Technical foul
A foul in basketball called for unsporting conduct or a rules breach not involving normal contact for the ball.
Definition
In basketball, a technical foul is charged for behaviour such as arguing with officials, taunting an opponent or certain administrative and procedural breaches, rather than for ordinary contact while contesting the ball.
The opposing team is usually awarded one or more free throws, and in some cases possession as well. Picking up technical fouls can also lead to a player or coach being ejected from the game.
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Rules
- Personal fouls and free throwsThe basketball rules covering illegal contact and the uncontested shots awarded when a player is fouled.
- Backcourt violationA basketball rule breach for returning the ball into a team's own defensive half after it has crossed into the attacking half.
- Foot faultA serving fault called when the server's foot touches the baseline or court before striking the ball.
- Throw-inThe method of restarting football when the ball fully crosses a side line, taken by throwing it back into play.
- Swimming stroke rulesThe technical rules that define how each competitive swimming stroke must be performed and how walls are touched.
Officiating
- RefereeThe primary on-field official who enforces the rules, controls play, penalises fouls, awards restarts, and blows the whistle to start and stop a match.
- ScorekeeperThe official who keeps the authoritative record of a contest — score, fouls, and statistics — usually seated at a scorer's table beside the timekeeper.
- Foul callA foul call is an official's ruling that a player broke a rule of contact or conduct, triggering a penalty such as a free kick, free throw or penalty.
- Penalty SignalA standardized hand or flag signal an official uses to announce a foul, penalty, or restart so players, teammates, and spectators can read the call.
Practice & sessions
Exercises
Positions
- Point guardThe point guard is basketball’s primary ball-handler and playmaker, running the offence and setting up teammates to score.
- Wing attackThe wing attack is a netball playmaker who feeds the ball into the shooting circle, moving through the centre and attacking thirds but not entering the goal circle.
- SetterThe setter is volleyball’s playmaker, taking the team’s second contact and delivering accurate sets for hitters to attack.
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- Content updated
- 2026-09-01
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