HOCKEY 2x2

🏆 COMPETITION

GENERAL INFORMATION - RULES

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The Rules of the Game Robot hockey is a game based on ice hockey. The aim is to score more points than the opposing team by pushing or throwing the puck into a goal area, making for an exciting and fast-paced game. Given the nature of the players, the rules of ice hockey  have been highly modified and simplified.

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⚽ GOAL

• A goal is scored when the puck crosses the entire goal line.

• If the puck, as it moves towards the goal, touches a defending robot whose part is inside the goal, then the referee will charge the defending alliance with a goal.

• If a defending robot is pushed into its own goal by an opposing robot and the puck enters the goal as a result (fully crossing the goal line), the goal is awarded.

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 🚨 Prohibition of "Barricade" Tactics (Goalie Charging / Dancing).

➤ Prohibition of Obstruction via Mechanical Movement
It is prohibited for any robot of the defending team to perform rapid, repetitive, and non-tactical back-and-forth movement (perpendicular to the goal line) with the sole purpose of blocking the goal. This behavior is considered anti-football and aims for passive and non-creative defense.

➤ Violation Criteria
A violation of this Rule is deemed to have occurred if a robot:

• (a) Repeats the same small range of motion (e.g., less than 20 cm) three (3) or more times within a 5-second time window.

• (b) Does not attempt to tactically respond to the movement of the puck or opponents but merely "finger-taps" the goal line.

➤  Penalty
If the referee determines a violation of this rule:

• The game is immediately halted.

• The team that violated the rule is penalized with a direct free kick taken from a point 30 cm in front of the center of their goal.

• If the violation is systematic, the robot may be penalized with temporary removal from the field (2-minute "penalty box").

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🧮 SCORE – GROUP STAGE SCORING

There are no draws in robot hockey. If the score is tied at the end of regulation time, the match goes into overtime with sudden death (Golden Goal). During sudden death, the additional time must be played as before, but the start of the match will be done with all robots from each team on their side of the rink and outside the central circle. The first team to score a goal will be considered the winner.

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For the matches of a Group:

1. 3 points will be awarded for each win.

2. For each defeat 0 points will be given.

• The alliance with the most points from each Group advances to the quarterfinals.

• If there is a tie then 2 minutes extra time is given for "Golden Goal". If the score is still tied after the two-minute extra time period, then the penalty shootout procedure (as described below) will follow.

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For the quarter-final, semi-final, short-final and final matches:

• The alliance with the most goals advances to the next phase.

• If there is a tie then 2 minutes extra time is given for "Golden Goal". If the score is still tied after the two-minute extra time period, then the penalty shootout procedure (as described below) will follow.

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⚽ PENALTY SHOOTOUT PROCEDURE 

Positioning:
The puck is placed by the referee at the center of the rink (inside the center circle and on the red dot).
The Robot Hockey Athlete executing the penalty is positioned inside its own goal/net. (The alliance must choose which Robot Hockey Athlete will take the penalty kicks.)

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The 3 Golden Rules:

1. The Robot Hockey Athlete must first leave its goal/net before touching the puck.

2. The Robot Hockey Athlete may only hit the puck while inside the center circle.

3. After hitting the puck, the Robot Hockey Athlete must brake before exiting the circle.

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Execution:

• At the referee’s signal, the  Robot Hockey Athlete starts.

• The Robot Hockey Athlete must gain momentum, exit its goal, enter the center circle, and while inside the circle, hit the puck toward the opposing goal.

• Immediately after hitting the puck, the Robot Hockey Athlete must stop (brake) within the circle.

• The Robot Hockey Athlete has 20 seconds to complete the entire process.

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When a Goal Counts:

• Only if the puck fully crosses the goal line of the opposing goal under its own momentum, without the the Robot Hockey Athlete touching it outside the circle.

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Violations & Invalid Attempts:

• If any of the above rules are violated, the attempt does not count and is considered a miss (0).

• If the Robot Hockey Athlete hits the puck outside the circle in any way or continues to push it, the goal is CANCELLED.

• If the 20 seconds elapse without a goal, the attempt does not count.

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Determining the Winner:

• Each alliance executes 3 penalties (taken alternately).

• The alliance with the most goals wins.

• If tied, proceed to sudden-death shootout (one attempt per alliance alternately) until a winner is determined.

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⏱️ TECHNICIAN SWITCH TIME

Between the matches of a group, a time of 1 minute will be given to each alliance. In this minute if a team wishes, it can change Technician. If the new Technician does not arrive within 1 minute, the previous Technician will continue in the next match.

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⚽️ MATCH DURATION

1. The match lasts a total of 5 (five) minutes.

2. There is no halftime; teams retain their accumulated score throughout the entire match.

3. Time runs continuously, with no stoppages during the game.

4. Before each match, the Robot Hockey Athlete must undergo a technical inspection conducted by the referee.

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🎯 MATCH PREPARATION - START - RESTRICTIONS

Match Progression: Robot hockey is designed for quick movements and continuous action with few interruptions during the match.

1. The match starts with all robots from each team on their side of the rink outside the central circle.

2. The referee throws the puck approximately into the center, and the match begins.

3. During a restart of the match, whether due to a goal or any other occasion, robots may move anywhere within the rink at any time. There are no exclusion zones or penalties for entering any area of the rink.

