WNBL INTRODUCES REFEREE REVIEW SYSTEM FOR THE 2020 SEASON

Basketball Australia (BA) has today announced the introduction of an Instant Review System (IRS) for the 2020 Chemist Warehouse WNBL season.

To be utilised during feature games broadcast on Foxtel and the ABC, the IRS will provide game day officials with the ability to review a call in real time. The IRS will be solely used at the discretion of game day referees to verify if a questioned decision is correct.

Through collaborative work with the league’s production partner, Rainmaker and broadcast partners, Foxtel and the ABC, referees will be able to access five camera angles for examination on the respective call.

In the instance that a referee calls for a review, they must first indicate their initial decision before reviewing game vision, with the final call only to be varied if the recorded game vision provides ‘clear and conclusive’ evidence that a correction is required.

All reviews will be carried out by the game day referees, with assistance to video equipment or vision provided by the attending broadcast crew.

BA Head of Education and Development Michael Haynes explained the introduction of the system will be of benefit to WNBL referees in a season full of firsts.

“We are delighted to have the Instant Review System available for 21 of our Chemist Warehouse WNBL games this season, thanks to joint efforts of the league’s production and broadcast partners.

“The Instant Review System is for referees to utilise if they wish to verify a game decision such as whether a successful shot was two or three points. We strive to provide our referees with the technology and resources to feel confident in every decision they make on the court,” concluded Haynes.

The induction of an IRS sees the Chemist Warehouse WNBL follow in the footsteps of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), who currently use the IRS in all major international competitions.

Further to the implementation of the IRS, the Chemist Warehouse WNBL will also apply additional minor rule changes this season that FIBA introduced from 1 October 2020. These changes include:

• If a player is fouled while attempting to shoot the basketball, yet then proceed to pass the ball, they are deemed to no longer be in the act of shooting.
• The act of shooting on a stationary shot begins when in the judgment of the referee, the player starts to move the ball upward toward the opponent’s basket. The act of shooting in a continuous movement (e.g. lay-up) begins when the ball has come to rest in the hand or hands of the player.
• The rules now define the offensive player’s cylinder (their position on the court) whereas the rules previously only defined the cylinder of the defensive player. This is more by way of clarification and it is not anticipated that it will change how the game is officiated.

In accordance with the updates and new rules, BA has conducted education sessions with teams and officials in the lead up to season tip off.

The 2020 Chemist Warehouse WNBL season is supported by the Queensland Government along with Cairns Regional Council, Mackay Regional Council and the City of Townsville.

View the season fixture here.