World Cup Flag Football

1
World Cup Flag Football

• 21st and 22nd of September 2007 in Lelystad,
• The Netherlands

2
To recall

• Non contact
• Instead of tackling ribbons attached to a waist
  belt (flags) have to be removed
• Team
• Mixed teams of maximum 10 players. 5 On the field
  and 5 substitudes
• Time
• 2 X 20 minutes running clock
• Last 2 minutes of each half Official Timing
  (comparable to NCAA rules)
• Field
• Length between 60 yards (including endzone)
• Witdh between 20 yards
• Scoring
• 4 attempts to get 1st down halfway the field
  (15yards)
• 4 attempts to score from halfway the the field
  (20 yards)

3
Officials

• Netherlands
• Sebastiaan de Gruyter
• Jan van Straalen
• Germany
• Uwe Praß
• Uwe Schiffer-Lux
• Finland
• Kari Ketonen
• Austria
• Helmut Nigg
• Spain
• Diego Escudero
• Supervisors
• Peter Springwald
• Ralph Lenoire

4
Mechanics

• Group games
• 3-men mechanics
• Referee, Linesman and Line Judge (7 yard mark)
• In half time and between
• games
• Little get together
• to review games
• with supervisor
• Finals
• 4-men mechanics
• Referee, Linesman, Line judge and Back judge (7
  yard mark)

5
Final Games

• 7th place
• Finland (20) Spain (18)
• Sebastiaan de Gruyter, Uwe Praß, Jan van Straalen
• 5th place
• Holland (58) Italy (30)
• Uwe Schiffer-Lux, Diego Escudero, Helmut Nigg
• Bronce Medal
• Austria (40) Germany (39)
• Sebastiaan de Gruyter, Diego Escudero, Kari
  Ketonen, Jan van Straalen
• Gold Medal
• United States (46) Japan (40)
• Uwe Schiffer-Lux, Uwe Praß, Kari Ketonen, Helmut
  Nigg

6
Organization

• Housing was in a holiday park, two cabins
  reserved for the officials, including breakfast
  package
• Fields marked perfect, inlcuding officials zone
  and coaching zone
• On field time devices with good operators
• Catering was OK
• Thanks to Organization!!

7
Proposed rule changes

• Field size
• Current ruling At international IFAF/EFAF
  competitions the field size will always be 20-30
  x 60-80 yards, including end zones.
• Proposed ruling At international IFAF/EFAF
  competitions the field size will always be 30 x
  80 yards, including end zones.
• Rational Small field as used during this
  tournament take the tactical challenge away as it
  is only a short way for a 1st down or score.
• Timing
• Current ruling The time is running time except
  the last two minutes of each half will be
  official timing. The clock will stop 1. If the
  ball carrier is out of bounds, 2. If a pass is
  incomplete, 3. If a first down or touchdown is
  achieved, 4. At change of possession
• Proposed ruling The clock will stop 1. If the
  ball carrier is out of bounds, 2. If a pass is
  incomplete, 3. If a first down or touchdown is
  achieved, 4. At change of possession, 5. In case
  of a penalty
• Rational A team can gain unfair advantage by
  commiting fouls

8
Proposed rule changes

• Spinning and Diving
• Current ruling Spinning is allowed, but the ball
  carrier cannot dive forward or jump to avoid a
  defensive player or gain yardage (no diving).
• Proposed ruling Spinning is allowed, but the
  ball carrier cannot dive forward or jump to avoid
  a defensive player or gain yardage (no diving).
  No defensive player can dive or jump (two feet
  off the ground) towards a offensive player to
  grab a flag
• Rational Diving or jumping in a non contact
  sport is deemed to be dangerous.
• Dead ball spot
• Current ruling The ball is spotted where the
  ball carrier's feet are placed when the flag is
  pulled not where the ball is.
• Proposed ruling The ball is spotted where the
  ball carrier's feet are placed when the flag is
  pulled not where the ball is. Exception, when the
  ball breaks the plane of the goal line before a
  flag is pulled the score is good.
• Rational To clarify when a score is awarded.

9
Proposed rule changes

• Dead ball
• Current ruling There are no fumbles. The ball
  will be spotted where the ball left the ball
  carriers hand(s). If the ball is fumbled during
  the snap, the ball will be placed at the line of
  scrimmage
• Proposed ruling There are no fumbles, muffs or
  incomplete backward passes. The ball will be
  spotted where the ball left the ball carriers
  hand(s). If the ball is fumbled during the snap,
  the ball will be placed at the line of scrimmage
• Rational There can be no loose ball in flag
  football.
• The tournament has been executed using these rule
  additions and came up during the Officials
  meeting and the technical meeting with coaches.
• These proposed rule changes will be given to the
  board for a final ruling