Proposal 89: 14B.9.5 Penalty Box / Player Send Off [ Revision 4 ]

Committee: 14. Hockey
Submitted on 2025-07-19
Status: Passed on August 05, 2025

Background

There were questions raised about how the logistics of the penalty box should be handled.

Specifically, some of the below questions. I tried to cover these, the multiple penalties will be covered separately and referenced in this later if it passes.

• The secretary should note the following information when a penalty box is given: How long is the penalty (2, 5, or match)? Which player received the penalty? When (match time) was it given? Why was it given? This information would be very useful to have as a protocol of the game. Especially the time when the penalty was given is crucial and helps to track whether the penalty time has expired.
• What happes with non-expired penalties at the end of a game? I think this is implicitely clear and they will not continue in another game. However, I believe this shall be noted in the rules. What about in case of extra time? Is a player penalized during extra time allowed to take a penalty shot during a penalty shootout if their penalty time did not expire yet?
• What happens if several penalty boxes are called? This is currently very rare but may become more common (although still rare) if we implement the stricter rules (Discussion 36). Can a team have any number of players sent off at the same time? Will they need to continue playing with less and less players? Or shall there be a minimum? What happens in this case? My suggestion here would be to adapt the rules from floorball / ice hockey (both are very similar) and let teams play with a minimum of 3 players but additional penalties are delayed (their time will only count down after another penalty has expired).
• What happens if a player who already has received a 2min e.g. insults the referees? Will they automatically get a 5min or will they get 2x2min? Is the latter possible and what would happen then?
• What happens when there was an offence that would require a 2min penalty box but the referees do not know which player commited the foul?
• What exactly happens in the case of a match penalty? Where does this player need to go? How can the referees (or the time keeper / secretary) make sure the team adheres to the 5min penalty for the team?

Proposal

Old

14B.9.5 Player Send-off (Previously changed name from Penalty Box in proposal 15)

The referee can send a player off the field for two minutes, five minutes, or for the remainder of the game. For non-match send-offs, the offending team may not substitute a replacement while the player is in the penalty box. When a player is sent off for the remainder of the game, they may not take part in the current match and their team's following match. However, in the current match, the penalised team may bring a player on after a five minute period. Penalized players are prohibited from communicating with their team for the duration of the penalty. When enforcing a penalty, the referee should signal to stop the timer to discuss the required punishment, provide a precise start time for the penalty, and to explain their ruling to players....

New

14B.9.5 Player Send-off

The referee can send a player off the field for two minutes, five minutes, or for the remainder of the game. 

If a player from the team in possession of the ball commits an offence warranting a 2-min, 5-min, or match penalty, the referee shall immediately interrupt the game and impose the penalty. If a player from the team not in possession commits the offence, play shall continue until the offending team gains control of the ball, at which point play is stopped (including stoppage of timer) and the penalty assessed.

In instances of a penalty, the offending team must play with one fewer than their legal maximum for the duration of the penalty, or until the end of the current match, whichever comes first. Any unexpired penalty at the end of regular time shall remain in effect during extra time and also any penalty shootout (14B.5.2) if applicable. All penalties except match penalties shall be considered terminated only after the final result of the match is determined, including any penalty shootout if applicable.

If the referees are unable to identify the offender, (e.g. incorrect substitution), the team captain shall choose a non-penalised player to serve the penalty. If the team captain cannot provide a player or is themselves penalised, the referees shall choose the player.

Penalized players are prohibited from communicating with their team for the duration of the penalty. A penalised team captain may not communicate with the referees unless directly addressed by them. When enforcing a penalty, the referee should signal to stop the timer to discuss the required punishment, provide a precise start time for the penalty, and to explain their ruling to players.

14B.9.5.1 2-Minute Penalty

While a player is in the penalty box for a 2-minute penalty, the team may not substitute a replacement for that player.

The following list of offences lead to a 2-minute penalty; however, this list is not exhaustive. Referees may impose a 2-minute penalty for other actions that, in their judgment, constitute unsporting behaviour, create a safety risk, or significantly violate the spirit of fair play.

[List of offences in strict proposal number 69...]

 

...

 

 

 

OLD

14C.2.3 The Secretary
The Secretary sits at the desk and takes care that the scoreboard always shows the
current score. After a goal the Secretary seeks eye contact with the First Referee to
check if the goal is declared valid or not. After the end of the game the Secretary writes
the final score into the report. When a player has been sent-off for the remainder of the
match, the secretary records the name of the player on both the completed match and
the team's next match and should inform the hockey director that the player must miss
the teams next match.

