Tough Calls: January 6, 2026

Credit: Peter Simmons

The Tough Calls are sponsored by Fiziocentrs – a well known physiotherapy clinic in Latvia. The videos shown below will help to understand the game, referees and rules.

1. In Black team offense, after a shot, on rebound Grey 0 pushes Black 11, the latter then pushes Grey 2, who fell down. Referees called a defensive rebound foul by Grey 0.

             FIBA OBRI 33.12. Pushing

• Pushing is illegal personal contact with any part of the body where a player forcibly moves or attempts to move an opponent with or without the ball

Outcome: correct decision from the referees. Grey 0 first pushes Black 11, who then pushed Grey 2. The referees correctly call the first foul by Grey 0.

2. In Yellow team offense, under the basket, off ball Yellow 1 sets a moving screen to Blue 47. After contact, Blue 47 momentarily lost sight of his opponent, Yellow 20, who received an unimpeded pass from his teammate. Referees stay with No call.

   
   

FIBA OBRI 33.7. Screening: Legal and illegal

Screening is an attempt to delay or prevent an opponent without the ball from reaching a desired position on the playing court.

Illegal screening is when the player who is screening an opponent:

• Was moving when contact occurred.

• Did not give sufficient distance in setting a screen outside the field of vision of a

stationary opponent when contact occurred.

• Did not respect the elements of time and distance of an opponent in motion when

contact occurred.

Outcome: incorrect decision from the referees. Yellow 1 never sets a legal screen, because moving when contact occurs. Personal foul by Yellow 1 should be called.

3. In Blue team offense, Blue 9 makes an unsuccessful shooting attempt, on rebound between White 13 and Blue 21, Blue 21 gets a ball, but steps out of court. Referees call a personal holding foul by White 13.

   
   

FIBA OBRI 33.14. Holding. 

Holding is illegal personal contact with an opponent that interferes with his/her freedom of movement.

Outcome: correct decision from the referees. White 13, unblocking, grabbed his opponent Blue 21 with his hand, pushing him off the court. It’s illegal action and White 13 correctly received personal foul.

4. End of game, White team sets double defense to offense player Blue 4. Blue 4 tried to get over defender White 21, who made a contact with knee to Blue 4. After this contact immediately Blue 4 hits White 21 head with hand. Referees call first defense foul by White 21, after use an Instant replay system, to clarify second contact.

   
   

FIBA OBRI F.3.3. The following game situations may be reviewed:

During any time of the game:

-whether a personal, unsportsmanlike or disqualifying foul met the criteria for such a foul or shall be upgraded or downgraded or shall be considered as a technical foul.

 FIBA OBRI 37.1.1: An unsportsmanlike foul is a player contact which, in the judgement of a referee is:• Excessive, hard contact caused by a player in an effort to play the ball or an opponent.

FIBA OBRI 42.2.1. All fouls shall be charged, and all penalties identified.

Outcome: correct decision from the referees. White 21 made first defense blocking foul, what was called correct. Following Blue 4 action in dead ball situation, is correct review with IRS, and considered as an unsportsmanlike foul.

Author: Oskars Lucis, ENBL Head of referees