, northern Nigeria Loofball is played on a
court measuring 17 m by 8 m with a circular region of 2 m diameter, called "olive", at its center. The olive is also centered in the "fore zone", a 5.2 m by 8 m quadripartite region, which borders the "home zone" on either side. The home zone measures 5.9 m by 8 m. A player holds the ball for no more than 3 seconds, makes no more than two steps with the ball and can hold the ball only once in a turn. Ball contact is made only by hand and
forearm, and only one player can hold the ball at a time. No more than two passes are also allowed in a turn. A team scores a point when the opponents fail to return the ball or commit a fault. A match consists of two or three sets i.e. winning two sets wins the match. The first and second sets are won by scoring 25 points while 20 points must be scored to win the third set. A two-point lead is required to win a set. Scoring a point gives a team the right to serve. A match starts with a
coin toss between
captains of both teams to determine sides and the team to make the first serve. Teams are required to change sides after the first set, with the first service obligation going the other way. The referee is also required to conduct another coin toss when the match reaches the third set. A team can request a 30 seconds
timeout only once in a set and is permitted to make up to four substitutions in a match. A starter who is substituted can be reused as a sub once in a match; a player not in the starting lineup can enter the court once in a match. An interval or break of up to 2 minutes can also be allowed between sets.
Ball An inflatable furry ball, referred to as a loofball, is used in the sport. The ball's outer surface is made of furry fabric or animal
fur. A size 2 loofball has a diameter of 19 – 20 cm and weighs 190 – 240 g when inflated. Similarly, a size 1 loofball when inflated has a diameter of 16 –17 cm and weighs 150 – 190 g. A loofball surface fur has a pile length of no more than 2.5 cm.
Net The net used is similar to that of volleyball, with the length being the only difference. The net, which measures 8.5 m in length and 1 m in width, is fixed above the center line of the court at the height of 2.3 m (men) or 2.28 m (women and U20).
Match officials Officials may include a
referee, two or four line judges, a scorer and an assistant scorer. The line judges assist the referee in making calls mostly regarding boundary lines. Alongside enforcing the rules of the game, the referee ensures that discipline is maintained throughout the match. The scorer and assistant scorer also help in officiating by keeping record of the match score.
Misconduct and sanctions Depending on the degree and order of offense,
misconduct in loofball attracts either a verbal warning, a
yellow or
red card. A verbal warning carries no penalty. A yellow card carries a point penalty while a red card carries both a point penalty and disqualification. A player usually gets sanctioned in the following order: first misconduct = verbal warning, second misconduct = yellow card + point to the opposition, third misconduct = red card + point to the opposition + disqualification. == Intellectual property ==