a) Pro Beach Volleyball is a sport played by two teams of two players each on a sand court divided by a net.
b) The object of the game is to send the ball over the net and onto the ground on the opponent's court, and to prevent the same effort by the opponent.
c) The ball is put in play with a service: hit by the server over the net to the opponents.
d) Each team has three hits for returning the ball (including the block touch).
e) The rally continues until the ball is grounded on the playing court, goes "out" or a team fails to return it properly.
f) In Beach Volleyball, the team winning a rally scores a point (Rally Point System) & and the right to serve.
g) A team's server must be alternated every time a rally is won off the opposition's service.

2. TEAMS
a) A team is composed exclusively of two players.
b) No substitutions may be made throughout the tournament.

3. FORBIDDEN OBJECTS
a) It is forbidden to wear any object that may cause an injury to a player, such as pins, bracelets, casts, etc.
b) Players may wear spectacles at their own risk.
c) No glass bottles or glasses may be brought onto the playing area.
d) No shoes may be worn during a match (soft rubber booties or sand socks are allowed).

4. RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE PARTICIPANTS
a) ALL Participants must know and agree to Pococks Action Beach Volleyball (Pty) Ltd Terms and Conditions.
b) All participants must know the Arena's Rules as well their leagues Beach Volleyball Rules and abide by them.
c) All outstanding team fees must be paid in full before the team will be allowed to play their match.
d) The team's match fees for the evening must be paid in full before the team will be allowed to play their match.
e) The team captain must represent his/her team in the coin toss.
f) Participants must accept referees' decisions with a respectful conduct and without disputing them. In case of doubt, clarification may be requested.
g) Participants must behave respectfully and courteously in the spirit of FAIR PLAY, not only towards the referees, but also towards other officials, their teammates, the opponents, and spectators.
h) Participants must refrain from actions or attitudes aimed at influencing the decisions of the referees or covering up faults committed by their team.
i) Participants must refrain from actions aimed at delaying the game.
j) Participants may ask the referee for an explanation on the application or interpretation of the Rules. If the explanation does not satisfy the players, they must immediately indicate their wish to contest the referee's decision to the head referee or the arena manager.
k) Both players must thank the referees and the opponents once the match is ended.
l) At the end of the match, the team captain verifies the results by signing the score sheet.

5. POINT, SET AND MATCH WINNER
5.1 TO WIN A RALLY
a) Whenever a team fails in its service or fails to return the ball, or commits any other fault, the opposing team wins the rally, with one of the following consequences:
b) If the opposing team served, it scores a point and continues to serve.
c) If the opposing team received the service, it gains the right to serve and also scores a point.

5.2 TO WIN A SET
a) A set (except the deciding 3rd set) is won by the team that first scores 21 points with a minimum lead of two points. In the case of a 20-20 tie, play is continued until a two-point lead is reached (22-20, 23-21 etc).
b) The deciding set is played to 15 points with a minimum lead of 2 points.

5.3 TO WIN A MATCH
a) The match is won by the team that wins two sets.
b) In the case of a 1-1 tie, the deciding set (the 3rd) is played.

6. DEFAULT AND INCOMPLETE TEAM
a) If a team refuses to play after being summoned to do so, it is declared in default and forfeits the match with the result 0-2 for the match and 0-21, 0-21 for the sets.
b) A team that does not appear on the playing court on time is declared in default with the same result as in Rule 6.a) above.

7. PREPARATION OF THE MATCH

7.1 COIN TOSS
a) Before the official warm up, the first referee conducts the coin toss in the presence of the team captains, where appropriate. The winner of the coin toss chooses:
I. Either the right to serve or receive the service or
II. The side of the court
b) The loser takes the remaining choice.
c) In the second set the loser of the coin toss in the first set will have the choice of I. or II.
d) A new coin toss will be conducted for the deciding (3rd) set, should there be one.

7.2 WARM-UP SESSION
a) Prior to the match, if the teams have previously had another playing court at their disposal, they will have a 3-minute warm-up period at the net; if not, they may have 5 minutes.

7.3 SUBSTITUTIONS
a) There are NO substitutions or replacement of players.

7.4 POSITIONS
a) At the moment the ball is hit by the server, each team must be within its own court (except the server).
b) The players are free to position themselves. There are NO determined positions on the court.
c) There are NO positional faults.

7.5 SERVICE ORDER
a) A team's server must be alternated every time a rally is won off the opposition's service.
b) The service order must be maintained throughout each set.
c) The service order may be changed from one set to the next.

