No player shall cross another player who has precedence except at such a distance that not the slightest risk of collision or danger to any player is involved.

A player who has precedence is in reference to the right of way rule: A player with possession is entitled to continue down the LOB to hit the ball on his offside unless he is subjected to a legitimate play.

Crossing is one of the most blown fouls in polo, crossing is inherently dangerous and occurs when a player on the line of the ball is impeded by an opposition player in such a way that danger can ensue.

How the Crossing Rule is Applied

The crossing rule applies to both attacking and defensive players equally. It is simply a matter of who has right of way and if a player entering that right of way is endangering the safety of both players by crossing at an unsafe distance, in the eyes of the umpires.

Procedure of the Crossing Rule

The penalty for breaking the crossing rule is a foul blown against the offending player.

The outcome and ball placement of a crossing foul will be determined by various factors; speed and distance being two. Also the level of danger involved and the risk of collision.

The game will be started again after a crossing foul, with a penalty awarded in favour of the team that has been infringed.

The Crossing Rule at Different Levels of Polo

There is very little difference in the interpretation of the crossing rule between all levels of polo. At the highest level, the speeds can be greater, therefore increasing the risk of collision, but equally in the low goal levels, inexperienced players may also produce dangerous crossing fouls due to their lack of knowledge.

The common errors that players make when blown for a crossing foul, are a poor understanding of the location of the line of the ball and lack of team play or awareness of where their opponents are.