VOLLEYBALL

GENERAL RULES
• Volleyball is a team competition. The game is played in accordance with FIBV Beach Volleyball rules and matches will be held indoors. Net is 2.43 meters high. Playing court is a rectangle measuring 16x8 m.
• Teams consist of 4 players + unlimited number of substitute players. The team must consist of at least one female team member on the playing field.
• Whenever a team fails to serve properly or to return the ball or commits any other fault, the opposing team wins the point. Whenever the serving team scores a point, it continues to serve. Whenever the receiving team scores the point, it gains the right to serve.
• When the receiving team has gained the right to serve, then the players of this team must rotate one position clockwise. The rotation order specified by the starting line-up must be maintained throughout the game. Rotation error is counted as fault.
• Each team is entitled to a maximum of three contacts with the ball before returning the ball to the opponent. Blocking does not count as a team contact with the ball and any player may execute the first contact with the ball after the block. The opponent’s serve may not be blocked.
• A ball driven into the net may be recovered within the limits of the three team contacts.
• Each player may touch the ball with any part of the body. Attack - hit using an open handed tip directing the ball with the fingers is also allowed.
• If the ball touches the net at serve the play is being continued - serve is not repeated. During serve if the ball has been thrown to the air, it must be hit. The serve cannot be repeated.
• If a player touches the net with any body part or if he goes over to the opponent’s ground under the net it is considered as a fault.
• Ball hitting any obstacles is counted as a fault.
• Each team is entitled to one time-out per game of 30 seconds, only when the ball is out of play. Any member of the team can ask for the time-out from the game.
• Teams switch court after each set.
• All games are supervised by official judges.

COMPETITION
• A set is won by the team that first scores 15 points with a minimum lead of two points.
• A match is won by the team that wins two sets.
• During group matches each team play against each team in the group.
• Teams receive 2 points for a victory and 0 point for defeat.
• In case two teams in the group have the same number of points the team winning the more sets is better ranked. If two teams have the same number of points and also the same number of won sets, then standing is decided by the difference between the number of scored and lost points. The team with the bigger difference is better ranked. In case the difference is the same for both teams then the result of the match played against each other counts.
• The best two teams of each group qualify to the semi-finals.
• In the first semi-final the first placed team of group A plays against the second placed team of group B. In the second semi-final the first placed team of group B plays against the second placed team of group A.
• Winners of the semi-finals play in the final.
• Teams defeated in the semi-final play for the third-place.
• All the points scored in the volleyball tournament will be counted towards the general ranking (1st place is 4 points, 2nd place is 3 points, 3rd place is 2 points, 4th place is 1 point