7.6 SERVICE ORDER FAULT
a) The scorer must correctly indicate the service order and correct any incorrect player.
b) A service order fault is committed when the service is not made according to the service order.
c) Should a service order fault occur, no point is awarded and the point is replayed with the correct service order.

8. PLAYING ACTIONS

8.1 BALL IN PLAY
a) The rally begins with the referee's whistle. However, the ball is in play from the service hit.

8.2 BALL OUT OF PLAY
a) The rally ends with the referee's whistle. However, if the whistle is due to a fault made in play, the ball is out of play from the moment the fault was committed.

8.3 BALL "IN"
a) The ball is "in" when it touches the ground of the playing court including the boundary lines.
b) Movement of a court line is not a clear indication that the ball is "IN". The line may have been moved through contact with a player, wind or sand kicking up against it. In cases like this, the referee should only call the ball "IN" if the ball's mark touches the line when it is in its correct position.
c) If the boundary line has been moved during a point, the referee may move it back into its correct position before making a decision. If the ball's mark is inside the court or overlaps the boundary line, the ball is called "IN".

8.4 BALL "OUT"
a) The ball is "out" when it:
I. falls on the ground completely outside the boundary lines (without touching them);
II. touches an object outside the court (ceiling, boundary nets/wall or a person out of play);
III. touches the antennae, ropes, posts or the net itself outside the side bands and antennae;
IV. the whole ball crosses completely under the vertical plane of the net.

9. PLAYING FAULTS

9.1 DEFINITION
a) Any playing action contrary to the Rules is a playing fault.
b) The referees judge the faults and determine the penalties according to these Rules.

9.2 CONSEQUENCES OF A FAULT
a) There is always a penalty for a fault: the opponents of the team committing the fault win the rally.
b) If two or more faults are committed successively, only the first one is counted.
c) If two or more faults are committed by the two opponents simultaneously, a DOUBLE FAULT is counted and the rally is replayed.

10. PLAYING THE BALL

10.1 TEAM HITS
a) Each team is entitled to a maximum of three hits for returning the ball over the net.
b) These team hits include not only intentional hits by the player, but also unintentional contacts with the ball.
c) A player may not hit the ball two times consecutively (except after a block).

10.2 SIMULTANEOUS CONTACTS
a) Two players may touch the ball at the same moment.
b) When two teammates touch the ball simultaneously, it is counted as two hits.
c) If two teammates reach for the ball but only one player touches it, one hit is counted.
d) If players collide, no fault is committed.
e) If simultaneous contacts by the two opponents over the net lead to a "held ball", it is NOT considered a fault. (Joust)
f) If there are simultaneous contacts by the two opponents over the net (Joust) and the ball remains in play, the team receiving the ball is entitled to another three hits. If such a ball goes "out", it is the fault of the team on the opposite side.

10.3 ASSISTED HIT
a) Within the playing area, a player is not permitted to take support from a teammate or any structure/object in order to reach the ball. However, the player who is about to commit a fault (touch the net or interfere with an opponent, etc.) may be stopped or held back by a teammate.

10.4 CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HIT
a) The ball may touch any part of the body.
b) The ball must be hit, not caught or thrown.
Exceptions:
I. In defensive action of a hard driven ball. The ball can be slightly held, overhand with fingers. A good indication of a hard driven attack is the time in which the defensive player had to react to play the ball. If the defensive player had time to make a decision or to react by changing, their technique as to how to play the ball it is not a hard driven ball. This may apply to the second touch of a team if the block contact was slight and the ball is still a hard driven attack. A hard driven ball by the offensive player may occur from a player standing on the ground. It is not necessary that they jump and spike the ball in all circumstances.
II. If simultaneous contacts by the two opponents leads to a "held ball / joust".
c) The ball may touch various parts of the body, only if the contacts take place simultaneously.
Exceptions:
I. At blocking, consecutive contacts by one or more blockers are authorized, provided that they occur during one action.
II. At the first hit of the team, unless it is played overhand using fingers (set), the ball may contact various parts of the body consecutively, provided that the contacts occur during one action.

10.5 THE SET / VOLLEY
a) The set or volley is the action of passing the ball overhand with open hands or fingers.
b) There must be consistency in the application of the setting criteria between the carried ball and double contact. There are various unique methods of setting and passing the ball in Beach Volleyball.
c) The ball must enter and exit the hands simultaneously and may not change directions in the motion of setting the ball.