NEW

14C.2.3 The Secretary

The Secretary sits at the desk and takes care that the scoreboard always shows the current score. After a goal the Secretary seeks eye contact with the First Referee to check if the goal is declared valid or not. After the end of the game the Secretary writes the final score into the report. When a player has been sent off, all imposed penalties shall be noted by the secretary in the match record with the time, player number, type of penalty (2 min, 5 min, or match penalty) and cause of penalty. For match penalties, the secretary records the name of the player on both the completed match and the team's next match and should inform the hockey director that the player must miss the teams next match.

 

OLD

14B.9 Penalties

In every instance of a violation of the rules the referee must penalize the offending team or play the advantage. When playing the advantage the referee does not blow the whistle but should display the hand sign for a free shot and shout “Advantage!” In the event that an advantage was not gained, the referee should enforce the appropriate penalty from the initial point of infringement or, when the penalty has occurred within the goal area, the closest corner mark or 1m in front of goal line. Additionally, at the referee's discretion,

 offending players may be sent off after advantage has been played. The referee should not enforce this penalty until the offending team gains possession of the ball and should resume the game with a face off at the point of possession change. When two or more players fall and/or it is unclear whether a foul occurred, the referees can interrupt the game and restart it with a face-off.

 

NEW

14B.9 Penalties

In every instance of a violation of the rules the referee must penalize the offending team or play the advantage. When playing the advantage the referee does not blow the whistle but should display the hand sign for a free shot and shout “Advantage!” In the event that an advantage was not gained, the referee should enforce the appropriate penalty from the initial point of infringement or, when the penalty has occurred within the goal area, the closest corner mark or 1 m in front of goal line. Additionally, at the referee's discretion,  offending players may be sent off after advantage has been played. The referee should not enforce this penalty until the offending team gains possession of the ball and should resume the game with a face off at the point of possession change. Additionally, if advantage was gained before a send-off was issued (see 14B.9.5 Player Send-off), the referee shall resume play with a face-off at the location of the ball when play was stopped. When two or more players fall and/or it is unclear whether a foul occurred, the referees can interrupt the game and restart it with a face-off.

Body

This coveres the questions abuut how to manage players being sent off.

References

14B.9.5 Penalty Box 

Was already changed to 

14B.9.5 Player Send-off

in

Proposal 15: 14B.9.5 Penalty Box - Addition of time stop directive [ Revision 4 ]

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Discussion

View Discussion

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Change Log:

Revision 4 changed by Steven Hughes (28 Jul 02:06)

Additionally, if advantage was gained before a send-off was issued (see 14B.9.5 Player Send-off), the referee shall resume play with a face-off at the location of the ball when play was stopped.
Improved wording

Revision 3 changed by Steven Hughes (25 Jul 02:41)

Added 14B.9 Penalties with small change
Removed wording "Additionally, at the referee's discretion, offending players may be sent off after advantage has been played." if stricter rules pass then it will not be at referees discretion for many rules

altered wording of "The referee should not enforce this penalty until the offending team gains possession of the ball and should resume the game with a face off at the point of possession change." as most wording was put into 14B.9.5 Player Send-off

Removed below. Wording shifted to better sections
14B.9.6 Penalty Box

If the referees are unable to identify the offender, (e.g. incorrect substitution), the team captain shall choose a non-penalised player to serve the penalty. If the team captain cannot provide a player or is themselves penalised, the referees shall choose the player.

Penalized players are prohibited from communicating with their team for the duration of the penalty. A penalised team captain may not communicate with the referees unless directly addressed by them. When enforcing a penalty, the referee should signal to stop the timer to discuss the required punishment, provide a precise start time for the penalty, and to explain their ruling to players.

In instances of a penalty, the offending team must play with one fewer than their legal maximum for the duration of the penalty, or until the end of the current match, whichever comes first. In instances of a match send off, the player is removed from the match but does not enter the penalty box. A non-penalised player, selected by the offending team’s captain, must serve the five-minute penalty in the penalty box. If the captain is unable to select a player, the referees shall choose one. Once the five-minute penalty has expired, that player may return to the field. Any unexpired penalty at the end of regular time shall remain in effect during extra time. When extra time is complete, all penalties except match penalties shall be considered terminated.

Revision 2 changed by Steven Hughes (19 Jul 09:45)

Made bold new text in Penalty Box

Revision 1 changed by Steven Hughes (19 Jul 09:43)

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Votes on this proposal:

11 out of 12 voting members have voted.

Agree: 9, Disagree: 0, Abstain: 2.