[SmokeEater]

Effective October 1, 2010 FIBA has released revised copies of the official basketball rules used worldwide, including at all levels of play here in Manitoba, from the WMBA, school, club, CIS and Senior levels. The new rules take effect October 1, 2010 and include a number of changes. The biggest changes that are coming into play under the FIBA system are the new floor markings. These changes are the first changes to the floor lines at the FIBA level since 1952 and have changed the key to copy the NBA specifications along with a 'no charge' semi-circle. Please note that the new game floor markings illustrated in this publication will NOT be utilized by any level of basketball in Manitoba until further notice from Basketball Manitoba. This includes still using the original ‘trapezoid’ style key, the 20’6” three point line and NOT introducing the new ‘no-charge semi-circle’ line. All levels of play in the province will use the 2008 floor markings until further notice. Another change to the new rules includes how the shot clock gets reset after a team fouls with less than 14 seconds showing.

Clarification about why we were adopting the new rules prior to 2012 as per the FIBA rules committee as follows.

"Specifically, five (5) changes to the Rules 2010 are related to the change in appearance of the basketball court and to the (capability of) technical equipment. Therefore the FIBA Central Board has decided that the changes will be in force as of 1st October 2010 for main competitions of FIBA and as of 1st October 2012 at the very latest for all other official competitions and the high level competitions of the national federations, in order to provide FIBA membership with enough time to apply changes to the basketball court.

However, FIBA has stated that all the governing bodies of basketball (FIBA zones, national federations, etc) are strongly recommended to implement the Rules 2010 at their convenience before the above mentioned deadline of 1st October 2012.

Canada will use the FIBA Rules 2010 as of October 1, 2010 and will have exceptions to the new court markings, to allow schools sufficient time to make the change-over.

For levels of play below "high level competition", the vast majority of players in our country, it is far more important that participants be exposed to the basic rules of the FIBA game. At a given level below "high level competition", the most important thing is that all players play on similar courts rather than face different lines in different venues of play."

Comments or discussion?