10.6 FAULTS AT PLAYING THE BALL
a) FOUR HITS: a team hits the ball four times before returning it.
b) ASSISTED HIT: a player takes support from a teammate or any structure/object in order to reach the ball within the playing area.
c) HELD BALL: a player does not hit the ball or catches the ball (unless when in defensive action of a hard driven ball) or when simultaneous contacts by the two opponents over the net lead to a momentary "held ball" (joust).
d) DOUBLE CONTACT: a player hits the ball twice in succession or the ball touches various parts of his/her body successively (unless when in a defensive action in the teams first hit). Rotation of the ball after a set or volley is an indication that one hand released the ball after the other, hence a double contact.
e) SERVE RECEPTION DOUBLE: a player may not receive a serve with a set or volley action.
f) CARRY: a player holds the ball in the set or volley too long. The ball may not momentarily stop during the action and it may not change direction during the action.
g) FISH: a player directs or pushes the ball with their fingers over the net. The ball must be hit, knuckled, poked or sliced.

11. BALL AT NET

11.1 BALL CROSSING THE NET
a) The ball sent to the opponent's court must go over the net between the antennae.
b) A ball that has crossed outside the antennae, may be played back within the team three hits provided that:
I. The ball is played back outside or partly outside the antennae, on the same side of the court.
II. The opposing team may not prevent such action.
c) The ball is "out" when it crosses completely under the lower space of the net.
d) A player, however, may enter the opponents' court in order to play the ball before it crosses completely the lower space or passes outside the crossing space.
11.2 BALL TOUCHING THE NET
a) While crossing the net, the ball may touch the net inside the antennae.

11.3 BALL IN THE NET
a) A ball driven into the net may be recovered within the limits of the three team hits.
b) If the ball rips the mesh of the net or tears it down, the rally is cancelled and replayed.

12. PLAYER AT THE NET

12.1 REACHING BEYOND THE NET
a) In blocking, a blocker may touch the ball beyond the net, provided that he/she does not interfere with the opponent's play, before or during the latter's attack-hit.
b) A player is permitted to pass his/her hand beyond the net after his/her attack-hit, provided that his/her contact has been made within his/her own playing space.

12.2 PENETRATION INTO THE OPPONENT'S SPACE, COURT AND/OR FREE ZONE
a) A player may enter into the opponent's space, court and/or free zone, provided that this does not interfere with the opponent's play.

12.3 CONTACT WITH THE NET
a) Contact with the net by a player is not a fault, unless it is made during the action of playing the ball, or it interferes with the play. Incidental contact of the hair is never a fault.
b) Some actions of playing the ball may include actions in which the players do not actually touch the ball.
c) Once the player has hit the ball, he/she may touch the post, rope or any other object outside the total length of the net provided that this action does not interfere with play.
d) When the ball is driven into the net and causes it to touch an opponent, no fault is committed.

12.4 PLAYER'S FAULTS AT THE NET
a) A player touches the ball or an opponent in the opponent's space before or during the opponent's attack-hit.
b) A player penetrates into the opponent's space, court and/or free zone interfering with the latter's play.
c) A player touches the net or the antenna during his/her action of playing the ball or interferes with the play.

13. SERVICE

13.1 DEFINITION
a) The service is the act of putting the ball into play by the correct serving player who, positioned in the service zone, hits the ball with one hand or arm.

13.2 FIRST SERVICE IN A SET
a) The first service of a set is executed by the team determined by the coin toss.

13.3 SERVICE ORDER
a) After the first service in a set, the player to serve is determined as follows:
I. when the serving team wins the rally, the player who served before, serves again.
II. when the receiving team wins the rally, it gains the right to serve and the player who did not serve last time must now serve.

13.4 AUTHORIZATION OF THE SERVICE
a) The first referee authorizes the service after having checked that the correct server is in possession of the ball behind the end line and that the teams are ready to play.

13.5 EXECUTION OF THE SERVICE
a) The server may move freely within the service zone. At the moment of the service hit or take-off for a jump service, the server must not touch the court (the end line included) nor the ground outside the zone. His/her foot may not go under the line. After his/her hit, the server may step or land outside the zone, or inside the court.
b) If the line moves because of the sand pushed by the server, it is not considered a fault.
c) The server must hit the ball within 5 seconds after the first referee whistles for service.
d) A service executed before the referee's whistle is cancelled and repeated.
e) The ball shall be hit with one hand or any part of the arm after being tossed or released and before it touches the playing surface.
f) If the ball, after having been tossed or released by the server, lands without being touched or caught by the server, it is considered as a service.
g) No further service attempt will be permitted.

13.6 SCREENING
a) The teammate of the server must not prevent either opponent, through screening, from seeing the server or the path of the ball. On the opponent's request, the server or they must move sideways.