4. Marking and blocking opposing robots is allowed at any time. There are no penalties for damage caused to an opponent during marking or blocking. Intentionally damaging a robot is discouraged and may lead to a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct.

5. To score a goal, robots must move the puck into their opponent’s goal. The goal can occur by pushing or throwing the puck into the goal.

6. The puck must completely cross the goal line, within the goalposts, for a goal to be scored.

7. Pucks thrown or flipped out of the rink result in a penalty goal being scored against the team that threw or caused the puck to leave the rink. Pucks that leave the rink as a result of a collision or being deflected by an opposing robot or the rink do not count as a foul.

8. Whenever a goal is scored or the puck leaves the rink, the match time will be paused, robots will be unlocked, and if requested by the team to one of the referees, they will be flipped back and/or substituted.

9. The winner of the match is the team with the most goals.

10. The decisions of the referees are final. Objection to these decisions can only be lodged with the Headjudges. Disputing the final decisions of the Headjudges may result in a team or alliance being disqualified.

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🤕 ROBOT HOCKEY ATHLETE  INJURY

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A Robot Hockey Player is deemed injured by the referee when:

• Some part of it has been disassembled,

• Remains stationary (lost connection to controller ),

• An injured Robot Hockey Athlete remains out of the field of play until repairs are completed by the team. After permission is given by the referee, he returns to the match. The Robot Hockey Player returning to the match is placed in the corner of the defense area, right or left at the players' choice. It is forbidden, however, to place the Robot Hockey Player in a position that gives him an advantage in possession of the puck, e.g. right in front of the puck. The referee can indicate which side the robot will return from if he judges that such an advantage is being created.

• If a Robot Hockey Athlete falls over for any reason, with the help of the referee it gets back up and continues the game.

• If all Robot Hockey Athletes in an alliance are injured and out of the game, time stops and restarts when even one Robot Hockey Player returns to the field.

• If a Robot Hockey Athlete is injured during the match due to the fault of the referee, then the timer stops and the team is given time to repair. Time starts ticking again after the return of the Robot Soccer Player. The players and the ball are placed in the starting position of a match.

• If there is a need to replace a robot due to injury during the match, the technician must inform the referee that he wishes to make a substitution. The referee will give the permission to make the substitution without stopping the match..

• If a robot is damaged during the match and has exposed internal parts (especially the battery), the referees can pause the round if they judge there is a safety risk. The referees will remove the problematic robot, and the match
  will be restarted without the injured Robot Hockey Athlete.  The problematic robot cannot return to the match without being repaired or replaced.

• If a Robot Hockey Athlete is thrown out of the rink, it can return to the match only after the next goal.

• During a match, it is possible that some or all robots on the rink become incapacitated.  In this case, the following rules apply:
  ➤ If all robots become incapacitated at the same time, the match will be terminated, and the winner will be the team with the most goals.
  ➤ If all robots from one team inside the arena become incapacitated, the match will be terminated and that team will be declared the loser, regardless of thenumber of goals. If the team declared as the winner is losing in the score, a fixed score of 3 x 0 will be awarded.
  ➤ If all robots are incapacitated and the score is tied, the team whose robot was the last to show controlled movements is declared the winner. One goal is awarded to this team to break the tie. If it is unclear which team remained active last, the winner of the match will be decided by a coin toss.

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🎯 PENALTIES

There are few penalties in Robot Hockey, and their purpose is to facilitate the flow of the match and prevent deliberate destruction of opposing robots.

1. Unsportsmanlike Conduct: If a referee determines that a competitor is acting in an unsportsmanlike or aggressive manner, it will result in the removal of one robot from the team for the remainder of the match.

2. Intentional Puck Throwing Out of the Rink:  If a robot throws, flips, or otherwise projects the puck out of the rink, a goal will be awarded to the opposing team. The puck will be immediately placed back at the center line, as occurs after a conventional goal. Pucks ejected as a result of a collision or deflected by other robots or the rink do not incur this penalty. In this case, the puck will be put into play immediately over the central line.

3. Non-Compliant Robots:  If at the scheduled match time a robot does not comply with the rules, it will not be allowed to participate.

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🎲 The Referee places the puck back in the center of the court:

• When the match starts.

• When a goal is scored.

• When the referee blows the whistle for "irregular marking" of an opponent.

• When the referee whistles a "red card" on a Robot Hockey Player.

• When one or more Robot Hockey Players traps the puck and this has the effect of preventing the match from progressing..

• When a Robot Hockey Athlete throws, flips, or otherwise projects the puck out of the rink.

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📤The Referee releases the puck:

When he unblocks 2 or more Robot Hockey Players who have trapped the puck and this has the effect of preventing the match from progressing.

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↩️ A Robot Hockey Player is placed in the corner:

When an injured Robot Hockey Player returns to the game.

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🧩 MATCH PROCEDURE – GROUPS

• The competition is conducted with the Group system as shown in the example in the images below.

• The ranking in the Groups will be done 10 days before the competition in a Live draw which all teams will be notified to follow.

• The number of synergies placed in a Group, as well as the number of matches between synergies in a Group will be adjusted according to the number of teams participating in the Sport.