·se est assis·e. Ceci garantit qu’il y a un·e Jammeur·se qui ne purge pas de pénalité.

4.4.3. Skaters Unable to Serve Penalties

If a Skater is assessed a penalty but unable to serve it—for example, due to an injury or an equipment malfunction—a substitute may serve in their place once the Jam ends. In this case, the Skater who was unable to serve their own penalty may not skate for the following three Jams. (see Section 1.2)

4.4.4. Protective Gear in the Penalty Box

Skaters may remove their mouthguard, but no other protective gear, while seated in the Penalty Box. Skaters must replace their mouthguard prior to leaving the Penalty Box.

4.5. Exclusions et expulsions

Foul Outs

When seven penalties are recorded for a Skater, that Skater fouls out of the game. This includes penalties assessed to a Skater on behalf of someone else (examples include penalties assessed to a Captain or a Blocker on behalf of their team).

Expulsions

Expulsions are a way to penalize a Skater or Team Staff who has committed an act that is sufficiently dangerous or unsporting as to remove the individual from the game for that action alone. Negligent, intentional, or reckless actions should be considered for expulsion independently of their impact. A substitute must serve the penalty for an expelled Skater. If a Non-Skater is expelled, the team’s Captain will serve the penalty when possible (as a Blocker), but no penalty will be recorded for the Captain.

The Head Referee is the only Official with the authority to expel a Skater, manager, coach or similar Team Staff. Other Officials may recommend expulsions to the Head Referee.

Timing Skaters Removed From Play

In the event that a Skater is to be removed from play (either due to fouling out or expulsion), that Skater’s penalty time should begin as soon as possible. Timing for a fouled-out Skater begins either when the Skater (or an appropriate substitute between Jams) is seated in the Penalty Box, or after the foul out is confirmed between Officials during the Jam. If a Skater is removed from the game mid-Jam, their penalty will be timed as if a Skater were seated even though there is no Skater formally in the Box.

In the event a Skater is to be removed from play mid-Jam and would be In Queue upon reporting to the Penalty Box, that Skater should not be instructed to return to play. Instead they should be instructed to remain standing beside the Penalty Box until a seat opens and their penalty time can begin.

Substitutions for Skaters Removed from Play

If the Jam ends before the time is complete, the Skater’s team must be given the opportunity to substitute a different Skater to serve the remainder of the penalty in the same Role as the removed Skater. Substitutions may not occur during the Jam in which the Skater is removed.