It’s about time we release official access to the new rulebook amendments that QuidditchUK will be adopting for the 2021/2022 season, looking to hopefully kickstart this summer. For clarity, this was shared by QUK to all clubs to share across their members as a preview before this official announcement to give teams a heads up of these new incoming changes.
2021/22 amendments
No defensive charging
- Replace 6.2.3.B with “It is illegal to charge unless the charging player has possession of a ball”
- Remove 6.2.3.B.i
Reason
Charging when a player does not have possession of a ball results in them making significantly forceful contact with an opponent without having the control provided by wrapping with an arm. Charging with possession of a ball is still required to allow a player to attempt to “break through” contact by a defensive player.
Hoop positioning
- Replace 2.2.3.A.ii with “The other two hoops are placed on the goal line, 2.75 meters away from the tall hoop on either side.”
- Replace 5.3.1.B with “Touch their middle hoop”
- Add 5.3.1.iii “If their middle hoop is dislodged, they must touch any part of the hoop still attached to the base, including the base itself”
Reason
The area around hoops is currently very crowded which favours the defensive team. This change will make the game more attack-oriented.
No forward motion
- Add 7.4.3.G “If the motion of the quaffle is stopped for at least 5 seconds due to contact between players from both teams (e.g. a pileup on the floor) and possession is contested, the referee shall call ‘Play the quaffle’.
- The players then have 5 further seconds to gain sole possession of the quaffle and continue their offense
- If no player has sole possession after the additional 5 seconds, the referee shall stop play and turn the quaffle over to the nearest player on the defensive team.
- This rule shall only be applied when the quaffle is stopped in either team’s keeper zone.”
Reason
This is an extension to the delay of game rules to prevent the quaffle from effectively being taken out of the game, particularly in SWIM games where both teams are trying to catch the snitch.
Excessive force beats to the head
A clarification on what constitutes reckless play in regards to beats to the head:
- An unintentional full-force beat to the head of an opposing player, who is eligible to be beat, within 2m shall be considered reckless (yellow card)
- An intentional full-force beat to the head of an opposing player, OR any full-force beat to the head of a player who is not eligible to be beat, within 2m shall be considered egregiously reckless (red card)
- If the referee determines that the player was beat in the head with excessive force because they moved into the way of the beat late, there is no foul under this rule.
- If the referee determines that a player’s beat would have been illegal if the opponent had not actively gotten out of the way, it must be ruled egregiously reckless.
Reason
These kinds of beats are unsafe and pose a concussion risk to players. This is not a new rule, rather a clarification on how this constitutes reckless play.
Brooms
- Replace 2.4.1.A.i with “This pole must be between 81 and 107 centimeters long”
- Remove 2.4.1.D which restricts reinforcing the broom with tape
Reason
Allows us to grandfather in existing brooms. We will probably look to remove this amendment in future seasons once teams have had a chance to bring their brooms into compliance with the IQA rulebook.
2021/22 rules trials
QUK intends to use spare pitch slots at various events throughout the season to run games with a trial ruleset as a means to test the safety of these changes (this will be done in conjunction with our medical partners). People will need to explicitly sign up for these and will be drafted into teams by QUK to ensure a balance of player numbers. People competing at those events will not be eligible to sign up.
Suggestions for rules that could be trialled are:
- Allowing initiation of contact with two hands/arms
- Removing brooms
- Allow contact below the knee but not initiation below the knee i.e. sliding down the legs after currently-legal contact has been established
- Allowing contact from behind
Suggestions that will not be added as amendments
Contact changes
Tackling from behind and/or tackling below the knee.
Two-Handed Tackling
Reason
Fundamental changes to contact rules need to be play-tested for safety before they can be implemented.
Gender rule
3 max gender rule before seeker floor and in overtime (also allow temporary gender breaks while subbing)
Reason
Recruitment will already be difficult for teams coming out of the pandemic and we do not want to put extra pressure on them. Teams should be able to manage their substitutions to prevent breaking the gender rule.
Repeal new rules
Remove ban on defensive seeking. Forcing over a restrictor doesn’t count as a reset. Limit consecutive kicks.
Reason
No adequate reason given to repeal these new rules.
Yellow cards
3 yellow cards before an ejection rather than 2
Reason
We don’t believe that enough incorrect yellow cards are being awarded that this rule would have the desired effect without allowing players to commit more fouls without being appropriately punished. We will also continue our referee training efforts to get consistent application of fouls across games.
Accessibility
Add vision aids on hoops for visually impaired players.
Reason
This is something we are looking to do but it shouldn’t be implemented as a rule amendment.
We’re expecting our athletes within the quidditch community to have plenty of questions and queries regarding the new rules and regulations of quidditch’s proper return post-pandemic. If you or your club would like any specific clarification on anything posted above, whether it be the decision making process behind our reasoning certain new rules taking full effect in the UK, please contact
gameplay@quidditchuk.org and get in touch with our Gameplay team!
