Experts Guide to Water Polo

• Water polo is one of swimmings most intense sports - fast and furious from start to finish.
• Period of play: 4 x 7 minute periods, during which no quarter is asked or given.
• Players must tread water throughout
• Keeping the ball longer than permitted, using both hands and equally minor infractions are deemed ordinary fouls and result in a free throw.
• Poor sports conduct and deliberate misconduct results in a major foul and the 20 second dismissal of the guilty party, during which the emphasis is on the opposition to ensure they take full advantage by scoring.
• If a player commits three major fouls he will be excluded from the rest of the match and can only be replaced once his third 20 second penalty has been served.
• The sheer physicality of the game means fouls occur at regular intervals and a game can last more than an hour in total.
• If the scores are level at the end of regular time, two periods of three minutes are played.
• Rough play is punished, however you will find most of the players' bodies are submerged underwater out of the view of the referees, so it is difficult to spot foul play.
• Holding or pulling people down under water, grabbing, pushing, eye gouging or swimming trunk yanking are all common occurrences

The aim of the game is to score more goals than the opposition.

Interesting Facts:

Players can swim up to four miles during a match