Everything about Bandy: Useful Information on this Exciting Kind of Sport

Bandy is a team kind of sport where players use bandies to send the ball into the goal; they play on the ice. A victory is given to a team that manages to score more goals. Thus, the given kind of sport is also known as ball hockey or Russian hockey. It is clear from the very beginning, that this sport combines features of a few others, which inevitably leads to complex rules, and the given article is going to present the most important ones among them.

Ice

The bandy ices are four-sided figures and have dimensions of 90-110 meters long and 45-65 meters wide. Its boundaries are represented by full vivid goal lines and sidelines. There are also other lines that show various zones and important elements.

Corner Sector

Each of four corners of the bandy ice is equipped with a marker for a flag-post. It should be maximum 5 cm wide and at least 200 cm high. This item is placed outside the ice 7.5 cm from the point where the goal line and the sideline intersect. The flag-post itself should bear a flag of contrasting colors. In addition, the flag-post should be free from any keen edges.

All the corners should have quarter-circles with a radius of 1 meter.

Center Line

This line is parallel to the goal lines and splits the ice vertically into two equal parts. The line is marked with flag-posts that are placed 1 meter behind the sidelines. These flag-posts should meet the same requirements as those described above.

There is a center spot in the middle of the center line. Its radius is 15 cm, and it is surrounded by the circle with a radius of 5 meters.

Penalty Area

Penalty areas surround each goal. They are represented by semi-circles with a 17-meter radius. Within them, there is a 15-cm-diameter penalty spot that is placed 12 meters from the goal line and perfectly centered to the goal.

There are two more 15-cm-diameter spots on the penalty area lines. Each of them is 17 meters from the spot where the penalty area line intersects the goal line. These are free-stroke sports. Each of them is surrounded by a full circle with a radius of 5 meters.

Lines

Any line that is used to denote a certain area in the ice should be 5-8 cm wide. They are parts of the playing ice. The lines should be read and continuous, unless otherwise provided.

Boards

These items are placed parallel to the sidelines to prevent the ball from leaving the ice. They can be wooden, plastic, aluminum or made from any other allowed material. They should have dimensions of 4 m long, 15 cm high, and 2-4 cm thick. The boards should stay vertical, which is possible thanks to special lashing equipment that is placed outside the ice.

Four boards that are in the corners should have rounded edges. All the boards should not be immobile because they should glide if players interact with them. Boards upper edges should be covered with a protective layer made of rubber or similar materials. If a corner-stroke is performed, the boards should be 1-3 meters from the ball.

Point to Enter Ice

Four boards should be colored in the red both from the side of the ice and from the side of spectators. These boards are placed close to the center line near the benches for players. Any substitution should be made through these boards. If the rule is violated, a team is punished with a 5-minute penalty. In other words, any player who is going either to take or to leave the ice should go through these boards.

Goals

Wooden, steel or aluminum goals are perfectly centered on each goal line. The goals should be 2.1 meters high and 3.5 meters wide. As for the deepness, it should be 1 meter under the cross-bar and at least 2 meters at the bottom. The bars should be smooth without any keen edges; they can be placed on the goal line only.

Ball Baskets

Each goal should be equipped with two ball baskets. They should be attached to the outside of the goals. They should hang at least 50 cm from the bar and at least 1 meter above the ice level.

Equipment

When it comes to a bandy match, the following set of equipment should be used:

1. Ball. It should be made from officially approved material of a bright color. When it is released from a 1.5-meter height, it should jump up at 15-30 cm. The ball should be 63-mm in diameter and 60-65 g in weight.
2. Bandy (stick). This item should be wooden or made of any other allowed material. Its width over the whole length should not surpass 7 cm. The bandies should be maximum 125 cm long. Its edges and corners should be rounded; it is forbidden to attach any metal items to the bandies.
3. Skates. All the players and ice referees should wear skates. These skates should be free from any keen edges or other items that can be dangerous for others. The blade back upper part should be equipped with a plastic tip to make the skates safer.
4. Protective equipment. All the players and referees should wear protective helmets. All the players should also have certified mouth guards to protect their teeth and lips. In addition, a goalie should have the helmet with a protective grid to cover his face.
5. Uniform. A home team should wear its officially announced uniform (so-called, home kit). If both teams have a uniform of similar colors, an away team should redress. Stockings should be of the same color as the uniform itself. A particular color should dominate. If a match takes place on the neutral ice, the team that is mentioned first in the game sheet is considered to be a home team.

