"Hockey Dangerous play and Raised Balls" and Olympic Hockey Tickets

According to the current Rules of Hockey 2007 issued by the FIH there are only two criteria for a dangerously played ball. The first is legitimate evasive action by an opponent. The second is specific to the rule concerning a shot at goal at a penalty corner but is generally, if somewhat inconsistently, applied throughout the game and in all parts of the pitch: it is that a ball lifted above knee height and at an opponent who is within 5m of the ball is certainly dangerous.

The velocity of the ball is not mentioned in the rules concerning a dangerously played ball. A ball that hits a player above the knee may on some occasions not be penalized; this is in the umpire's discretion. A jab tackle for example, might accidentally lift the ball above knee height into an opponent from close range but at such low velocity as not to be, in the opinion of the umpire, dangerous play. In the same way a high velocity hit at very close range into an opponent, but below knee height, could be considered to be dangerous or reckless play in the view of the umpire, especially when safer alternatives are open to the striker of the ball.

A ball that has been lifted high so that it will fall among close opponents may be deemed to be potentially dangerous and play may be stopped for that reason. A lifted ball that is falling to a player in clear space may be made potentially dangerous by the actions of an opponent closing to within 5m of the receiver before the ball has been controlled to ground a rule which is often only loosely applied; the distance allowed is often only what might be described as playing distance, 2–3 m, and opponents tend to be permitted to close on the ball as soon as the receiver plays it: these unofficial variations are often based on the umpire's perception of the skill of the players i.e. on the level of the game, in order to maintain game flow, which umpires are in general in both Rules and Briefing instructed to do, by not penalizing when it is unnecessary to do so, this is also a matter in the umpire's discretion.

The term "falling ball" is important in what may be termed encroaching offences. It is generally only considered an offence to encroach on an opponent receiving a lifted ball that has been lifted to above head height and is falling. So, for example, a lifted shot at the goal which is still rising as it crosses the goal line can be legitimately followed up by any of the attacking team looking for a rebound. In general even potentially dangerous play is not penalized if an opponent is not disadvantage by it or, obviously, not injured by it so that he cannot continue. 

A personal penalty that is a caution or a suspension rather than a team penalty, such as a free ball or a penalty corner, may issued to the guilty party after an advantage allowed by the umpire has been played out in any situation where an offence has occurred, including dangerous play.

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