GENERAL RULES

The Cycles: A cycle of any make and size shall be used. Any attachment such as mud guards, bell, stand, carrier, etc. will not be allowed for use in cycle polo. The umpires will check the cycles before the start of the game and an objection of any kind will be brought to the notice of the Technical Committee, whose decision will be final.

Size of Ground: (a) The ground size shall not exceed 150 meters in length by 100 meters in width in national and International Championship. Similarly no ground less than 120 meters in length and 80 meters in width shall be used for Cycle Polo. Sub-Junior and Women Championship may be played on ground 120x80 Mtrs.
(b) Goal Posts shall be 4 meters apart and at equal distance from the corners.
(c) Ideal size of Goal Post shall be at least 2.5 meters in height, 1.5 meters in circumference at the bottom and shall be light enough to break or fall if collided with.

Ball: For the London Championship, subject to the avaibality and confirmation from the host country, the arena polo ball will be used. Options to find a CYCLE POLO ball will continue by all concerned

Qualification of Players:
(a) The number of players is limited to four on each side in all games and matches. However, a team may consist of six players including two extras.
(b) No player shall play with his left hand.
(c) A player may be substituted from one of his team player during a match without taking any formal permission but only during the interval between the chukkars. It will, however, be the duty of Coach and or manager to inform umpires, Referee, timekeeper/Scorer of this change.In a handicap tournament the higher handicap player will not be allowed to substitute a lower handicap player during a match. However, if a lower handicap player has substituted higher handicap player during a match, the original team handicap shall be continued irrespective of the period in which the substitution takes place.

Unlimited substitutions will be allowed during any one match. However the technical committee shall have power to allow a substitution to take place during a match in case of a serious injury. The injured player thereafter, cannot take part in that match.
(d) In all important matches a team may consist of maximum of six players wearing jersey from no. 1 to no. 6, which must be worn in accordance to the entry form. The coach of manager will have right to field any four players out of six players during a match in any tournament or championship and can substitute in between chukkers one player from any of the remaining player during a match. Substitution of a player punished under Penalty Clause 10 will be governed under the rule of the said Clause.
(e) The two teams shall wear distinctive colours and each player on each side shall have a number (1-6) of minimum 9" to 12" in size on the back of his Jersey in all important matches.
(f) No player can represent a team or substitute other players unless he has completed registration formalitites in all respect with Cycle Polo Federation of India.

Umpires, Referees, Linemen and Goal Judges:
(a) The rules shall be administered in a match by two Umpires who shall be mounted to enable them to keep close to play, alongwith a Referee who shall remain off the field of play in a central position. The decision of the Umpires shall be final, except, when they disagree, in which case the decision of the Referee shall be final. They will be appointed by the Technical Committee or Tournament Committee. In National Tournaments only "A" white certificate holders will be appointed as Umpires and Referees. However, due to non-availability or shortage, the Technical Committee may appoint "B" grade Umpires.
(b) In all matches Goal judges and two linemen shall be appointed, each of whom shall give testimony to the Umpires at the latter's request in respect to goals or other points of the game near the goal, but the Umpires shall take all decisions. The goal judges are there to assist the Umpires, but the final decision is that of Umpires.
(c) The Umpires of panel of umpires shall be nominated by the Technical Committee for all matches. However, in the national and international matches opposing side coach/Manager shall have the right to nominate one name each whom they wish to umpire their match from available panel of umpires. This intimation they shall convey to the concerned committee 24 hours before the start of the match in writing. If the intimation is not received in time the committee's decision of appointing umpires will be final.
(d) Captains shall have the sole right to appeal to the Umpire or Umpires questions arising during the game. No player including Captain shall appeal IN ANY MANNER to the Umpires or Umpire for fouls. In all matters, decision of the Umpire shall be final.
(e) The authority of the above officials shall extend from the time the match is due to start until the close of the game. All questions, arising at other times may be referred by the Coach/Manager to the committee conducting the tournament or match, and its decision shall be final. Any objection in respect to a match must be made by the Coach/Manager to the Technical Committee in writing within 15 minutes of the close of the match alongwith prescribed fee. The Tournament of Technical Committee's decision, which will be given then and there, shall be final. In the event of final match, objection should be raised during interval following the Chukkar in shich foul occurred so that decision could be given before start of the next Chukkar. However, if Captain leads his team out of play in protest during a match due to any reason whatsoever or team discontinues the game or fail to resume the game in spite of warning given by Umpires, the teams shall not only forfeit the match but right to appeal also.

Timekeeper and Scorer: An official Timekeeper and Scorer shall be appointed in all games and matches

Game:
a) The match duration of play is 30 minutes, divided into 4 periods of 7.5 minutes each. The number of minutes played in a match or periods played in a match, may be reduced or increased by the committee conducting the tournament or match. In all matches there shall be a half-time interval of 5 minutes. All other intervals between periods shall be of three minutes duration.
b) After tossing up for sides; the team shall line up in the middle of the ground on either side of the half line, and the Umpire shall bowl the ball under hand, between the opposing teams, from the center of a side line. No player shall be within five meters of the Umpire before the ball leaves his hand.
c) No player may touch the ball with his stick or right hand up to the elbow more than three times consecutively. He can touch again for three times only after the ball touches another player, stick, or cycle.
d) No dismounted player with one or both feet touching the ground or a player resting on his polo stick shall interfere with the game. He may however, continue with the game as soon as he has remove the above disqualification.
No dismounted player or a player with one or both feet touching or having touched the ground shall interfere with the game. He may however, continue with the game as soon as he has removed the above disqualification i.e. vide rule 7(c).
Players are allowed to touch their mallets on the ground, and to rest on their mallets, as long as they are not violating another player's right of way while doing so.

