Course
Jumping the Line

Why is Jumping the Line a Rule
 
The rule of jumping the line refers to a player in the throw-in or line out, jumping across to the opposition side of the line before the umpire throws the ball in.     

The reason a foul is called is a safety issue, to help prevent any collisions or players being hit when they’re unaware or unprepared for contact.  

How is the Rule of Jumping the Line Applied

Jumping the line is applied equally to all players. It is one of the very few times in polo where the ball is truly neutral, in the hands of the umpire, so both teams do not have possession and can neither be classed as on the offense or defense in that situation. 

Procedure of the Jumping the Line Rule

Generally speaking, the penalty for jumping the line, after the umpire has issued a warning, is a spot hit against the team and player that jumps the line. So in the first instance where it is penalised, the umpire will generally drop the ball on the spot and award a hit to the opposition, if the offense is repeated or one team violates the rule numerous times then the penalty can be increased from there. 

When the foul is first committed in a game, the teams will be warned and instructed to line up again without a penalty but continually breaking the rule will result in the award of penalties with increasing severity, for each additional violation.   

Jumping the Line at Different Levels of Polo

There’s very little difference in the interpretation of jumping the line at high and low goal levels. At high goal levels, jumping the line is a more common offense due to the throw-ins being a critical part of the game, with players trying to gain a competitive advantage by timing or anticipating the throw-in as the umpire's arm comes back. 

The most common error that Fergus noted for a jumping the line violation being called, is that players, in attempting to anticipate the throw in, will end up mistiming it and jump the line before the ball has been released. The best way to mitigate this is to wait until the ball has been released before jumping the line.
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