AN IDIOTS GUIDE TO THE NEW RULES

by Ted Wallbutton

After eighteen months of intensive study by the select Rules Sub-Committee, and thousands of e-mails, the 2001 Rules were approved at the WSF AGM in November.

The full text, with changes highlighted, was published in early 2001 ready for 1 May implementation, and appears in full on the WSF’s website (rules on-screen). But if, like me, you are an average player (I wish), with a less than perfect knowledge of the Rules, here is an idiot’s guide to the major changes.

Play on
We all want to see top Squash with minimum lets. The new Rules encourage this. Not only do they revert to the previous wording demanding players ‘make every effort to get to and play the ball’, but in future ‘lets’ will not be awarded for minimal interference. If any interference or contact is so slight that it does not affect your sighting of the ball, or your freedom to get to and play it, then play on. Stop - and you will get a ‘No Let’. If Jonah Lomu can score tries with five players hanging from his shirt and 80,000 spectators roaring their heads off surely we can ignore a racket brushing our opponent’s clothing on the way through to the ball.

Another good new rule is the one which allows for a stroke to be given against you if you distract your opponent when he or she is about to make a winning return. There go another few points a game for me.

Safety is paramount
Dangerous play is still outlawed and in future, if your opponent is too close and has prevented (important word) your reasonable swing, or would have been hit by it if you had continued, you will get a stroke. If you stop the swing because of slight contact with an opponent who is trying to clear, or because the opponent is uncomfortably, but not too, close you will get a let. But, be warned, if you stop and your opponent is well clear - ‘No Let’ is the result. Also, a stroke will not be awarded to a player who causes interference with an excessive swing.

Another change that flows from the Pro Tour is in the turning rule. The new Rules dictate that if a player turns unnecessarily, to avoid playing a tricky ball rather than in an attempt to try to play it, ‘No Let’ is the decision. To reinforce this, if you turn and hit your opponent with the ball you lose the stroke, rather than getting a let as previously.

In the re-written eye protection appendix the WSF now recommends that all Squash players use purpose-made eye guards at all times. Not a popular change for some people (watch the SquashPlayer letters section), but eyes are important things and we idiots have a greater potential for damage than most.

Spectator control
Here’s a Rule, previously only a guideline, that definitely doesn’t affect me. If the behaviour of any spectator, official, manager or coach is disruptive or offensive the Referee can suspend play or tell the offending person to leave the court area. In my case, the rest of my team abuse me and then leave voluntarily. Not only the players, manager and coach, but the ref too.

Easier to read
If you want to go through the whole Rules, a recommended procedure, then you will find them much easier to follow. The Rules have now been reorganised in a much more logical fashion and are written in the active voice, rather than the passive as previously. The myriad notes in the past editions have now been absorbed into the main text as sub-rules. And best of all the Service Rule now defines what is a good serve, rather than the old rules which told us what was bad, in great detail. The Rules Sub-Committee’s sterling work has not been in vain; they have done a really good job.

But for idiots, the major change is that the whole Rule book now starts with a four page Abbreviated Guide to the Rules. This is simply written from a player’s viewpoint and gives the basics, with simple links to the detailed Rules later in the book. 

Phewwww.