13.7 SERVING FAULTS
a) The server does not execute the service properly.
b) After the ball has been correctly hit, the service becomes a fault if the ball: touches a player of the serving team or fails to cross the vertical plane of the net, goes "out".

14. ATTACK HIT

14.1 DEFINITION
a) All actions to direct the ball towards the opponent's court except when serving and blocking, are considered attack-hits.
b) An attack-hit is completed the moment the ball completely crosses the vertical plane of the net or is touched by the blocker.
c) Any player may carry out an attack-hit at any height, provided that his/her contact with the ball has been made within the player's own playing space.

14.2 ATTACK-HIT FAULTS
a) A player hits the ball within the playing space of the opposing team.
b) A player hits the ball "out".
c) A player completes an attack-hit using an "open-handed fish" directing the ball with the fingers.
d) A player completes an attack-hit on the opponent's service, when the ball is entirely above the top of the net.
e) A player completes an attack-hit using an overhand pass (set or volley), which has a trajectory not perpendicular to the line of the shoulders, except when setting his or her teammate.

15. BLOCK

15.1 DEFINITION
a) Blocking is the action of players close to the net to intercept the ball coming from the opponent by reaching higher than the top of the net.

15.2 HITS BY THE BLOCKER
a) The first hit after the block may be executed by any player, including the one who has touched the ball at the block.

15.3 BLOCK WITHIN THE OPPONENT'S SPACE
a) In blocking, the player may place his/her hands and arms beyond the net provided that his/her action does not interfere with the opponent's play. Thus, it is not permitted to touch the ball beyond the net until the opponent has executed an attack-hit.

15.4 BLOCKING CONTACT
a) A blocking contact is counted as a team hit. The blocking team will have only two more hits after a blocking contact.
b) Consecutive (quick and continuous) contacts may occur by one or more blockers provided that the contacts are made during one action. These are counted as only one team hit.
c) These contacts may occur with any part of the body.

15.5 BLOCKING FAULTS
a) The blocker touches the ball in the opponent's space before the opponent's attack-hit.
b) A player blocks the ball in the opponent's space from outside the antenna.
c) A player blocks the opponent's service.
d) The ball is sent "out" off the block.

16. TIME-OUTS

16.1 DEFINITION
a) A Time-out is a regular game interruption and it lasts for 30 seconds.
b) In sets 1 and 2, one additional 30 second Technical Timeout is automatically allocated when the sum of the points scored by the teams equals 21 points.

16.2 NUMBER OF TIME-OUTS
a) Each team is entitled to a maximum of one time-out per set.

16.3 REQUESTS FOR TIME-OUT
a) Time-outs may be requested by the players only when the ball is out of play and before the whistle for service.
b) Time-outs may follow one another with no need to resume the game.
c) The players must have authorization from referees to leave the playing area.

16.4 IMPROPER REQUESTS
a) Among others, it is improper to request a time-out:
I. during a rally or at the moment of, or after the whistle to serve,
II. after having exhausted the authorized time-out.

17. DELAYS TO THE GAME

17.1 TYPES OF DELAY
a) An improper action of a team that defers the resumption of the game is a delay and includes, among others:
I. prolonging time-outs, after having been instructed to resume the game,
II. repeating an improper request in the same set,
III. delaying the game (12 seconds shall be the maximum time from the end of a rally to the whistle for service under normal playing conditions).

17.2 SANCTIONS FOR DELAYS
a) The first delay by a team in a set is sanctioned with a DELAY WARNING.
b) The second and subsequent delays of any type by the same team in the same set constitute a fault and are sanctioned with a DELAY PENALTY: loss of a rally.

18. EXCEPTIONAL GAME INTERRUPTIONS

18.1 INJURY
a) Should a serious accident occur while the ball is in play, the referee must stop the game immediately. The rally is then replayed.
b) An injured player is given a maximum of 5-minutes recovery time once per match. At the conclusion of the 5-minute recovery, the referee will whistle and request the player to continue. At this time, only the player can judge whether he/she is fit to play.
c) If the player does not recover or return to the playing area at the conclusion of the recovery time, his/her team is declared incomplete.

18.2 EXTERNAL INTERFERENCE
a) If there is an external interference during the game, play has to be stopped and the rally replayed.

18.3 PROLONGED INTERRUPTION
a) If unforeseen circumstances interrupt the match, the first referee, the organizer shall decide the measures to be taken to re-establish normal conditions.

