Water polo

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Water polo is a competitive team sport played in water between two teams of seven players each. The game consists of four quarters in which the teams attempt to score goals by throwing the ball into the opposing team's goal. The team with the most goals at the end of the game wins the match.

History

Water polo originated in the late 19th century as a form of rugby football played in rivers and lakes in England and Scotland. The sport has evolved significantly since its inception, with the first official rules being established in the 1880s. Water polo was introduced to the Olympic Games at the 1900 Summer Olympics in Paris, making it one of the oldest team sports in the Olympic program.

Gameplay

The game is played in a pool that is 30 meters long and 20 meters wide for men, and 25 meters long and 20 meters wide for women. Each team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. The objective is to score by getting the ball into the opposing team's goal, which is 3 meters wide and 0.9 meters high.

Positions

• Goalkeeper: The primary role is to prevent the opposing team from scoring.
• Center forward: Positioned near the opponent's goal to score.
• Center back: Defends against the opposing center forward.
• Wings: Positioned on the sides of the pool to create scoring opportunities.
• Drivers: Players who drive towards the goal to create scoring chances.

Rules

• The game starts with a swim-off, where players race to the ball in the center of the pool.
• Players can only use one hand to handle the ball, except for the goalkeeper.
• A goal is scored when the entire ball passes the goal line.
• Exclusion fouls result in a player being temporarily excluded from the game for 20 seconds.

Competitions

Water polo is played at various levels, from local club competitions to international tournaments. Major competitions include:

• FINA World Aquatics Championships
• European Water Polo Championship
• Olympic Games
• World League

Notable Players

Some of the most notable water polo players include:

• Dezső Gyarmati: A Hungarian player considered one of the greatest in the sport.
• Terry Schroeder: An American player and coach who has significantly contributed to the sport.

Governing Bodies

The sport is governed internationally by the Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA). Each country has its own governing body, such as USA Water Polo in the United States and British Swimming in the United Kingdom.

See Also

• Swimming (sport)
• Handball
• Rugby football
• Olympic sports

External Links

This water polo related article is a stub.