Partial amendments to the official international gateball rules have been approved by the World Gateball Union for application from 1 April 2015. The key updates are listed below:
- Any ball that passes through gate 1 will be successful. For example, if a ball passes through gate 1 and then goes out, it will score the gate and be considered an outball. Similarly any movement of balls that are touched by a ball passing gate 1 will be valid (although not considered a gate and touch).
- Any indirect movement of a ball by a gate or goal pole will be valid. However, as in the current rules, the following will remain invalid:
- When stroker or his stick comes into contact with the gate or goal pole.
- When a ball that has not passed gate 1 hits the gate or goal pole.
- When a stroked out ball hits gate or goal pole.
- A ball moved indirectly by hitting soil or grass with the stick will not be a stroking foul, but will be an invalid move.
- The right to a continuous stroke will now arise when the spark is made successfully (removing ‘all the stroker’s actions on sparking are completed’). This removes the current anomaly where if the stroker keeps his foot on the ball he can run out the clock. The fouls will be adjusted accordingly.
- When resetting the balls for sparking, if the stroker touches the other ball when not stepping on his ball, this will become an invalid move not a foul.
- The result of any sparking foul will be that the stroker’s ball is will become an outball.
- When counting, the referee will now say ‘8 seconds, 9 seconds, 10 seconds’. If the player has not played by then, the referee will call ‘foul’.
- The game set call will now only be made by the chief referee near the middle of the court (not with the other officials).