19. COURT SWITCHES AND INTERVALS

19.1 COURT SWITCHES
a) The teams switch after every 7 points (Set 1 and 2) and 5 points (Set 3) played.
b) Should both teams agree prior to the start of the match, the teams shall only switch between Sets 1 and 2 and shall switch sides every 5 points played in Set 3.

19.2 INTERVALS
a) The interval between each set lasts 1 minute. During the interval before a deciding (3rd) set, the first referee carries out a coin toss.
b) During court switches the teams must change immediately without delay.
c) If the court switch is not made at the proper time, it will take place as soon as the error is noticed.
d) The score at the time that the court switch is made remains the same.

20. MISCONDUCT

20.1 MISCONDUCT
a) Incorrect conduct by a team member towards officials, opponents, their teammate or spectators is classified in four categories according to the degree of the offense.

20.2 CATEGORIES
a) Unsportsmanlike conduct: continuous arguing, intimidation, etc.
b) Rude conduct: acting contrary to good manners or moral principles, expressing contempt.
c) Offensive conduct: defamatory or insulting words or gestures.
d) Aggression: physical attack or intended aggression.

20.3 SANCTIONS
a) MISCONDUCT WARNING: for unsportsmanlike conduct, a verbal warning is given.
b) MISCONDUCT PENALTY: for rude conduct or repeated unsportsmanlike conduct, the team receives a yellow card and loses the rally. (Includes point and the right to serve).
c) EXPULSION: repeated rude conduct or offensive conduct is sanctioned by expulsion. The team receives a red card and immediately loses the set.
d) DISQUALIFICATION: for aggression, both yellow and red cards together and the team immediately lose the match.
e) SUSPENSION: more than one disqualification within a season. The team shall be suspended from the arena.

21. REFEREEING CORPS AND PROCEDURES

21.1 COMPOSITION
a) The refereeing corps for a match is composed of the following officials:
I. the first referee
II. the second referee

21.2 PROCEDURES
a) The first referee may give the signal for the service that begins the rally.
b) Immediately after the referee blows the whistle to signal the end of the rally, they have to indicate with the official hand signals: first the team to serve and then the nature of the fault.

22. FIRST REFEREE

22.1 LOCATION
a) The first referee carries out his/her functions seated or standing on a referee's stand located at one end of the net.

22.2 AUTHORITY
a) The first referee directs the match from the start until the end. The first referee has authority over all team members.
b) During the match, the first referee's decisions are final. He/she is authorized to overrule the decisions of other officials, if he/she judges that the latter are mistaken.
c) The referee has the power to decide on any matters involving the game, including those not provided in these Rules.
d) The first referee shall not permit any discussion about his/her decisions. However, at the request of a player, the first referee will give an explanation on the application or interpretation of the rules upon which he/she has based his/her decision. If the player disagrees with the explanation and formally protests, the 1st referee must authorize the commencement of a Protest Protocol.
e) The first referee is responsible for determining before and during the match whether the playing area and the conditions meet playing requirements.

22.3 RESPONSIBILITIES
a) Prior to the match, the first referee: inspects the conditions of the playing area, the ball and other equipment, performs the coin toss with the team captains, controls the teams' warming-up.
b) During the match, only the first referee is authorized: to sanction misconduct and delays, to decide upon:
i. the faults of the server,
ii. the screening of the serving team,
iii. the faults in playing the ball,
iv. the faults above the net and at its upper part.
c) At the end of the match, he/she checks the score sheet and signs it.

23. SECOND REFEREE

23.1 LOCATION
a) The second referee performs his/her functions standing at the post outside the playing court on the opposite side of and facing the first referee.

23.2 AUTHORITY
a) The second referee is the assistant of the first referee, but has also his/her own range of jurisdiction.
b) Should the first referee be unable to continue officiating, the second referee may replace him/her.
c) The second referee may, without whistling, also indicate faults outside his/her jurisdiction, but must not persist in such signals to the first referee. It is more of an opinion and is there to assist the first Referee.
d) The second referee keeps score and the correct service order.
e) The second referee authorizes the time-outs and court switches and controls the duration of such and rejects improper requests.
f) The second referee checks the number of time-outs used by each team and reports to the first referee and the players concerned after completion of their time-out in each applicable set.
g) In the case of an injury of a player, the second referee authorizes recovery time.

23.3 RESPONSIBILITIES
a) During the match, the second referee decides, whistles and signals the contact of the player with the lower part of the net and the antenna on the second referee's side of the court,
b) interference due to penetration into the opponent's court and space under the net,
c) the ball that crosses the net outside the crossing space or touches the antenna on their side of the court,
d) The contact of the ball with an outside object.
e) At the end of the match, he/she signs the score sheet.