Players

A bandy match is held between two teams with 11 players in each. Among those 11, one is a goalie and one is a captain. A team is not allowed to participate in a match if it consists of fewer than 8 players.

With this, every team is allowed to have up to 15 players because it is possible to make 4 substitutions in a single match. The number of available players should be written down in the game sheet that is given to a referee prior to the beginning of a match. If a team has 15 players, it is necessary to state who is a substitute for a goalie. All the other substitutes can act as field players.

The list of players can be altered before a match begins. If a player was not included in the game sheet before a match, he should wait until the referee registers him during a pause. If such a player fails to wait for this and enters the field without the referee permission, he will be sent out and his team will be punished with a 10-minute penalty.

Every team is allowed to make as many substitutions as they want at any moment of a match. A player who is going to take the ice may make it only after his partner has left the ice. Any substitution may be performed through a particular area. It is not necessary to notify a referee of a substitution.

If a player crosses a sideline or goal line to show he does not participate in an active stage of the game or for any other reason, he is not considered to be a player who must be substituted.

If an injured player was not substituted but he is outside the ice boundaries, he may take the ice again at any time. On the other hand, if such a player does need to be substituted, he can leave the ice at any point after the referee’s permission. This rule refers to a player who left the ice to set his equipment in order.

Those players who were sent off can reenter the ice after a corresponding period of time and after an appropriate official gives a permit. In this case, this player can take the ice through a corresponding area close to the center line.

It is forbidden to substitute a dismissed player while he is serving his punishment. Exceptions arise when a violation results in a penalty shot, from which opponents manage to score a goal. In this case, the penalty time is considered to be a personal punishment. A penalty shot is said to be over only when the ball leaves the penalty area or a goal is scored.

If a player was sent off till the end of a match, he may not take the ice during the extra time. Moreover, he may not be substituted.

Captain

Every team should have its own captain. This player should have an 8-cm wide band on his left hand above the elbow. This band should be of a contrasting color in comparison with that of the uniform.

If a captain is sent off till the end of a match or gets injured so that he is not able to keep playing, his functions are delivered to one of his partners who should wear the captain’s band. When a captain is sent off for a certain period of time, he keeps acting as a captain.

Playing Time

A regular match consists of two 45-minute periods. When there occur conditions beyond control (heavy snowfall or biting cold), the referee may split the match into more than two intervals. This fact should be included in the game sheet. In addition, a match duration is different for young age groups.

Every match is preceded by a coin toss, a winner of which obtains the right either to perform a starting kick or to choose a goal. After the first half, teams switch their goals, and the starting kick is performed by the opposite team.

The same procedure is applied when a match witnesses the extra time (2 15-minute periods) or when the rule of “Golden goal” is applied.

As it has already been mentioned, a match begins with a starting kick that is performed in the very center of the ice and after the referee’s whistle. The ball should overcome at least 20 cm to be considered in play. Before a starting kick is performed, all the players should be on their halves, and they are forbidden to cross the center line until the ball happens to be in play. If one of players crosses the center line before a starting kick is performed, the opposing team gets the right to perform a free-stroke from the place where the player crossed the center line.

Players of the team that does not perform a starting kick should be at least 5 meters from the ball. If players to perform a starting kick correctly, they should try once again. Timekeeping starts with the first correct starting kick. This procedure equally refers to the starting kick that is to be performed in the second half of a match.

A player who performed a starting kick may not touch the ball again until another player touches it with his bandy.

If a regulation time ends in an equal score, extra time should arise. This phenomenon occurs in those cases only when it was previously stipulated by official governing bodies. To tell the truth, there are two kinds of the extra time:

1. Regular extra time. Usually, the extra time is represented by two 15-minute periods. Teams should play the entire time to determine a winner, and if they fail to cope with the task (the extra time ends in an equal score), another extra time should be played.
2. The rule of “Golden goal”. In some cases, the given rule can be applied to make sure a certain match will obviously have a winner. According to the given rule, two 15-minute periods are initiated but a match is over should any team score a goal.

