WFTDA Releases December 2014 Rules Update

The Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) has released a new version of the Rules of Flat Track Roller Derby, to update the edition published in March 2014. This is the eighth edition of rules the WFTDA has developed and published since the organization created the first shared rules for the sport of women’s flat track roller derby in 2005.

The changes, which were approved by WFTDA and Men’s Roller Derby Association (MRDA) member leagues, are primarily focused on routine revisions and updates, to include Publications and clarifications since the last publication. Some of the more significant changes, which were reviewed and developed by the WFTDA Rules Committee with input and guidance from WFTDA and MRDA member leagues, include:

• Designating the Official Score as that visible to Officials, Skaters, and audience members, including additional clarification to address points awarded in error
• Adding new language regarding forearm/hand penalties to penalize use of hands/forearms significantly altering opponent position, trajectory, or speed rather than length of contact (to better align with standard of impact)
• Clarifying language to address the inability to earn both a Jammer Lap Point and Not on the Track point within the same pass
• Providing the ability for the Head Referee to designate NSOs to call and enforce penalties for which the NSO is in a position to observe such penalties (e.g., removal of safety equipment, penalty box violations), as well as some additional modifications to Official Discretion
• Allowing for the use of an Official Review to be used for other purposes as needed by the team (such as a timeout) if no review is requested

Some Rules Q&As were also updated as part of the rules release, including Q&As regarding Failed Star Passes and Destruction of the Pack before Pack Speed is Defined.

Updated Standard Practices and Hand Signals will be released by January 1, 2015. As the Appendix A has been changed to display only track specifications, a new document that outlines how to lay the WFTDA standard track will be released in the coming weeks.

Teams may begin playing under the new rules immediately. All WFTDA-sanctioned bouts must be played under the revised rule set starting Jan. 1, 2015.

The WFTDA Rules Committee will continue to use timeout.wftda.com to collect feedback about the rules from skaters, officials, coaches and other interested parties.

View or download the new rules, read a summary of changes or download the line-by-line change detail document at Rules Central. The updates to the iOS and Android apps of The Official Rules of Flat Track Roller Derby, and the printed rule books will be available in January 2015.