Handicap Calculation: In all matches played under handicap conditions, the higher handicap team (Sum total of handicaps of four players) shall concede to lower handicap team, as many goals as the difference is, in the four chukkar match. But in the event the tournament committee or the technical committee decides to play the match more than 4 chukkar for each additional chukkar the goals to be conceded will be calculated as follows.
a) The difference of goals between the two teams will be divided by 4 and the result thereby will be added in the difference of goals for playing addtional chukkar.
b) If there is any fraction, less than half will be counted as half, and fraction more than half will be counted as one.
Example 1- If the difference of goals between two teams for 4 chukkar is 7 goals, it will be divided by 4, result will be 1.75 therefore 2 more goal will be added in the difference for one extra chukkar.
Example 2- If the difference ia 5 goals in the 4 chukkar between two teams, on dividing by 4 the result will be 1.25. This means only one and a half goal should be added in the original difference of goal for one extra chukkar. Similarly in the event of the tournament committee or the technical committee decided to play 3 chukkars match, the result arrived in the above examples will be reduced from the original difference in goals between two teams.


Play Continuous: With the exception of the above said intervals the play shall remain continuous and no time shall be taken off for changing cycles and sticks during a period, except as legislated for in the Field Rule 22.

Termination of Period (Chukkar) : Each period of play except the last shall terminate after the expiration of the prescribed time (designated by the ringing of a bell or other signal) as soon as the ball goes out of play, or on ringing the second bell on the expiry of 30 seconds and the game will terminate wherever the ball is.
NOTE: In all cases (except the lsat period when the score is not tied) players shall continue to play until the ringing of the second bell.

Penalty exacted next period (Chukkar):If a foul is given at the first stroke of the bell after the Umpire's whistle terminates the period, the penalty shall be exacted at the beginning of the next period, except in the event of a tie in the last period when the penalty shall be exacted at once and the period continued until ringing of the second bell on expiry of 30 seconds and the game will terminate wherever the ball is.

Game Stopped: The game shall be stopped in two different ways:
(a) The game shall be stopped whenever the ball is out of play or dead, i.e.when the ball goes through the goal, side or back lines, or when a foul occurs.
(b) The umpire shall blow two sharp blasts, which will tell the timekeeper NOT to deduct/stop time. This TIME PENALTY will be totally at the discretion of the umpires.

Last Period: The last period shall terminate, although the ball is still in play, at the first stroke of the final bell, wherever the ball may be except in the case of a tie.

Tie: In the case of a tie the last period shall be prolonged till the ringing of the second bell and if still a tie, after an interval of five minutes the game will be started with widened goals and be continued in periods of the usual duration, with the usual intervals, until one side obtains a goal which shall determine the match.

Widened Goals: Any extra-time chukkar necessitated by a tie at the end of the final period of a match will be with widened goals

Rules for Widened Goals:
(a) Width of goals to be doubled to 8 meters by moving goal posts 2 meters each outwards.
(b) After the interval of five minutes, ends will be changed and the ball thrown-in from the centre in the first of the extra chukkars

Prolongation in Case of Penalty: In the event of a penalty being awarded to a team which is behind in score within 20 seconds of the end of the match, the Timekeeper shall allow 20 seconds play from the time the ball is hit or hit at, in carrying out the penalty, before he rings the final bell. If a goal is scored after te ball has been put into play, and the original regular time has expired, the final bell shall be rung. The match shall termineate as usual on the first stroke of the final bell

Unfinished Match: Once match has started it shall be played to a finish unless stopped by the Umpire for some unavoidable cause, such as darkness or weather condition which prevents a finish the same day. In such case it shall be resumed at the point at which it was stopped, as to score, period, and position of the ball, at the earliest convenient time, to be decided upon by the committee conducting the tournament.

How Game is won: The side that scores more goals wins the game.

Confusing Colours: If in the opinion of the Tournament Committee or Umpires the colours of the two competing teams are so alike as to lead to confusion, the team lower in the draw shall be instructed to play in some other colour.

Registration:
(a) For all intents and purposes the year of the registration will be the calendar year i.e. 1st April to 31st March.
(b) Each player playing for his respective state will be registered with CPFI through respective state Association by paying Rs. 5/- as the registration fee which may be raised by the Federation from time to time on a prescribed form to be supplied by CPFI.
(c) Registration and transfer fee will not be refundable and will be payable every year.

Transfer: A player registered in one state or district of that state, cannot become member of another State Association, in order to qualify to play for another State Association. In other words he can only play or represent State in which he is registered, subject however, to following transfer Rules:
(a) That he applies to CPFI through the State Association with which he is registered for permission.
(b) That the concurrence of both the State Associations is duly obtained and sent to the CPFI for clearance, along with application.
(c) In the event of permanent transfer of residence, an individual can represent other state after residing there for minimum period of six months.
(d) A player seeking transfer will have to pay transfer fee along with registration fee to CPFI which will be Rs. 200/ as transfer fee and Rs. 5/ as registration fee along with application. But, no transfer fee is payable in the event of permanent transfer of residence from one state to another. Such application must be received along with fees one clear month in advance to the commencement of Nationals or any Tournaments conducted by the Federation.
(e) All such transfers are cleared/rejected by CPFI Technical Committee who has the sole authority for this purpose and their decision will be final and binding.

Qualification of Junior: To qualify for junior, a player who has not reached the age of 18 years on the 31st December of the year preceding that in which Junior championship is played, further a player or his state Association must submit School certificate in original or in case where school certificate is not available proper affidavit on a stamp paper signed by 1st class magistrate should be su bmitted as proof for his age.

Certificate for Umpires: The Technical Committee will be sole judge for the issue of such certificates to the deserving candidates. "A" certificate holder will be entitled to umpire or referee all national or International tournaments. "B" certificate holders only local and provincial tournaments.

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