Face Checking????
 

I ran across a situation last night where a defensive player was deliberately putting their hand in front of the face of their offensive opponent to block their vision of the basket while shooting. Is there a violaition for something that might be called "Face Checking" or just plain blocking someone's vision on purpose? I had never heard of such a call.

Tom

thats good d-fens
 

it is illegal however for the defense to waive their hands in the face of a player during play but this is good defense to get a hand up during the shot.

Yes, there is such a rule, I can't recite the rule and article, but yes it is a violation if the defender face guards while on defense or while shooting, or in anticipation of a pass to the offenseive player.

NCAA 10-7-3 (I think that's it)...

There was a thread about this a couple of years ago.
http://forum.officiating.com/showthr...ght=face+guard

Mick and Jurassic Referee had the citations:
Originally posted by mick
OBSTRUCTING OPPONENT'S VISION
"10.3.7 Situation A: Does holding a hand or hands in front of the face of a player who has the ball, by an opponent who is in a legal guarding position, constitute unsporting tactics? Ruling: Yes. The described action is illegal. It is unsporting for a guard to take a position behind a post player, or to take a postion facing an opponent, or to take a postion with his/her back to the ball and facing the opponent and then in either case, wave or hold hands in front of the opponent's eye's so that the opponent cannot see. Holding or waving hands near the eye for the ostensible purpose of obstructing an opponent's vision is unsporting. (10-3-7; 10-6-1)"

Originally posted by JR:

And furthermore.......

POE 4A- Face Guarding- "Face guarding could occur with a single hand and a player's hand(s) do NOT have to be waving; the hand(s) could be stationary and still restrict the opponent's vision.The committee does not intend for good defense to be penalized. Challenging a shooter with a 'hand in the face' or fronting a post player with a hand in the air to prevent a post pass are examples of acceptable actions. The rule and point of emphasis is designed to penalize actions that are clearly not related to playing the game of basketball properly and that intentionally restricts vision"

FIBA 38.3.1 says:
"A technical foul is a player non-contact foul of a behavioural nature including [...] baiting an opponent or obstructing his vision by waving his hands near his eyes."

But except some extreme cases (hands within an inch from the opponent's face, with the defender only trying to get on his nerves...), the play you described is considered legal (or it is no-called). And, even in those extreme cases, a warning is the best thing.

Nope, it's never been a violation. It's a technical foul.

It is also not an <b>automatic</b> technical foul, especially if it occurs on a shooter. It's a judgement call on the official's part always. If the official feels that the defender is deliberately <b>obstructing</b> his opponen't's vision- i.e. blocking it so that he/she can't see-, then it's a "T". If the official feels that the hand-waving in the opponent's face is not obstructing vision but is being done to divert the opponent's/shooter's attention or to distract them, then it's a legal defensive play.

NFHS rule 7-3-7(d) + NOTE.

Thanks for the great responses. Love this forum.

If it's a T - it's one I've never seen called.

Not doubting that it's a T - just one of those that no one seems to call very often, if ever.

Been there, done that, and whacked a girl this season. Point guard was defending and she had a hand in the face but it was so quick and play moved around that it was insignificant. A couple of times down the floor later, same guard has right hand in face (right up in there) girl goes right and point guard's left hand immediately went to the face... I quickly thought this cant be real because like you said you never see this... I wanted to warn her but before I could dribbler goes left and guard's right hand right back in the face.

I whacked her... coach asked question and I explained. It's rare but you gotta be ready

It is rare, but it was even called in the NBA as recently as last season. I forget who the defender was, but the ballhandler was Kevin Garnett. Defender had his hand half an inch from KG's face and wouldn't move it. KG leaned forward, like he might start a move; the defender still didn't move it and his hand was actually contacting KG's face. Tweet. I don't think the ref wanted to call it, but once it was that obvious, he grabbed it.

I stand to be corrected. I was thinking foul, wrote down violation.

Why is "behavioral" misspelled in your rulebook? ;)

Cuz we speak English not American. :cool:

So here's a question for the group ... this tactic is becoming, I would venture, more and more common, yet we don't see a lot of calls.

Is this something we should be calling more?

Personally, I have not seen it being used very often at all. I don't see a big need for it to be a POE or anything.