Going through the local basketball pavilion in these last couple of weeks, I have noticed that almost nobody is mentioning or discussing the new rule changes which were officially proposed by FIBA late last month. These could change quite radically some styles of play as we are now seeing almost total convergence between FIBA and the NBA, as the game of basketball is set to become (just for some slight differences) the same all over the whole world.

To be honest, this trend is not a novelty as one has been witnessing this gradual transformation in the last decade or so.

The FIBA Central Board, the highest executive body of the International Basketball Federation, met between Friday 25, and Saturday 26 April, in Beijing, China, and, upon recommendation of the FIBA Technical Commission (a group of experts that deal with the game rules), took some major and historic decisions as with regards to the game rules.

In its press release, FIBA openly stated that the recommendations by the FIBA Technical Commission and the decisions taken by the Central Board were an attempt to further unify all existing game rules and to have, in the future, only one set of rules for the game of basketball worldwide.

Some of the rule changes will come into effect as from 1 October this year, right after the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

The provision that T-shirts may be worn by players under their game uniforms, in article 4, is not valid anymore.

Turning to article 25, it is now legal when a player falls and slides on the floor while holding the ball.

There has been a slight, yet significant change in the rule that determines when the ball goes to the frontcourt. As from October, the ball goes to the teams’ front court when, during the dribble from backcourt to frontcourt, both feet of the dribbler and the ball are in contact with the frontcourt.

Another change related to the halfway line but dealing with the backcourt rule, it will not be a violation anymore if a player, who jumps from his frontcourt, establishes a new team control while still airborne and then lands in his team’s backcourt.

Another change relates to basket interference and goaltending. If a player reaches through the basket from below and touches the ball, it is interference (and not a simple violation) with all the relevant rule consequences.

Onto another rule, although this has been sought by referee evaluators and assessors even this past season, it has now been decided to put down clearly in the rules that if a defensive player causes contact with an opponent from behind or laterally in an attempt to stop a fast break and there is no opponent between the offensive player and the opponents’ basket, then the contact shall be judged to be an unsportsmanlike foul.

Article 38, which deals with technical fouls, will be amended to include that a technical foul can be called on a player for excessive swinging of elbows (without contact).

Apart from these changes, the FIBA Central Board issued other changes which will come into effect either in 2010 or 2012. These changes are the ‘revolutionary’ ones mentioned earlier in this column.

In this regard, the below mentioned rule amendments will come into effect as follows:

•For high level competitions/Level 1 (main FIBA official competitions: i.e. Olympic Tournaments, World Championships for Men and Women, U19 and U17 World Championships for Men and Women and Zone/Continental Championships for Men and Women): as of 1st October 2010, i.e. after the 2010 FIBA World Championship.

•For medium level competitions/Level 2 (i.e. all other FIBA official competitions and the high level competitions of the national federations): as of 1 October 2012, i.e. after the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Presently (since the 1950s) we, playing under the FIBA rules, have a restricted area (the 3-second area) in the form of a trapezoid. This will now become a rectangle similar to that used presently in the NBA.

The three point line will also be altered and will eventually move from its present distance, which commenced in 1984 at 6.25m (20ft 6ins) to 6.75m (22ft 2ins), thus moving 50 centimetres back. This is not a small distance and could affect some of the distance shooters.

One must note, however, that the NBA line is 6.71m (22ft) from the baseline to the free-shot line and 7.24m (23ft 7ins) on the arc connecting the two lines.

There has also been a change in the way throw-ins could be made in the last two minutes of regular playing time and of any extra period.

Two small lines shall be marked outside the court, on the opposite side of the scorer’s table and the team bench areas, with the outer edge at the distance of 8,325 m from the inside edge of the end lines, in other words, level to the top of the three-point line.

During the last two (2) minutes of the game and of the extra period, following the time-out granted to the team that has been entitled to the possession of the ball from its backcourt, the subsequent throw-in will be taken on the opposite side of the scorer’s table from the “throw-in side line” and not as presently from the centre line extended.

There will be a restricted circle underneath the basket (also adopted by ULEB in these last years) where, in most circumstances, an offensive foul cannot be called. In fact, the no-charge semicircles shall be marked on the playing court, under the baskets. The distance of the inner edge of the semicircles shall be 1.25m from the centre of the basket (on the floor).

A charging (offensive) foul should never be called if the contact by the offensive player is with the defensive player standing within the no-charge semicircle.

A big change is set for the 24 second possession clock. The rules changes state that if the throw-in is to be administered in the backcourt, if required by the respective rules, the 24 second device shall be reset to 24 seconds.

In simple English this means that backcourt, the offensive team will get a new 24-second clock.

If the throw-in is to be administered in the front court, if required by the respective rules, the 24-second device shall be reset as follows:

- If 14 seconds or more are displayed on the 24-second device at the time the game was stopped, the 24-second device shall not be reset and shall remain the same.

- If 13 seconds or less are displayed on the 24-second device at the time the game was stopped, the 24-second device shall be reset to 14 seconds.

To make it a bit simpler, if the ball is knocked out of bounds by the defensive team in the offensive team’s frontcourt and there is more than 14 seconds, the 24-second clock will stay as is. However, if there are 13 seconds or less remaining, the 24-second clock will be reset to 14 seconds.

As the respected Israeli referee evaluator and assessor Mr. Todd Warnick wrote recently, the only major difference that remains between the new FIBA rules and the NBA rules is that there is still no concept of a “cylinder” in international basketball, i.e. once the ball on a shot hits the rim, it is a free ball.

Warnick continued (and I almost fully agree with him) that given the innumerable Americans playing on teams in every league in almost every country around the world, this will certainly smooth the transition for everyone, and will also hasten the day, coming soon, when the NBA begins expanding globally