The rules governing water polo may undergo changes once again, as announced by the International Aquatic Sports Organization.

These changes are intended to be tested during the World Cup; however, there is considerable pushback—Croatian coach Ivica Tucak has publicly expressed his concerns.

If implemented, the new regulations would see the pool’s dimensions shrink from 33 to 25 meters, the attack time reduced from 30 to 25 seconds, and the second attack time cut down from 20 to 15 seconds. Moreover, a player sent off will remain out for 20 seconds instead of the previous 15, and coaches will be allowed to challenge controversial decisions (similar to a VAR review) regarding issues like rough play, penalty areas, or corners. It is highlighted that if a coach’s challenge is successful, they may request a maximum of two additional challenges during the game.

Tucak made his position clear, expressing his disapproval of these proposals:

– The changes were proposed by Deneš Kemenj, the former trophy-winning coach from Hungary. He reached out to the coaching community, and I responded in writing that water polo would not be the same sport under these changes. The challenge proposal alone holds validity—Tucak informed the Croatian media.

He believes the current rules work well but acknowledges some adjustments are necessary, as per the views of the former coach of Jadran from Herceg Novi.

– We don’t need excessive exclusions resulting in 20 or 30 interruptions. Games are already short, lasting only about 60 to 65 minutes. The main concern is the lack of spectator interest, and that is a problem that needs addressing. Back in 2015 in Bergamo, we played in the World League under new rules with reduced dimensions. It was stated that the changes were driven by Felipe Perone, whose Barceloneta team played at noon in front of 200 fans instead of thousands in the evening. I know many coaches oppose these changes, but there remains a desire to experiment in global water polo. The opinion of a coach is not decisive—Tucak asserted.

He presented an alternative idea:

– Firstly, we should consider allowing a greater number of time-outs. This resonates well with audiences, and it would provide coaches more opportunities for strategic adjustments. Additionally, breaks should be extended from three to five minutes, as most sports incorporate a halftime. Perhaps a bonus time-out could be included in the last two minutes, similar to basketball—Tucak concluded.

News