# Law 31: Goaltending and Basket Interference (FIBA Official Basketball Rules)

Basketball · Law 31: Goaltending and Basket Interference · Insporta Book (https://book.insporta.app/basketball/laws/law-31-goaltending-and-basket-interference/)

When a shot starts and ends, goaltending on field goals and free throws, the six kinds of basket interference and the points or throw-in that follow.

## 31.311 Goaltending

The life of a shot and when it may not be touched.

### Test 1: Goaltending on field goals and free throws

- A shot starts when the ball leaves the hand or hands of a player in the act of shooting. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 31.1.1)
- A shot ends when the ball touches the ring, touches the floor, goes in, has no chance of going in or becomes dead. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 31.1.1)
- Above the ring, the ball may not be touched on its downward flight or after it has touched the backboard. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 31.2.1)
- Goaltending needs the ball on its downward flight or after the backboard; a rising ball may be blocked. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 31.2.1)
- The lay-up had already hit the board, so touching it above the ring is a violation by the defender. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 31.2.1)
- On a free throw, touching the ball in flight before it touches the ring is goaltending. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 31.2.2)
- The goaltending restrictions apply until the ball has no possibility to enter the basket or has touched the ring. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 31.2.3)
- Touching the ball on its way down, above the ring, gives the shooter his points. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 31.2.1, 31.3.2)
- The shot ends at the first of these: here the ring. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 31.1.1)
- Above the ring and on the way down is goaltending; on the way up, after the ring or with no chance it is not. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 31.2.1, 31.2.3)

## 31.312 Basket Interference and the Penalty

Touching the basket and the ball near it, and what each side is given.

### Test 1: Basket interference

- Touching the basket or the backboard while the ball is in contact with the ring is basket interference. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 31.2.4)
- Reaching through the basket from below and touching the ball is basket interference. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 31.2.4)
- With the ball within the basket, a defender may not touch it or the basket and keep it from passing through. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 31.2.4)
- Grasping the basket or making it vibrate so that the ball bounces unnaturally is basket interference. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 31.2.4)
- With another free throw to follow, touching the ball, basket or backboard while the ball can still go in is interference. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 31.2.4)
- After the end signal, no player may touch the ball after it has touched the ring while it can still go in. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 31.2.5)
- With a whistle during the act of shooting or a shot in flight, all goaltending and interference restrictions apply. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 31.2.5)
- Grasping the ring while the ball rests on it is one of the six kinds of interference. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 31.2.4)
- A rising touch and a tap after the ring are both legal. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 31.2.1, 31.2.3)
- A ball that has bounced away with no chance of going in may be played; the other three are interference. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 31.2.4)

### Test 2: Points, throw-ins and the last free throw

- When an attacker commits the violation, no points can be awarded and possession passes to the opponents. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 31.3.1)
- A defensive violation awards the points the shot was worth: 2 from the 2-point area. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 31.3.2)
- Beyond the arc means a 3-point try, so 3 are awarded. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 31.3.2)
- A defensive violation on a free throw awards 1 point. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 31.3.2)
- On a last free throw, 1 point is awarded and a category 2 technical foul penalty is charged against the defender. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 31.3.3)
- The awarding of points is treated as if the ball had entered the basket. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 31.3.2)
- The throw-in after an offensive goaltending or interference is taken at the free-throw line extended. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 31.3.1)
- The points awarded are the shot's value, as if it had gone in. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 31.3.2)
- 1, 2 or 3 points, by where the shot was released. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 31.3.2, 31.3.3)
- A defender's goaltending awards the shot's value, here 3 from the 3-point area. (Source: FIBA OBR 2026, Art. 31.3.2)

Sources: FIBA Official Basketball Rules 2026 (v1.1), Article 31 (paraphrased in original wording; original questions authored from the Rules, not reproduced)

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