Water polo has been enjoyed as a recreational activity since the mid 19th century but did not make its competitive Olympic appearance until 1900 in the Paris games. A century later in 2000, women debuted in the sport at the summer games in Sydney, Australia. As with any Olympic event, a variety of rules and regulations are associated with the sport.
Qualifying Teams
Eight national teams compete in the women's water polo tournament featured at the summer Olympics, while 12 teams compete for the men's title. Teams are chosen through international competitions throughout the months leading up to the Olympic games. Men's teams are broken into two groups of six during the Olympic competitions. Each team within the group of six plays each rival team. Top four teams from each group move into quarterfinal play, followed by the semifinals played by the top four quarterfinal teams. The top two semifinal teams play for gold and silver medals while the bottom two semifinal teams compete for bronze. Women's water polo follows the same general set up with the exception of the initial competition round. The eight women's teams play each other in one large group instead of being broken into two separate groups like the men's teams. The top four teams then advance through quarterfinal and semifinal play as do the men.
Team Structure
Each team consists of seven players, one of which is designated as the goalkeeper. All players not in the water must sit on the bench with coaches and officials during team play. The head coach is the only member of the competing teams that is allowed to be away from the bench during play. Each team has a team captain that is responsible for good conduct of the team.
Playing Field
The pool in which water polo is played must meet certain dimensional criteria. A standard water polo pool is 30 meters long by 20 meters wide. Depth must be at least 2 meters, or approximately 7 feet. Goal posts measuring 3 meters wide are placed at each end of the playing field.
Game Play
Each game of water polo is divided into four periods. Each period lasts for eight minutes with a two-minute break between each period. Players line up facing each other prior to play and the ball is released into the middle of the pool. Possession is gained by the first player to reach the ball. The team in possession then has 35 seconds to score a goal. The game is officiated by referees located on the sides of the pool, a goal referee at each end and a timekeeper that tracks possession time. Teams have the option of two one-minute timeouts during the match. One three-minute timeout is available to each team if the game progresses into overtime.
Fouls And Penalties
Fouls are classified into one of two categories, major and minor. Minor fouls include utilizing the floor of the pool, holding the ball underwater, and holding the ball with two hands for anyone other than the goalkeeper. Acts that are considered unsporting and deliberate body checks to opposing players are considered major fouls. Penalties for fouls is dependent on the actual foul committed and the exact location where the foul occurred. Players that commit three fouls are removed from the game and can be replaced by another player from their team. Players that commit deliberate assaults on rival players are removed from game play and cannot be replaced by a teammate.
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