Umpire's Committee

Umpires

Corner

Welcome to 'Umpire’s Corner'

In the course of umpiring at tournaments, I am often asked for rule interpretations. Some are clearly covered by the rules, and easily explained. There are also occasions when a situation arises that I haven’t come across before, and/or the rules are not so clear-cut. In the latter circumstances I make a ruling to the best of my knowledge and ability, then seek clarification from a higher authority – usually Mike Pegg, the British National Umpire and an experienced international FIPJP umpire.

I also from time to time get emails/letters asking for rule interpretations to cover situations that have arisen at local tournaments, or even just at club days, where there has been uncertainty or dispute about what should happen. I thought it might be helpful to share these questions and answers, so will post them here on the website. If you have any queries that you would like answered, please contact me (details below) and I will do my best to provide a sensible and useful answer!

Barbara Whittington

PNZ National Umpire

Email : secretary(at)petanquenz.com

P O Box 31127

Lower Hutt

Question (8):

Is it ok to use a wet rag to wipe your boules during a tournament?

Answer (8):

No – Rule 15 specifically says that it is forbidden to moisten the boules or jack.

The reason for this is that wetting the boule can provide extra grip to get better backspin, thus conferring an unfair advantage on the person throwing the boule.

If it is raining, this rule does not apply, as everyone is in the same position and there is no unfair advantage.

Despite what some people may believe, this rule is policed at international events: in the 2000 World Championships in Faro, a player was given an official warning, and then later in the day a boule was disqualified for this action.

Question (7):

What are the rules about marking and removing a boule that goes onto an adjoining piste on which a game is also in progress?

Answer (7):

If a boule has been thrown/played/knocked into another lane it is common practice to mark its position and remove it so that game can continue.

However, it should be marked and removed either by the player who threw the boule, or his/her teammates and NOT the players in the lane in which the boule landed.

Marking the boule should be by making the 4 lines (cross).

Drawing a circle around this mark is OK to identify that it is for a boule from another game, but all marks must be removed when the end is over.

Question (6):

Does Rule 16 regarding player behaviour also apply when the jack (cochonnet) is being thrown?

Answer (6):

Yes - The opponents should stand behind the player, to either side and 2m away, or to either side of the lane at the other end, leaving the lane clear to throw the jack. They should also stand still and be quiet.

Question (5):

At a Club day we had the situation where the cochonnet had been thrown out. Before any boule had been played, the opposing team measured and said that the middle of the cochonnet was less than 6m from the circle. Where on the cochonnet do you measure to? I thought it is the front 1. edge, not the middle.

Answer (5):

Yes, it is from the front edge of the circle to the front edge of the cochonnet.

Question (4):

On the last end, shooter from team A plays and misses the target with boule going past the cochonnet. While the shooters ball is still moving, a boule from a piste at end of piste the shooter is playing on, comes right through, hits shooters boule and moves it back, ending up with shooters boule alongside cochonnet thereby winning the point plus the end.

Article 15 only refers to a boule or jack from another game stopped or deviated accidentally from its course between the circle and the jack, and in that case shooters boule should be replayed. Would that rule apply in my case?

Answer (4):

No, you cannot use the same rule as the boule has passed the jack. The boule is valid and remains holding the point.

Question (3):

Team A and part of team B thought all the boules had been thrown so were sorting the points won. Then along comes the other player in team B and says "hold on guys, I've still got a boule to play!"

Answer (3):

In this situation, any boules picked up that were not marked are 'dead'. The team B player can throw their boule, and then the teams can sort out points won.

As an extreme example – Team A think all the boules have been played and pick up their 6. Team B then tell them, “hold on we have one more to play”. If nothing was marked then team A cannot replace their boule. So team B play their last boule and unless it goes off the playing area they get 6 points.

It's all about - marking your boules and jack, and making sure you keep count of how many have been played by both teams and don't pick them up until you know all boules have been played and the points have been agreed.

Question (2):

On the terrain, two of the pistes had a post in the playing area (about 20-30cm from one end and 10cm in from the side; they are the poles for holding up shade sails). These are obviously 'obstacles' for the purposes of the rules, so if a boule or the jack hit the post it was dead, having effectively gone outside the playing area, and rules 13 & 19 apply. Is this correct?

Answer (2):

No - Rules 6 and 7 apply

The circle must be drawn 1m away from any obstacle.
The thrown jack must be 1m away from any obstacle.

As long as this happens, then play continues. If a boule hits the obstacle that is inside the playing area it remains in play; it is after all an 'obstacle' not an 'out of bounds' area nor is there a 'dead ball' line around it. The same goes for the jack.

Question (1):

At our club yesterday, I came across an interesting interpretation of a rule which I had not encountered before. One team started an end by throwing the jack to a distance which could have been close to the maximum 10 metres. The opposing team said nothing and the first team then threw their first boule. This boule hit the jack, and pushed it to well beyond the 10 metres.

The opposition then started to pace out the distance - with the obvious intention of objecting to the validity of the thrown jack. The first team then stated that they could not now object to the validity of the thrown jack because the jack had been moved before they could lodge an objection. The opposition accepted this statement and the game went on, but I have some doubts about the statement.

I have searched the rulebook - in particular Article 8 - but I can find no reference to these circumstances. I would have thought therefore that in the absence of any specific rule, Article 8 would apply - i.e. 'After the throwing of the first boule, an opponent still has the right to contest the validity of the jack's position. If the objection is valid, the jack is re-thrown and the boule replayed'.

Article 7 defines the criteria for the validity of the thrown jack and makes no mention of it being moved on the first throw.

Answer (1):

Articles 7 & 8 apply to the validity of the 'throw' of the jack - the new position is not the result of a throw, but of being hit by a boule.

If the position of the jack has been marked, the opposition can contest the validity of the “original” throw by measuring to the mark. If it was not marked, the validity of the original position of the jack cannot be contested.

In either case, the validity of the 'new' position of the jack cannot be contested.

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