# Rule 3.4 Referee (USHA Four-Wall Rules, 31 January 1999, 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/ ## A. Pre-match duties Before each match begins, it shall be the duty of the referee to: 1.) Playability. Check on adequacy of preparation of the handball court with respect to playability. 2.) Equipment. Check on availability and suitability of all materials necessary for the match, such as handballs, towels, scorecards, pencils and a timepiece. 3.) Assisting officials. Check readiness and provide instructions to assisting officials. 4.) Court hinders. Explain court hinders, if any, to players. (See Rule 4.3.A.). 5.) Inspect gloves, uniforms and eye protection. Remind players to have an adequate supply of extra gloves and shirts. Inspect compliance of gloves and hands with rules. Remind players that failure to wear eye protection properly will result in a technical, and a second violation in a forfeit. 6.) Start game. Introduce players, toss coin to determine order of serve and signal start of game. 7.) Time. The assigned referee should be present 15 minutes before match time. 8.) Two-minute warning. Give a two-minute warning before the match and before each game. 9.) Scoring. Announce the scores before each rally. (See Rule 4.1.E). ## B. Decisions The referee shall make all decisions with regard to the rules and the referee has the authority to change his call. Where line judges are used, the referee shall announce all final judgments. In the absence of line judges, if both players in singles or three out of four in a doubles match disagree with a call made by the referee, the referee should consider reversing his call. 1.) Spectators. The referee shall have jurisdiction over the spectators, as well as the players, while the match is in progress. (See rule 5.6) ## C. Protests Any decision involving a rules interpretation may be protested before the next serve. It will then be resolved by the chief of referees or tournament director. Judgment calls may not be protested. If the player's protest is upheld, the proper ruling will be made. If the player's protest is not upheld, the player shall be charged with a timeout. If the player is out of timeouts, he will be charged with a technical. ## D. Forfeitures A match may be forfeited by the referee when: 1.) Flagrant unsportsman-like conduct. Any player refuses to abide by the referee's decision or engages in flagrant unsportsman-like conduct. 2.) Three technicals. A player or side receives three technicals in a match, or two technicals for failure to properly wear eye protection. 3.) Leaving the court. Any player leaves the court at a time not allowed by these rules without permission of the referee. 4.) Failure to report. a. No show. Any player for a singles match, or any team for a doubles match, fails to report to play. b. Late start penalty. If a player is not ready to play (or resume play) on time, the opponent shall be awarded one point. The opponent will then be awarded one additional point for each full minute of delay of game up to 10 minutes. The match shall then be forfeited. This applies to the start of the match, between-game timeouts, timeouts during a game and glove-change timeouts. Players should stay within earshot of the referee to help prevent the delay-of-game penalty. It is the obligation of the players to be ready to resume play on time even if the referee fails to give time warnings. If the matches are on, or ahead of schedule, the players must be in the court warming up at least 10 minutes before the assigned match time to assure a prompt start. If running behind, the players must be dressed and ready to enter the court for a maximum 10-minute, in-court warm up. If a player shows up less than 10 minutes before the scheduled starting time, his warm-up time will be reduced accordingly. The tournament director may permit a longer delay if circumstances warrant. ## E. Defaults A player or team may be forfeited by the tournament director or official in charge for failure to comply with the tournament or host facility's rules while on the tournament premises, for failure to referee or for any other improper conduct on the tournament premises. ## F. Other rulings The referee shall rule on all matters not covered in the USHA Official Rules. However, the referee may be overruled by the chief of referees or tournament director, the latter of whom shall have final authority. ## Mentioned here - [Player](https://handball.theperfectship.com/player.md) - [Opponent](https://handball.theperfectship.com/opponent.md) - [Referee](https://handball.theperfectship.com/match-referee.md) - [Line judge](https://handball.theperfectship.com/line-judge.md) - [Tournament director](https://handball.theperfectship.com/tournament-director.md) - [Chief of referees](https://handball.theperfectship.com/chief-of-referees.md) - [Serve](https://handball.theperfectship.com/serve.md) - [Rally](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rally.md) - [Hinder](https://handball.theperfectship.com/hinder.md) - [Time-out](https://handball.theperfectship.com/time-out.md) - [Delay of game](https://handball.theperfectship.com/delay.md) - [Technical](https://handball.theperfectship.com/technical.md) - [Warning](https://handball.theperfectship.com/warning.md) - [Forfeit / default](https://handball.theperfectship.com/forfeit.md) - [Court](https://handball.theperfectship.com/court.md) - [Gloves](https://handball.theperfectship.com/gloves.md) - [Eye protection](https://handball.theperfectship.com/eye-protection.md) - [Uniform](https://handball.theperfectship.com/uniform.md) - [Towel](https://handball.theperfectship.com/towel.md) - [Point](https://handball.theperfectship.com/point.md) - [Game, match, tiebreaker](https://handball.theperfectship.com/game.md) - [Singles](https://handball.theperfectship.com/singles.md) - [Doubles](https://handball.theperfectship.com/doubles.md) - [USHA](https://handball.theperfectship.com/usha.md) - [Jersey / shirt](https://handball.theperfectship.com/jersey.md) - [Coin](https://handball.theperfectship.com/coin.md) - [Clock](https://handball.theperfectship.com/clock.md) How this rule changed: [wording in every rulebook](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/clause-history/code-fourwall-american/3-4.md) ## Relationships - Player relates to Opponent: mentioned together in 19 sub-rules. - Player relates to Referee: mentioned together in 32 sub-rules. - Player relates to Tournament director: mentioned together in 9 sub-rules. - Player relates to Serve: mentioned together in 12 sub-rules. - Player relates to Rally: mentioned together in 9 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 Point: mentioned together in 13 sub-rules. - Player relates to Doubles: mentioned together in 11 sub-rules. - Opponent relates to Hinder: mentioned together in 11 sub-rules. - Referee relates to Serve: mentioned together in 13 sub-rules. - Referee relates to Rally: mentioned together in 10 sub-rules. - Referee relates to Hinder: mentioned together in 11 sub-rules. - Referee relates to Point: mentioned together in 10 sub-rules. - Hinder relates to Court: mentioned together in 10 sub-rules. - No link to the other terms shown: Technical, Time-out, Clock, Game, match, tiebreaker. - 54 weaker links (terms mentioned together in few sub-rules) are not drawn. - 13 more terms are mentioned but not drawn (the best linked 14 are shown). Rulebook: [USHA Four-Wall Rules, 31 January 1999](https://handball.theperfectship.com/rulebooks/usha-fourwall-1999-01-31.md) Source: The Official USHA Handball Rules, 1999 (Wayback capture 20000914195049 of cohandball.com). USHA rules text, used with the USHA's written permission (letter not yet filed).