The rules do not make mention of what happens if a player stands on the circle and accidentally the boule that he or she is about to play falls or drops off from the hand. Is there a rule?

I would suggest that in a formal competition it would be considered a throw.

After all we have all have had throws that were considerably worse than what we would have hoped for.

How do you determine what was a genuine accident and what was just a poor throw?

I would hope that for a social game with beginners that the person would be allowed to throw the boule again.

What spirit the game is played in depends on a lot of things.

Assuming you meant the player is standing "in" the circle (not "on" the circle as stated in the question), the boule has to be considered as having been played.

That's why the rules are quite specific about standing in the circle.

Having said that, I've always let a player who has dropped a boule (its fairly obvious) by accident, replay it. I have always had the same courtesy extended to myself on the odd occasion I've dropped a boule when getting down to crouch point.

After reading all the comments is now obvious to me that there is no rule that addresses the situation. What really should be easy to recognize is what constitutes a bad throw and an accidentally dropped boule. In orther to throw a boule one must swing ones throwing arm in a forward motion and, if the boule is released prematurely, it will end-up being an inaccurate or bad throw.
The dropped boule that I am referring to is one for which no attempt of swinging the arm has been made, but instead, as one position oneself to prepare for the play, one just drop the boule perpendicular to the ground, in front of the circle, and the boule may roll for about one meter or less.

I never have seen that a boule was invalid when a player dropped his boule accidently. And I was at many, may world and European championships, big French tournaments and the last French championship for triples. If there is no intention to throw, there isn't a throw!

Article 24 – Throwing Boules Contrary to the Rules.
Any boule thrown contrary to the rules is dead and, if marked, everything it has moved in its travel is put back in place. The same applies to any boule played from a circle other than that from which the jack was thrown.

However, the opponent may play the advantage rule and declare it to be valid. In this case, the boule pointed or shot is valid and everything it has displaced remains in its place.


My thoughts are if you were playing people who are pedantic and difficult if you drop the boule it has been played.

If you were standing in the circle it is a valid throw if you were not standing in the circle the boule is dead.

Clearly are if you were playing people who are this pedantic and difficult you may choose not to play with them in future.

At what stage

Article 37 – Incorrect Behaviour
The player who is guilty of incorrect conduct, or worse, showing violence towards an official, an Umpire, another player or a spectator incurs one or several of the following penalties, depending on the seriousness of the offence:
(1) Exclusion from the competition.
(2) Withdrawal of licence.
(3) Confiscation or restitution of rewards and prizes.
The penalty imposed on the guilty player can also be imposed on his or her team-mates.
Penalties (1) and (2) are imposed by the Umpire.
Penalty (3) is imposed by the Organising Committee which, within 48 hours, sends a report with the rewards and prizes retained to the Association’s Organisation which will decide their destination.
In all cases, the Chairman of the Committee for the Association concerned will make the final decision.


Would apply may depend on the situation and possibly if the umpire has the capacity to stand up to the individuals who are behaving poorly.

Realistically umpires are often average people as well and may sometimes struggle to display leadership under difficult circumstances.

I am personally aware of instances of racism and abuse that have not been acted on in the local league competition.

From my casual observations the league competition where I live is not growing.

My observations are only casual because I no longer play in formal competitions because of the common and excessive occurrence of puerile and poor behaviour.

As I understand locally tactics such as sledging and time wasting are considered important enough that some coaches spend time actually teaching how to do this.

Are sledging and time wasting good for petanque?

I suppose if they are being taught as a skill they must be.

I must agree, formal and/or social... a boule obviously dropped by accident is clearly not a boule thrown badly.

Think about the consequences from such a harsh penalty... if you invalidate the dropped boule, then you're giving the opposing team a big advantage!

The other situation I can think of, is when a team is mistaken about who has the closest point. This happens when teams are lazy about walking down to the boule layout and measuring which boule is closest. Of course it should always be the responsibility of the team about the play a boule to check whether or not it is necessary (who has the point).

The only time I allow players to take back a boule in a "misjudged closeness" situation is when, in social playing, the opposing team made a bad call "as a favor" for the other team, the boule was rolled but didn't disturb anything, and then it was discovered that that team didn't have to play b/c their previous boule had the point.

BUT, if their boule disturbed unmarked boules/cochonnet then I let it remain where it was and let the other team then play.

I can see how a vigorous literal interpretation of the rules can avoid an argument - and there is a saying that "ignorance of the law is not a defense" but sometimes an application of a harsh penalty when a clear accident has occured is not in the spirit of the game - and can cause bad feelings among the players.

Again, I'm sorry, a misinterpretation of the rules. A thrown boule, even it isn't played according the rules (i.e. when it was to the opponent to play) can never played again! An umpire can decide to nullify such a boule. If not, the boule stays where it is!!! Ask your internatiol umpire and president (I presume that you are English) Mike Pegg.

Jac,

You said,

"A thrown boule, even it isn't played according the rules (i.e. when it was to the opponent to play) can never [be] played again! An umpire can decide to nullify such a boule. If not, the boule stays where it is!!!"

Regarding the phrase, "...can never be played again," what about Article 8 which requires the starting team to replay a boule when the distance of the thrown jack is determined to be invalid?

Or Article 15 relating to a boule stopped by a jack or boule from another game? Or one stopped by an animal or footbal [etc]?

Or Article 19 regarding a boule stopped by an opponent?

And when you say [unless nullified by an umpire], "...the boule stays where it is!!!", what about when a boule is stopped by a member of its own team? That boule would be dead according to Article 19. And Aricle 23 says that ,"Any boule thrown contrary to the rules is dead".

If your answer was directed only at the situation originally put forth ( dropped boule), I wanted to make sure everyone understood that to be the case and didn't try to make it apply to every situation. You've been very helpful to me in the past when explaining interpretations.

Of course, I meant to say that a boule cannot be replayed if it is not played according the rules. But it would be very childish to consider an accidently dropped boule as a thrown boule!

When the distance is not according to the rules, the first boule has to be played again if the opponent that demands. Remember that there is always the advantage rule ! When in that case, the second boule is played, the first one never can be played again.

And indeed, when a boule is stopped accidently by a boule of jack from another game, or by an animal of a moving object, the boule has to be played again (or may be; in fact it's a privilege!).

If a boule is stopped by a team member, the boule will be dead. If the boule is stopped by an opponent player, it's the choice of the player to leave the boule where it is or to play again (again, the advantage rule).

When the distance is not according to the rules, the first boule has to be played again if the opponent that demands. Remember that there is always the advantage rule ! When in that case, the second boule is played, the first one never can be played again.

N.B. And don't forget that in this case (the distance not according the rules) the jack also must be thrown again!