# Rule 4.7 Dead-ball hinders (USHA Four-Wall Rules, 20 June 1990, historical) > **Historical rulebook: not the current rules.** The current rules are here: https://handball.theperfectship.com/rules/four-wall/ USHA rules text used with permission of the U.S. Handball Association (ushandball.org); credit: U.S. Handball Association. Source: https://www.ushandball.org/ Dead-ball hinders should be called when interference affects the play. (See Rule 4.6.F.3) ## A. Situations 1.) Court hinders. If, in the referee's opinion, an erratic bounce is caused by a court obstruction, a court hinder should be called. The player should not stop play at any time in anticipation of a call. Included in court hinders is the ball that hits a wet spot on the floor, walls or ceiling, causing it to skid. This is the referee's call, not the player's (See Interpretation No. 10). 2.) Ball hits opponent. When a returned ball touches an opponent on the fly before hitting the front wall, and the shot obviously would not have reached the front wall on the fly, the player who is hit by the shot will be awarded the rally. If the ball had any chance of reaching the wall or if there is any doubt in the official's mind as to whether the ball would have reached the front wall, a dead-ball hinder will be called. 3.) Body contact. If body contact occurs and the referee believes it was sufficient to stop the rally, either to prevent injury or because the contact distracted or prevented a player from being able to make a reasonable return, a hinder will be called. Except for the offensive player stopping play during his back-swing, physical contact is not an automatic hinder. It is the judgment of the referee as to whether the contact impeded the play. 4.) Screen ball. Any ball rebounding from the front wall so close to the body of a defensive player that it interferes with or prevents the offensive player from having a clear view of the ball. The referee should be careful not to make the screen call so quickly that it takes away a good offensive opportunity. 5.) Straddle ball. When a ball passes between the legs of a player on the side that just returned the ball, if there is no fair chance for the opposing player to see or return the ball. This is not automatic. 6.) Back-swing hinder. A player may not stop play, except on physical contact during his back-swing. He may immediately say "Contact" if he wants a contact hinder. If he elects to hit the ball, no contact call will be permitted. The defensive player may not stop play if contact occurs during his opponent's back-swing. 7.) Safety holdup. Any player about to execute a return who believes he will strike his opponent with his hand or arm may immediately stop play and request a dead-ball hinder. This call must be made immediately and is subject to approval by the referee. The referee must grant the hinder if he believes the holdup was reasonable and the player otherwise might have been able to return the shot. The referee might also call an avoidable hinder if warranted. 8.) Other interference. Any other unintentional interference that prevents a player from having a fair chance to see or return the ball. ## B. Avoidance While attempting to return the ball, a player is entitled to a fair chance to see and return the ball. It is the duty of the defensive side that has just served or returned the ball to move so the offensive side may go straight to the ball and not be required to go around an opponent. In the judgment of the referee, however, the offensive player must make a reasonable effort to move toward the ball and have a reasonable chance to return the ball before a hinder is called. The referee should be liberal in calling hinders to discourage playing the ball in such a way that an opponent cannot see it or swing at it until it is too late. When a player attempts a killshot in front of himself and his position interferes with his opponent's attempt to retrieve the ball, the referee should give the benefit of any doubt as to whether the ball was retrievable to the defensive player. It is not a hinder when a player hinders his partner (See Interpretation No. 11). ## C. Doubles Both players on a side are entitled to a fair and unobstructed chance at the ball. Either one could been titled to a hinder even though it naturally would be his partner's ball and even though his partner may have attempted to play the ball and has already missed (not touched) it. ## D. Effect A hinder call stops the play and usually voids any situation that follows, such as the ball hitting a player who stopped playing because of the call. However, if, in the opinion of the referee, his call was not responsible for the player being hit by the ball, the referee may overrule the hinder call and declare either a point or sideout. The only hinders a player may call are specified in Rules 4.7 A. 6., and 4.7 A.7.,and are subject to approval by the referee. Whenever a dead-ball hinder is called, the rally is replayed and any previous fault on the server is voided. ## Mentioned here - [Server](https://handball.theperfectship.com/server.md) - [Player](https://handball.theperfectship.com/player.md) - [Partner](https://handball.theperfectship.com/partner.md) - [Opponent](https://handball.theperfectship.com/opponent.md) - [Referee](https://handball.theperfectship.com/match-referee.md) - [Serve](https://handball.theperfectship.com/serve.md) - [Rally](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rally.md) - [Hinder](https://handball.theperfectship.com/hinder.md) - [Avoidable hinder](https://handball.theperfectship.com/avoidable-hinder.md) - [Replay](https://handball.theperfectship.com/replay.md) - [Fault serve](https://handball.theperfectship.com/fault-serve.md) - [Court](https://handball.theperfectship.com/court.md) - [Front wall](https://handball.theperfectship.com/front-wall.md) - [Ceiling](https://handball.theperfectship.com/ceiling.md) - [Ball](https://handball.theperfectship.com/ball.md) - [Point](https://handball.theperfectship.com/point.md) - [Doubles](https://handball.theperfectship.com/doubles.md) - [Floor](https://handball.theperfectship.com/floor.md) How this rule changed: [wording in every rulebook](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/clause-history/code-fourwall-american/4-7.md) ## Relationships - Server relates to Serve: mentioned together in 12 sub-rules. - Player relates to Opponent: mentioned together in 19 sub-rules. - Player relates to Referee: mentioned together in 30 sub-rules. - Player relates to Serve: mentioned together in 11 sub-rules. - Player relates to Hinder: mentioned together in 18 sub-rules. - Player relates to Court: mentioned together in 17 sub-rules. - Player relates to Ball: mentioned together in 30 sub-rules. - Player relates to Point: mentioned together in 12 sub-rules. - Opponent relates to Hinder: mentioned together in 11 sub-rules. - Opponent relates to Ball: mentioned together in 18 sub-rules. - Referee relates to Hinder: mentioned together in 11 sub-rules. - Referee relates to Ball: mentioned together in 19 sub-rules. - Serve relates to Ball: mentioned together in 12 sub-rules. - Hinder relates to Ball: mentioned together in 18 sub-rules. - Ball relates to Point: mentioned together in 11 sub-rules. - No link to the other terms shown: Partner, Fault serve, Rally, Front wall, Floor. - 66 weaker links (terms mentioned together in few sub-rules) are not drawn. - 4 more terms are mentioned but not drawn (the best linked 14 are shown). Rulebook: [USHA Four-Wall Rules, 20 June 1990](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/usha-fourwall-1990-06-20.md) Source: The Official United States Handball Association Handball Rules With Interpretations and One-Wall and Three-Wall Addendum Revised 1991 (Wayback capture 19980519203944 of cohandball.com). USHA rules text, used with the USHA's written permission (letter not yet filed).