GENERAL
- There are various aspects of conduct, courtesy and etiquette which should be observed at all times during play, or breaks in play, whether on Club nights or in competition. They are designed to ensure that standards are maintained, rules on safety and other matters are observed, and that behaviour does not cause ill-feeling or friction between players/competitors. The text below (a) seeks to encourage the keeping of those standards, rules and behaviour and (b) assumes a ‘team’ situation but, can apply equally when ‘singles’ are played.
SAFETY
2. Very few games/sports do not carry risks and Petanque is no different. Undulations in terrain, wooden ‘surrounds’, delineation materials and ‘stray’ boules can all constitute risks. Individuals must recognise and accept the risks involved before being accepted into membership and embarking on play. The Committee, and the membership generally, all have a part to play in identifying potential risks, bringing them to the attention of the leadership and ensuring that mitigating measures are put in place.
(i) Boules are not to be used in any way which might cause injury to another person.
(ii) Where ‘strings’ are used to delineate playing areas, players should familiarise themselves with the position of those strings. It is forbidden to move across those strings to get from one part of the terrain to another. Progress must always be made by moving around the outside of ropes/strings/wooden barriers on the perimeter of the terrain. In addition, moving up and down the playing area should be kept to a minimum (see Para 3 (ii) to 3 (vii) below) and, in doing so, walking on ‘strings’ must be avoided.
(iii) Any aspect of the playing area or its surroundings, which might be deemed a ‘hazard’ to safety, should be brought to the attention of a member of the Committee.
PERSONAL CONDUCT
3. The following text seeks only to describe personal conduct, courtesy and etiquette issues. The more complete rules of the game remain as published by the FIPJP.
(i) When a cochonnet is thrown, both teams must agree that the distance from the throwing circle is within permitted limits (6 to 10 metres). This agreement can be reached following ‘pacing out’, a ‘visual’ measure, tape measurement or confirmation by a third party/referee. A ‘head’ is created immediately a cochonnet has been thrown within permitted limits.
(ii) Subsequently, only a member(s) of the team about to throw a boule, can approach the head to e.g. examine ground, see the ‘lie’ of existing boules in the head, or re-cover one small area of ground disturbed by previous activity.
(iii) No player should stand adjacent to the head when an opponent is throwing a boule. Ideally, other players should stand behind the ‘thrower’.
(iv)During the time allowed for a player to deliver a boule, other players must remain silent. Opponents must not walk, nor gesticulate nor do anything which might disturb the player about to play;
(v) One member of each team can approach/examine the head, when it is unclear which boule is ‘holding’. If there is agreement as to the leading boule after e.g. a ‘visual’ measure or a ‘taped’ measure, then the game can proceed.
(vi) If there is no agreement as to the leading boule, then an independent measure can be called for, that measure to be done by a non-playing umpire or a person agreed between the 2 teams. The result of that independent measure must be accepted. No-one, other than those involved in the game and/or the ‘independent’ arbiter is permitted to examine the head or offer an opinion as to the leading boule or other placements.
(vii) It is discourteous to attempt to ‘look over’ the shoulder of someone who is ‘measuring’ or otherwise to seek to verify the measurement. FIPJP rules require that (a) measures be carried out by the player who last played or by one of their teammates (b) opponents always have the right to carry out a subsequent measure (c) a proper measuring instrument must be used and (d) players stand at least 2 metres away while a measure is being done.
(viii) No boules should be removed from the head until (a) all boules have been thrown and (b) all have agreed the number of ‘shots’ held by a particular team.
(ix) Apart from the legitimate retrieval of boules or cochonnet at the end of a ‘play’, actions taken by an individual which might (a) disturb the positions of boules and/or cochonnet on any part of the playing area or (b) cause offence or injury to another player, are regarded as misconduct, and will be considered by the Committee, which can determine any further action against the guilty party.
(x) Players should keep in mind that, particularly, but not exclusively, where time limits are imposed on games, actions such as persistent, non-essential ‘pacing out’ of distances, measuring of distances which are already clear to the naked eye and overly long discussion on tactics can be perceived by opponents as ‘time wasting’. Similarly, un-played boules should be positioned or held as close as possible to the throwing circle, to avoid unnecessary pacing back and forth. The stipulation in FIPJP rules of a time limit of 1 minute for the delivery of a boule should be observed.
(xi)There are rules governing occasions when players may ‘interfere’ with the playing area. No deliberate actions are permitted apart from those set out below;
(a) it is strictly forbidden to press down, displace or crush any obstacle whatever on the playing area;
(b) a playing circle may be drawn on the playing area:
(c) compliance with the requirement to remove previously drawn playing circles before drawing a new one;
(d) the player about to throw the jack is authorised to ‘test’ the landing point of one of their boules by tapping the ground no more than 3 times;
(e) the player who is about to play, or one of their partners, may fill in a hole caused by the delivery of a previous boule (not necessarily the boule delivered immediately before)
(xii) particularly, but not exclusively, during competition, no player should leave the playing arena without the permission of a Committee member(s) present.
HARMONY
4. Human nature dictates that individuals will have different opinions on a range of subjects. Those opinions may be known or unknown, and may be strongly held. Before commencing conversation with others, members should consider if the topic is emotive and be alert to the possibility that differing views, strongly expressed, can lead to disharmony. In particular, but not exclusively, issues concerning politics, religion, gender and the IPA should be avoided.