Water Polo

The sport is typically played in a 3m deep pool measuring 30.6m by 20m for men and 25.6m by 20m for women, so that players cannot touch the bottom. Players attempt to score goals by throwing the ball into the opposing team's goal, and the team with the most goals at the end of the game wins the match.

The key skills of water polo include strategy, strength, speed, endurance, and physicality.

What are the rules of Water Polo?

Teams are made up of seven players (including one goalkeeper) and have 30 seconds of ball possession to score a goal; if the team does not attack the goal within that time, possession passes to the opposition.

The team with the most goals at the end of the match is the winner.

Either team may substitute players after a goal is scored, during a time-out, or between periods. During actual play, substitutions must occur through the team's re-entry area (the corner of the pool in front of the team's bench).

The referees whistle two different kinds of fouls: minor (ordinary) fouls and major (personal) fouls. There is no limit to the number of minor fouls a player may commit and if the foul is committed outside the 5m line, the player may take the free throw as a "direct shot" at the goal. Typical minor fouls include impeding free movement of a player who isn’t holding the ball, time wasting in possession of the ball, touching the ball with two hands, letting the shot clock expire, and holding the ball underwater.

However, players can be excluded for 20 seconds if they commit a major foul, and if they are penalised for three major fouls, that player must leave the game and may not return. Major fouls include, holding, sinking, or pulling back a player who doesn’t have the ball, violence, or disrespect.

How long is a Water Polo game?

The game consists of four eight-minute periods.

Water Polo and the Olympics

Water polo has been part of the Olympic programme since Paris 1900, making it one of the oldest team sports to feature at the Games. The women’s competition was added to the programme at Sydney 2000.

The earliest editions of the men’s Olympic tournament took place in the Seine river in Paris, with London 1908 the first edition of the Games where water polo took place in a pool.