Does that rule really exist?
In most sports, there are rules that baffle both the athletes and fans alike. For instance, a soccer player would be yellow-carded should he takes off his shirt; a golfer can be penalized if (s)he waits too long to make a shot; a tennis/badminton player cannot climb up the net to play the ball (okay, I made the last one up). In every sport that are rules that makes one think that they should have been removed.
I recently read an newspaper article in which readers submit rules that they think were scrapped long ago. That inspired me to think of some outrageous rules for various sports, even though I don't think any of the following would be added to any rulebook anytime soon.
- Football:
- each player can only handle the ball for only 2 seconds before passing it
- after the ball is fumbled, possession goes to the player who picks up the ball and does a back flip without losing the ball again
- in case of a tie after regulation, teams will take turns kicking field goals until one team misses and the other makes it
- to add difficulty to the previous rule, ban kickers from participating
- Hockey:
- forwards cannot enter the area behind their own blue line
- goalies can only bat the puck out (otherwise a penalty is called)
- linemates are tied to each other with ropes while on the ice
- there is no limit to the number of players standing in front of their team's own net (provided that the number does not exceed 6)
- Track and Field:
- in the relay events, a runner must carry the previous runner on the back (Stephen Dudzik, Olney, Md.)
- javelin is a two-athlete event-one throws the javelin, the other catches it
- in the hurdles events, the height of the hurdles vary (to ensure fairness, each hurdler faces the same set of hurdles)
- in the throwing events, the participants must hit a target scarecrow
- pole-vaulters must use a bamboo shoot as their pole
- Swimming:
- the pool is not marked off in lanes, and swimmers are allowed to veer to the left or right to cut off an opponent.(Fred Farr, Thornhill, Ont.)
- in the relays, a swimmer cannot enter the pool until the previous swimmer has got out of the water
- the winner of an event is the swimmer who climbs out of the pool first
- Baseball:
- a player who hits the ball out of the park must go get it.(Terry Reid, St. Catharines, Ont.)
- if a fan interferes with a ball in play, he will be required to enter the game, replacing the player he interfered with. The fine would be based on the number of errors and the number of strikes thrown against him (if the fan doesn't play, the fine equals to the daily pay of the interfered player or $1000, whichever is less)
- after the ball is hit, the batter must pick up his bat before running to first base
- Basketball:
- a team can designate a player to stand on top of a staircase and stop the shots from the opposing team (the designated player would be called a goalie)
- a player can deliberately throw the ball at another player, as hard as one wants, and no foul would be called
- a team cannot call a timeout unless the ball is within the playing area
- Soccer:
- a player called for diving must leave the field of play for 3 minutes or take a free kick/penalty shot at his own goal (the free kick must be touched by an opposing player)
- if a player throws a shoe at the ball, hits the ball, and the ball goes into the net, the goal counts
- a player can throw the ball back in play only by using one's legs (one can stand on one's arms/hands if needed)
- no player can dribble the ball within the centre circle
- Golf:
- golfers who hit a ball into a man-made body of water must go and retrieve that ball
- if an animal catches a tee (first) shot and carries the ball out of bounds. Then it returns and drops the ball into the hole, it will be recorded as a hole-in-one
- Miscellaneous:
- a bowler must have a hand tied to his/her back
- players of beach volleyball have to wear long pants and turtlenecks
- tennis players must hit a ball before the ball hits the ground
- moving targets are used in biathlon (a ski/shoot event)
- in rowing events that involve more than one person per boat, the use of a whip is allowed
- in snooker, the cue ball cannot have contact with another ball until it has bounced off a wall
- in water polo, the ball carrier can stay under water as long as he/she wish
- lugers have to lie face down throughout the course (in two-luger events, the lugers cannot touch each other except with their feet)
- in judo/wrestling, after one athlete throws down the other, he/she has to help the one being thrown in getting back up (or one point would be deducted)
- spinning spirals are the only approved targets in archery
Of course, there is always room for more silly new rules. If you have any good suggestions, please let me know.