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I'm not sure that was a good call in USAV. As far as interference, I have always assumed it was interfering with a person in the act of playing the ball.
I have heard it argued that even If the ball is in the back court, if I step on your foot legally on the center line, I have interfered with you getting ready to go to your approach position. I think that is more than the rule intended. It has always been written interfere with a player playing the ball.
In NCAA, I know they give you the safety clause - which is an interesting thought on what to do in USAV about a player legally in the opponents court (arm, upper body, etc.)
Which brings me to the protest I won last year. A player spiked the ball that was at least a foot above the net, there was a double block that was on average 8 or so inches above the tape. The ball completely cleared the block (no touch) and headed for the 10 ft line. The spiker's follow through gets a finger in the first net square bellow the tape. ( I saw this all very clearly - no doubt) The net shook considerably then the ball hit the floor near the 10 foot line before the Libero could play it. (Did I say this was match point). Of course the losing team first insisted it was a net violation, I explained the tape was not contacted. Then the decided that since it made the net move, it distracted them (I don't know if they were implying the blockers or the libero). I ended the match which they protested. Based on the way the rule is written the protest was denied. I have no doubt I enforced the rule correctly, but I also have a sense that the head official feels I should have called a net violation. I think some of this is how some people 'want' the rules to be vs. how they are written. My argument, the net moves a lot in volleyball whether it is a player or the ball that causes it to move should not be a distraction to the opponents. If it is, so is a ball rolling in the back court, or fans walking on the walkways between courts in convention centers. I can see if players contact with the net aids in the passage of the ball over the net, or hinders the opponents from contacting the ball or sending it over. But me 'scaring' you because I touched the net is probably overreaching. If that is so, then if I was running toward the net really fast and you were afraid I could not stop in time, even if I didn't touch the net...that would be interference too.
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