If the teams fail to score a goal during these periods, a winner is determined with the help of 12-meter shots that will be described further.

It should be mentioned separately that duration of extra time can vary according to players’ age groups.

As for breaks, they can be of different kinds. The half-time between 45-minute periods lasts for 5-10 minutes. When it comes to the break between regulation and extra time, it takes 5 minutes with players staying on ice. With this, there is no half-time between the halves of extra time. The referee should always keep the durations mentioned above but if he believes it is necessary to change the duration of any break for important reasons, the referee is allowed to do it.

The referee may cancel or interrupt a game if there occur some conditions (before or during a match) that make it impossible to properly lead a match to the end. It should be mentioned that matchmaking is one of the most important referee’s obligations; that is why, he should have really significant reasons to cancel or interrupt a game.

These reasons include extreme weather conditions, improper lighting, poor or dangerous state of the ice or equipment that is present on the ice (goals, boards, and so on). The precise reason for a referee to cancel or interrupt a match should be stated in the game sheet.

A dropped ball is awarded to continue a match that was interrupted. It is initiated at the place where the ball was when the match was interrupted. Nevertheless, when the ball was within a penalty area, a dropped ball is initiated at the closest nearest free-stroke spot. A dropped ball procedure looks as follows: two players of opposing teams stay facing each other with their backs to their goals. Their bandies are parallel to each other from the both sides of the ball. It is forbidden to touch the ball before the referee’s whistle. The ball can be sent in any direction from the dropped ball play.

Goalie

A goalie should have a set of equipment of a different color when compared to his other partners. Also, a goalie may not use a bandy stick.

It is forbidden to handle or even stop the ball that was intentionally passed back by one of his partners to a goalie. A goalie can stop the ball with his skates or body and kick it then with his foot. Otherwise, a free-stroke will be awarded. If a goalie violates the rules and stops the ball improperly to prevent it from scoring a goal, a penalty shot will be awarded, and the goalie will be sent off for 5 minutes.

Within his own penalty area, a goalie may use his skates and any other part of his body to stop, catch or kick the ball. It is prohibited for a goalie to keep the ball in his hand or hands for more than 5 seconds. Over this period, he may either throw the ball or place it on the ice for another player to begin a game. The countdown starts as soon as a goalie touches the ball with his hand or hands.

Outside his penalty area, a goalie is allowed to stop the ball or change the path of its motion with stakes or body. It is necessary to know that it is strictly forbidden for a goalie even to accidentally touch the ball with his hands.

If a goalie extends time while performing a goal throw, he will be warned, and the opposing team will get the right to make a free-stroke. If the goalkeeper behaves the same once more, he will be sent off for 5 minutes.

If a goalie is punished with 5 or 10 minutes, he can keep playing on the ice, while his punishment will be served by one of his partners; the team will then play short-handed. It is up to a captain to decide who will serve the goalie’s punishment. If a goalkeeper gets the red card, he leaves the field and goes to his dressing room.

If a team has 14 and fewer players, any of them can act as a goalkeeper. If a team is represented by 15 players, one of them should be a direct goalkeeper substitute, and only he may change the dismissed goalie.

When a goalie is within his penalty area, no one has the right to prevent him from taking the ball out of the ball basket or from bringing the ball into play. Such misconduct will result in a warning. If this situation repeats, the attacking player will be sent off for 5 minutes.

Handling the Ball

A player is allowed to use his bandy to kick, stop, send, and drive the ball if these actions do not represent any threats for other players. In addition, a player may send the ball with his skates and body if head and hands are not used for this. Players are also allowed to jump to stop, kick or send the ball to one of his partners if such actions do not represent any threats for other players. A player may use his skates or body to drive the ball only once before he must touch it with his bandy.

As it has already been mentioned, field players are not allowed to use their head or hands to stop the ball. If a player intentionally stops the ball with one of these parts of his body or if he stops the ball with his bandy above the shoulder level, a match should be stopped, and an opposing team will get the right to perform a free-stroke. If this misconduct is made by a defensive player within his penalty area to prevent opponents from scoring a goal, a penalty shot should be awarded.

