Throw-in question
 

Here is the scenario:

1. A1 releases the ball on a throw-in.
2. After A1 has released the ball, but before the ball crosses the in-bounds side of the throw-in boundary (i.e. the ball is still over the out-of-bounds), B1 contacts the ball.

I know if a teammate of A1 contacts the ball while standing in-bounds is a violation, has B1 violated in this case as well?

Answer
 

Plane restriction ends when the ball is released. B1 can then reach through plane and contact the ball. Legal.

9-2-10
 

ART. 10. . . The opponent(s) of the thrower shall not have any part of his/her
person through the inbounds side of the throw-in boundary-line plane until the
ball has been released on a throw-in pass.

NOTE: The thrower may penetrate the plane provided he/she does not touch the inbounds area or a player inbounds before the ball is released on the throw-in pass. The opponent in this situation may legally touch or grasp the ball.

Note the plane restrictions on the defense end when the ball is released on a throw in pass. If it's released on a pass between teammates standing OOB on an end line throw in, the restrictions are in place, and it is a violation.

............and if the pass between teammates is touched by the defense, it is a technical foul.

A decade ago, we discussed this one for a couple of years.

The Fed got tired of our arguing and edited 9-2-10, much to the satisfaction of those of us who were correct.

Note quite. They actually changed the rule. The prior version of the rule wasn't complicated and , as it was written, the defense and the offense were both restricted from touching the ball before it crossed the throwin plane. It had no other qualifications. It was an equitable situation where neither team was allowed to play the ball before the other.

However, like the 3-4 other similar situations of the last decade, someone on the committee, rather than backing the rule as written actually changed the rule to match what they thought it should be and called it an editorial change.