The text in red are my comments on the IKF text.
International Korfball Federation
IKF outlaws the “quick tap” free pass
Tuesday, 11 May 2010 10:32
Following many adverse comments about the so called “quick tap” style of free pass, the IKF Exco asked the Playing Rules Committee (PRC) to investigate the effect such a type of pass was having on the game and, if necessary, come up with a proposal to change the rules in such a way as to leave the other requirements of the rule unchanged and at the same time, if possible, make any subjective judgment required by the referee to be either not required or be as easy as possible.
The PRC examined the statistics gathered from top matches in the Netherlands and Belgium and found that where such a free pass was taken the success rate was becoming more like the success rate for a penalty, thereby making the award of a free pass “no longer fit the crime”.
Comment: There were 744 penalties given in the Korfbal League competition (2009 - 2010).
The scoring was 673. The success rate of a penalty is thus: 90.4%.
There are indeed some specialists who scored a high percentage (45%) of the given free passes. Roxanne Detering from Koog Zaandijk scored 44 goals out of 65 free passes (67.69%)
However these specialists are few. Moreover, the success rate is not as high as the PRC suggests, which is clear from this diagram (data gathered over 18 matches in the Korfbal League):
| free passes | scores | percentage | |
| Blauw Wit | 81 | 28 | 34,57% |
| Dalto | 81 | 29 | 35,8% |
| Deetos | 72 | 29 | 40,2% |
| Dos | 90 | 36 | 40% |
| Fortuna | 96 | 32 | 33% |
| KZaandijk | 99 | 58 | 58.6% |
| Nic | 102 | 44 | 43.14% |
| PKC | 88 | 46 | 52.2% |
| TOP | 84 | 29 | 34.5% |
This leaves me with the question why the IKF really changes the rules and forbids "tapping". There has to be a valid reasons for changing the rules of the game, or is tapping simply not fancy enough, i.e. do people just not like to see this kind of free pass?
The PRC had already stopped that type of pass from being taken in a forwards direction by stopping the taker from placing his foot nearer to the post but even with the pass being taken sideways or backwards, players have become so proficient that it was still becoming almost non-defendable.
Therefore, from 1 July 2010, the playing rules have been changed and the free pass will become much more like its name – a pass. The ball will need to travel at least 1m through the air (measured parallel to the ground) before it can be played by a co-attacker.
At the same time the other type of free pass where the co-attacker keeps one foot on the floor outside the circle and falls into the circle to tap the ball back to the taker has also been outlawed by making the requirement that the ball can only be played by the co-attacker when standing outside the circle with both feet on the floor. If this player jumps from outside the circle and lands again outside the circle then the third part of the rule (which has not changed) would have been satisfied as the ball would have passed outside the circle.
The proposal by the PRC should be seen as an interim one as the IKF Exco will be setting up a multi-national working group to examine and discuss not only the free pass but other aspects of the rules, e.g. substitutions, format of the match etc, and then come up with some proposals for experiments leading possibly to changes in the future.
On 20th February I already wrote a proposal for a change:
a. The free pass is taken from a spot on the top of the oval, 5 m. from the post (as seen from the center of the pitch). Right now, it is permitted to score directly from this free pass. This means no problems with distances, no problem with positions. No extra lines!
If there is an infringement/foul committed by a defensive player, the offensive team is awarded a free pass.
b. When a violation is made against an attacker, the same attacker must take the free pass. So every attacker should be ready to take the free pass, not only the specialists.
Later in March we had a meeting with some experts of KNKV and one member of PRC. There we had consensus about another proposal:
The assisting player of the taker of the free pass can get position on the left or right side from the post. There will be a special box for the assisting player next to the post on the circumference of 1.95 m. There is only 1 assisting player who can take this position next to the post! So the assisting player can make a choice between left or right of the post.Later in March we had a meeting with some experts of KNKV and one member of PRC. There we had consensus about another proposal:
The defender of the assisting player can take position on the 'inside' of the player.
Proposed changes to the Playing Rules
§ 3.10 c, paragraph 9
The ball is brought into play when any one of the following three things occurs within four seconds of the referee blowing his whistle for the pass to be taken:
1. a player of the defending team touches the ball
2. the ball has been thrown clear through the air for a distance of at least 1 m (measured along the ground) and a player of the same team as the player taking the free pass touches the ball whilst standing with both feet in contact with the floor outside of the free pass circle
3. the ball has travelled completely outside of the free pass circle.
The ball is brought into play when any one of the following three things occurs within four seconds of the referee blowing his whistle for the pass to be taken:
1. a player of the defending team touches the ball
2. the ball has been thrown clear through the air for a distance of at least 1 m (measured along the ground) and a player of the same team as the player taking the free pass touches the ball whilst standing with both feet in contact with the floor outside of the free pass circle
3. the ball has travelled completely outside of the free pass circle.
Comment:
The Free Pass after an infringement
The idea behind the original design of the Free Pass is to arrange a benefit / an advantage for the attack, especially the player who takes the Free Pass.
The advantage is an advantage of a free position, which takes shape in space and therefore in time.
A defender must take position at least 2.50 meters from the taker of the Free Pass, somewhere on the Free Pass circle.
The advantage is an advantage of a free position, which takes shape in space and therefore in time.
A defender must take position at least 2.50 meters from the taker of the Free Pass, somewhere on the Free Pass circle.
This gives to the taker of the Free Pass space and time to pass the ball to an assist player. Mostly the assist player will have to pass back to the taker of the Free Pass. When they cooperate very fast the taker can hold his free position and makes profit of that position to go for a shot, from a good scoring position.
The restriction for the attacker is that there will first be played together with an assist player.
The assist player has to choose position at least 2.50 meters from the taker of the free ball, before the advantage can be redeemed by a good scoring chance.
The restriction for the attacker is that there will first be played together with an assist player.
The assist player has to choose position at least 2.50 meters from the taker of the free ball, before the advantage can be redeemed by a good scoring chance.
The interim change limits the benefit/ advantage of the attacker too much.
With each movement (clearly visible) of the taker of the Free Pass, the defender at the circle on 2.50 meters distance, can enter the circle and start defending or hindering of the taker of the Free Pass.
If the ball has been thrown clear through the air for a distance of at least 1 meter before the assist player is allowed to touch the ball, then in most cases the ball has to travel more than 2 meters to come back to the player who took the Free Pass.
This time of cooperation that is needed, gives too much time to the defender.
This time of cooperation that is needed, gives too much time to the defender.
The defender can bridge the advantage for the attacker.
So nothing will remain of the benefit.
The "interim" Free Pass is actually no more and no less, a Restart.
So nothing will remain of the benefit.
The "interim" Free Pass is actually no more and no less, a Restart.
I agree, Ben, that the proposed new rule gives too much advantage to the defenders. There should be careful experiments with top players who know all the tricks they can use with the new rule. Then we could see if it is the good solution.
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