RULE 4
SECTION 24 HANDS AND ARMS, LEGAL AND ILLEGAL USE
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ART. 3 . . . It is legal to hold the hands and arms in front of the face or body for protection and to absorb force from an imminent charge by an opponent. This same protective use of the arms and hands occurs when a player who has set a screen outside the opponent's visual field is about to be run into by the player being screened. The action, however, should be a recoil action rather than a pushing action.
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ART. 6 . . . It is not legal to extend the arms fully or partially in a position other than vertical so that the freedom of movement of an opponent is hindered when contact with the arms occurs. The extension of the elbows when the hands are on the hips or when the hands are held near the chest or when the arms are held more or less horizontally are examples of the illegal positions used.
So you have to judge which action is taking place. One is legal the other is not.
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