NBA approves new regulations

NBA team owners approve rule changes: penalties for flopping and increased coaching challenges.

On Tuesday, owners of teams in the NBA (National Basketball Association) agreed to changes in the league's rules, effective from the upcoming season. The most prominent changes include imposing a penalty of free throws on players who engage in flopping or falsely claim fouls, as well as increasing the number of coaching challenges for referees' decisions.

The Competition Committee, composed of players, coaches, referees, team owners, executives, and league representatives, unanimously recommended these two changes to the Board of Governors.

The new rule, which will be implemented on a trial basis for one season, states that in the case of flopping, diving, or feigning fouls, the offender will be penalized with a free throw in addition to a turnover. However, players cannot be ejected from the game for committing such an offense.

Referees will not have to stop play to enforce the penalty; instead, it will be applied during the next playing period.

The league previously attempted to curb player deception in 2012 through a system of warnings followed by fines, but it was rarely used.

The violation will not be counted as a personal foul for the player in the game.

As for the second rule, it allows coaches to challenge an arbitration decision for a second time if the validity of the first challenge is confirmed upon reviewing the video replay of the disputed situation.

Teams will be required to continue using their allotted time to initiate their challenge, but they will not be able to do so if they no longer have the opportunity. If the first challenge is upheld, they will retain the allotted time, but they will not have it for a second time, regardless of whether the validity of the initial decision is confirmed or not.

 

AFP