During weekly bike polo generally we try to keep as few rules as possible. Rules vary slightly from city to city.

General Gameplay Rules

• Teams of 3.
• 15 minute games
• First to 5 goals, wins.
• To start, each team waits at their end and joust for the ball at center court after a countdown.
• A goal can only be scored by hitting it with the end of the mallet.
• If you put your foot down, you must tap in at centre before re-entering play.
• After scoring a team must return to their half and wait for an opposition player or ball to pass half way.

Safety Rules

• Like contact allowed: mallet on mallet, bike on bike and body on body. No ramming, pushing or grabbing.
• Keep your mallet down, watch your backswing.
• No malleting (mallet tripping tyres) or mallets in spokes

• No throwing mallets

Current Tournament Rules, Melbourne

• Bad Santa Tournament Rules December 2012

This document is based on the previous Australian rules below.  It is updated based on the 2012 World Championships and London Open.  It includes Advantage, Delayed penalties and a clearer explanation of how rules are applied rather than just a list of rules.

2012 NAH / Worlds Rules Update

Australia maintained it’s own ruleset from 2008-10. In 2011 the newly formed North American Hardcourt association compiled a standard set for major tournaments and the Seattle world championships. Australasia adopted these rules for 2011 and 2012.

These rules are receiving a major overhaul in 2012.  There are areas that still need to be covered as the game develops. More detailed discussions are in the LOBP discussions below.

• Read the full NAH Rules V2 discussion here at League of Bike Polo
• Download the NAH v2 rules PDF here

Detailed discussions on each chapter:

• Referees and responsibilities
• Equipment and facilities
• Game format
• Ballhandling
• Penalties
• Bike handling penalties
• Mallet handling penalties
• Bodily contact penalties

Australasian Rules Archive

• 2011 Melbourne DRAFT Rules PDF
• 2011 Melbourne DRAFT Rules Word Document
• Taupo tap out rules November 2011
• 2011 North American Rules
• Sydney Bench Minor 2011 rules
• 9th Sep 2010. The nationals rules have been announced by Brisbane at fixed.org.au. They includes the following change from 2009 Nationals: “The team that scores a goal must return and circle their goals, either by passing through the goal, or by passing behind both cones. The exception being a goalie who is positioned within the goals (or a reasonable distance away which will be demonstrated before play on Saturday) who can play on immediately. The team who have been scored against will be able to play on immediately.”
• 2010 Australian Nationals Rules PDF Here
• 2010 Australian Nationals Rules DOC Here
• Read the 2010 North American Rules here
• Sydney Bike Polo ‘Chuk it in bro’ Rules 2010 
• 2009 Australian Nationals Rules Here inc. discussion
• 2009 Australian Nationals Rules Here
• Melbourne 2009 Summer Sessions rules
• Melbourne’s 2008 tournament rules