Question 7 -Distraction, Moving 5-bar When Shooting...

1.  Before I start, thanks for putting the time into your web site, and offering this type of assistance, it's greatly appreciated! My question...playing in a Tornado tournament, a forward shooting a pull shot, sets up the shot, waits a short time examining the defense, then lifts both his five row (towards the rear), and his three row quickly, then shoots the ball in straight. The rules on distractions have been interpreted differently by different people, and I wanted to get your advice on this. (illegal)  Obviously, the shooter feels he's within the rules, and is not creating a distraction by lifting his five row before his shot. It seems to me that the entire premise of his motion is to distract the goalie, but, as I said before, that has not been resolved. Can you shed some light on this please? 
Again, thanks in advance for your advice. You can return to this email address. Best Regards, 
Dan M. Lincoln, Nebraska

2.  Hello,  The following Question has been a long time problem!  When playing singles and the ball on your three row with your right hand grasping the handle, your left hand is positioning the other rows, shooting the ball at the same time,  Is this OK? (no) Even if your left hand has not been on the a handle for a full second.  Please let me know so that we can foos on.
Richard R.

3.  Before a serve, or during play, I will sometimes position my forward players upside down (Fine). I do this so there are less obstacles to my opponent's goal. However, my opponents claim this is cheating, that the players are not meant to stand on their heads (Tell that to Pele). I say the realities of real soccer don't apply and that I am free to position my own players however I feel like doing (Do real soccer players have a rod in them?). I also think it would be hard to distinguish between accidentally or deliberately setting the players upside down (tru dat). What do you think?
Chris R.

Answer
See Official rule #18

1.  You can move the 5-row, a little, DURING or AFTER the shot, this rule is there to allow for natural body motion.  But, you can NOT move anything BEHIND the ball right before you shoot, you must wait at least a second.  So if you where playing singles and you moved the goalie rod then shot from the 3-rod, that would be illegal.  But, if you had the ball on the 5-rod and you moved the 3-rod then shot from the 5-rod, that would be okay because you have to be able to move the 3-rod to be able to pass etc, and the 3 rod is in front of the 5-rod so that is ok.
2.  Moving the 3 rod in a funny way before you shoot is fine, but you can not move the 5 rod in a distracting way before you shoot.  So the 5-bar part is what makes this illegal.
3.  You could play the whole game with your 3-rod upside down, and that would be fine.  If I were to shoot from the 5-row, I would flip my 3-row up first.  Every time you shoot from goal area you lift your 5 and 3-row, so what is the argument even about.  You can do lot's of stuff with the 3-row and that is fine and if you wait a second before you shoot, you can do a great deal at the table and it is still okay.  Answer: LEGAL.

-stacey, foosball.com staff and certified official