If the ball touches the referee at any place on the ice and this fact results in a significant advantage for any of the teams, the match should be stopped and a dropped ball situation should arise.

Fouls

If some rules exist, there always be people who violate them. So, below is the list of the most common fouls and their explanation:

• it is forbidden to kick an opponent with your hand, stumble, push or hit him, and interfere him with your hand or bandy;
• you may not handle your opponent;
• it is prohibited to hit, raise, press down or handle an opponent’s bandy;
• any cases of cruel or unfair play are prohibited;
• you may not prevent an opponent who does not have the ball in his possession from moving;
• it is allowed to come into a physical contact with an opponent if you two are challenging for the ball (this contact should be “shoulder-to-shoulder”).

If any of these rules are violated, a guilty player should be correspondingly punished, which depends on a severity and a place of a foul. Thus, if a foul happens within a penalty area of a defensive team and prevents an attacking team from scoring a goal, a free or penalty shot is awarded. In some cases, a guilty player can be sent off for up to 10 minutes. When a foul is committed outside a penalty area but it prevents an attacking team from an explicit goal, a free-stroke is awarded and a guilty player gets the red card, and his team will play 10 minutes short-handed.

Goal Scoring

The main objective of the given kind of sport is to score as many goals as possible. In other words, a winner of a single match is a team that manages to score more goals than their opponents.

A goal is said to be scored when the ball after permitted actions completely crosses the goal line between the bars and beneath the cross-bar. A goal is said to be scored even when it is sent directly from a starting, free, penalty shot, dropped ball, and a corner-stroke.

A goal is not counted when a player of the team in attack intentionally or unintentionally sends the ball into the goal with any part of his body or with his skates. In other words, it is allowed to score goals with a bandy stick only. In addition, a goal is not counted when it is scored directly from a goal throw performed by the other goalie.

If the goals were shifted for any reason, it is up to the referee whether to count a goal. The goal will be counted when the referee supposes the ball crossed the line between the bars and beneath the cross-bar.

After a goal is scored, an opposing team performs a starting kick from the center spot in the same way as this is done at the beginning of a match. A starting kick is performed even if a goal is scored at the last seconds of the match, and there is no time left. This is done to confirm the goal was counted.

Dead Balls

If an attacking player makes the ball cross a goal line, a goal throw should be performed by a goalkeeper of a defensive team. In addition, a free-stroke can be awarded if an attacking player manages to violate the rules within the opponents’ penalty area. In both cases, all the opponents should leave the penalty area for a goalkeeper or another player to perform a goal or free-stroke.

If a defensive player makes the ball cross a goal line, a corner-stroke is awarded. For this, the ball is placed on the spot where the goal line meets the closest sideline near a flag-post. The referee checks if the ball is placed correctly, after which he can give a permit to perform the corner-stroke.

At the moment of performing a corner-stroke, all the players of a defensive team should stay behind the goal line or on it. They should not stay behind the line that shows the penalty area. With this, it is allowed to place bandies on the ice that is within the court boundaries.

Attacking players, in their turn, should stay outside the penalty area; also, no one is allowed to be close than 5 meters to the goal line except for the player who performs the corner-stroke.

If any of the attacking players happens to be within the penalty area when a corner-stroke is being performed, a defensive team gets the right to make a free-stroke from the spot where the attacking player crossed the line of the penalty area.

Offside

A player is said to be offside when the ball is in one of his partners’ possession and he stays on the opponents’ half so that there is only one opponent between him and the last defensive stage of the opposing team. A player is also offside when he is closer to the goal line that the ball is.

The referee should stop the game and award a free-stroke when a player is offside and gets the ball, interferes opponents or if this player gets an advantage thanks to being offside. A defensive team will then perform a free-stroke from the spot where the player in offside stayed. To explain, a match should not be stopped just because of the fact a player was offside. Nevertheless, it should be stopped if this player starts participating in active play.

Free-Stroke

When a free-stroke is awarded in the penalty area of a defensive team and against this team, the ball should be placed on the closest free-stroke spot on the penalty area line. The ball should lay on the ice, rather than on a hill of snow or other objects. If the ice is in a poor condition, the referee can allow to move the ball back towards the attacking team’s goal. The ball should be immobile to perform a free-stroke.

