rules to play canoeing

There are many specifications concerning kit. See the full rules for the full list. Here are just a few of the more important ones
All players must wear a shirt which covers the shoulders and upper arm.
Helmets must be CE approved.
Paddles must be of an approved thickness.
No jewellery of any type may be worn.
Players can exchange their kit whenever they want with another team member or from their substitutes area.

The minimum playing time is 6 minutes each way, and the maximum is 10. Play ends at the sound of the timekeepers horn whistle, not at the referees whistle (The only exception is if a goal penalty shot has been given before the timekeepers signal, but has not yet been taken. In this case play ends after the ball hits the water or rebounds back into play after the shot.). Half time lasts at least 1 minute, after which the teams change ends.

The referees should be in complete control of the game what they say goes. They give signals to inform you of their decision. These are shown later on.Free throws are indirect you cannot shoot directly at goal.Free shots are direct you may shoot directly at goal (you do not have to).For both free throws and free shots, the player taking the throw shot must present the ball by holding it above their head. If you do not do this you may be penalised with a free throw to the opposition.

A free throw or shot may be taken either at the site of the foul or where the ball lies when the foul is committed. This is at the discretion of referee, who will decide which position best advantages the attacking team.Players have five seconds in possession of the ball. This is explained in more detail later.

The pitch should be 23 x 35 metres (this is often relaxed for lower leagues).The side lines and goal lines of the pitch are marked by floating ropes, or the sides of the pool are used in smaller pools.The pitch is split into several areas there should be 6 metre markers, 4.5 metre markers and halfway markers. This results in a pitch like below
Substitutes should wait in their own substitutes area. They can pass through the no waiting area, but shouldnt stay there. Players on the pitch can paddle round the back of the goal across the full width of the pitch.

The referee can give several sanctions (punishments) for illegal play. These are briefly described here.Two obvious sanctions are a free throw and free shot (explained above).Another of the sanction a referee can take is to give cards. These have various meanings.

Green Card Warning. Green cards are given for repeated minor offences, unnecessary verbal communication with the referee and unsportsmanlike behaviour.

Yellow Card Sent off for 2 minutes. Yellow cards are given to any player receiving three green cards. They are also given outright for abusive or foul language, disputing referees decisions repeatedly and dangerous play.

Red Card Player sent off for the remainder of the game. Tournament organisers have the right to exclude the player from the rest of the tournament and bring the player before the B.C.U. Polo Committee. Red cards are given to any player receiving two yellow cards, to a player disputing a yellow card or to a player who does not change their attitude after receiving a yellow card. They are also given outright for a personal attack on a player or referee or for repeated foul and abusive behaviour.

A further sanction is a goal penalty shot (penalty). This is given for deliberate fouls on a shooting player who is within the 6 metre area, or deliberate fouls on a player who is about to obtain a near certain goal (e.g. the goal is undefended and player is fouled in the act passing to a player in a position to shoot).

In a goal penalty shot, all players from both teams must retreat beyond half way (note that there is no goalkeeper). One attacking player remains, positions himself on the 6 metre line, and is thrown the ball by the referee. On the referees whistle, play restarts, and the attacker has five seconds to shoot, during which time he cannot be touched.

The teams line up with their kayaks touching the goal line (or the pool side in a small pool). One referee throws the ball into the middle of the pitch and blows their whistle. One player from each team is allowed to attempt for the ball. All other players must be at least 3 metres away from the body of their own player.If one team starts before the whistle, or other players are too close to their own player who is trying to win the ball, this is a start infringement. A start infringement signal is given, and a free throw is given to the opposition.

If the ball touches the plane of the side line, it is out of play. Side lines move with the ropes (if ropes are being used). A free throw is given to the team that didnt have possession, from the place the ball went out. You must take the throw from where the ball left the pitch.If the ball touches the goal line, it is also out of play. The goal lines move with the plane of the face of the goal (see diagram below). If the defending team was last to touch the ball, a free throw from either corner is given to the attacking team. If the attacking team was last to touch the ball, then a free throw from the goal line is given to the defending team. The throw can be taken from anywhere along the goal line.The ball is not in play until it travels 1 metre horizontally if someone touches the ball before it has gone this far, they are penalised.You can not purposely bounce the ball off another player or their kit and off the pitch to get a sideline or corner throw. This gets you a green card.

In the above diagram, the red region is out of play, and the blue is in play.The ball is also out of play if it hits a rope suspending a goal. A goal line throw or corner is given as normal.If the ball hits an object (like the ceiling or a water slide), the ball is given to the team who did not have it when it was thrown against the obstruction. The thinking is this ceilings and obstructions are always there, so if you are silly enough to throw the ball against them, tough luck! (The only exceptions are things like overhead wires which cant easily be seen).

The whole ball must cross the face of the goal for a goal to count.After a goal is scored, both teams line up in their own half. Only the bodies of the players need to be in their own half. Play is restarted by the team who conceded the goal, upon the referees whistle. There is no need to present the ball.

Substitutions can take place at any time during the game. A player may be substituted once they and all their kit have completely left the pitch at their own goal line. The only exception to this rule is when substituting a capsized player who has left their kayak this player may be substituted at the next break in play as long as all their kit has been removed from the pitch.
Play does not stop for a capsized player unless they are causing an obstruction or are in a dangerous position.An illegal substitution is penalised with a yellow card the team play with one less player for the duration of the yellow card.

A referees ball is given if two players are in joint possession for more than five seconds, or if play is stopped through no fault of either team when neither team is in possession.One player from each team faces the side of the pool, one metre apart, with their paddles in the water not between the kayaks and their hands on their decks. No other player is permitted within three metres of the place where the ball will enter the water.The referee throws the ball between the players whilst blowing the whistle. Players cannot touch the ball until it hits the water. The referees ball can be retaken if the ball is thrown unfairly. See the diagram below of a referees ball.