When a free-stroke is awarded, players of a defensive team are given 5 seconds to go at least 5 meters from the ball; otherwise, they will be warned. If the given rule is violated by a player of the given team once again, the guilty player will be sent off for 10 minutes.

The ball should roll at least 20 cm for the free-stroke to be considered performed. A player who performed the free-stroke is not allowed to touch the ball repeatedly unless another player touches it. It is allowed to send the ball at any direction from a free-stroke.

If a team gets the chance to perform a free-stoke on the opponents’ half in final seconds, the playing time should be expended so that it will be enough for the team to perform the free-stroke. If they manage to score a goal from this free-stoke in accordance with the rules, it will be counted.

Penalty Shot

All the field players are allowed to perform penalty shots, which means that a goalkeeper and substitutes may not make it.

Only a player who is going to perform a penalty shot and an opposing goalie are allowed to be within the penalty area. The goalkeeper should stay on the goal line. No one is allowed to stay on this line or behind it in the goal. The ball should be placed on the penalty spot. If the ice in this spot is in a poor condition, the ball can be shifted backward (toward the opposite goal), rather than forward or sideward.

A player should perform a penalty shot so that the ball should go forward. If the ball is sent backward, a defensive team will obtain the right to perform a free-stoke. A bandy stick swing and a shot should constitute a continuous movement. If any of these requirements are violated, a guilty side will be punished.

It is allowed to score a goal directly from a penalty shot. With this, a player who has just performed the penalty shot is not allowed to touch the ball again unless another player touches it. It equally refers to the situation when the ball hits a bar or a crossbar and bounces to the ice.

Referee’s Sanctions

Every official bandy event should be governed by a certified on-ice referee. This official wears a striped shirt, long black trousers, and a black helmet. It is clear that he should be on stakes. He should keep time and watch abidance by the rules.

If a player violates the rules, one of the following sanctions should be imposed:

• Verbal warning. This sanction is used when the referee believes the match will benefit from it. A verbal warning is not suitable when a guilty player deserves a more severe punishment. Verbal warnings can be given only when a match is stopped.
• Warning (the yellow card). Yellow cards are given if players intentionally violate the rules to stop the ball, prevent an opponent who does not have the ball in his possession from going, fail to correctly perform a free-stroke, fail to properly perform a penalty shot, and if goalkeepers make a mistake during performing a goal-throw. A player can obtain only one yellow card in a match. If the same player commits a foul that also deserves the yellow card, he will be sent off. The yellow card appears when the referee raises it above his head.
• Warning (for the whole team). This sanction is given to a team if his player fails to meet a 5-meter distance for a free-stoke or if he leaves the goal line too early before a corner-stroke is performed. A team can get only one such warning during a single match. If such a situation arises once again, a guilty player will be sent off for 5 minutes.

• Sending off for 5 minutes (the white card). This sanction is imposed when a player uses his bandy stick dangerously or hits opponents’ sticks with his own one; continuously attacks his opponents provided these attacks are not cruel; violates the rule of making a substitution; blocks the ball or tackles it from the free-stroke spot after the referees makes a corresponding signal and before an attacking player manages to perform this stroke; refuses to maintain a 5-meter distance for a free-stroke or a corner-stroke if this team has gotten a warning; repeatedly blocks an opponent who does not have the ball in possession; plays without a bandy stick or with a broken item.
• Sending off for 10 minutes (the blue card). This sanction is imposed when a player rudely attacks an opponent with his knee, foot, skate or any other dangerous way; actively opposes the referee’s decision; intentionally throw his bandy stick or any other object into the ball or an opponent; shows a disrespectful attitude towards players, coaches, officials, and spectators; intentionally raises his bandy, hand or head high to stop the ball in order to get a significant advantage over opponents.
• Sending off till the end of a match. Sometimes, it happens that a player behaves so fierce that a referee should send his off till the end of a match. This situation occurs when a player rudely attacks his opponent by kicking his hands, feet, and other body parts as well as tell insults aimed at the referee, other officials, players, managers, and spectators. If one of the previously stated cases occurs, this player should be sent off without the right to enter this match, and his team is not able to substitute him if the extra time occurs or if the teams are going to see 12-meter shots series.