FENA C Umpiring Award
There are two components for the FENA C Umpire Award, a written test and a practical assessment. The written paper comprises 20 questions that require either a YES or a NO answer. The test has a 30-minute time limit and candidates should achieve at least an 85% pass rate (ie correctly answer 17 of the 20 questions).
The All England Netball Association has approved the use a sample paper, a copy of which follows.
- May an Umpire decide to penalise a fault in the other Umpire's half of the Court if she decides the controlling Umpire has not seen it?
- At Start of Play, the game shall be started by the umpire into whose half the play is to be directed. Is this also true when play is re-started after a goal is scored?
- May an injured player return to the game at a later stage if no substitution was made?
- Is a Wing Attack offside if she leans on the ball in the shooting circle without making contact with the ground?
- If a player enters an offside area should the penalty awarded be a Penalty Pass or Shot?
- Is a ball which hits any part of the Goalpost and rebounds into play, out of Court?
- Is it true that a player who is in Court holding the ball is deemed out of Court when any object or person outside the Court is touched by that player?
- At a Centre Pass, if one player enters the Centre Third before the whistle is blown, should a Penalty Pass be awarded to the opposing team where the infringement occurred?
- If the ball from the Centre Pass goes untouched over the Side Line bounding the Goal Third, is a Throw In awarded to the opposing team where the ball crossed the Side Line?
- May a player throw the ball while lying on the ground?
- May a player who has dropped the ball then bounce it towards another player?
- May a player jump, catch the ball in the air and land on both feet simultaneously, then move either foot to gain balance?
- After the whistle for Start of Play, a Centre takes a long step outside the centre circle, lifts the other foot and then passes the ball. Is this allowed?
- Does play continue if a player other than the GS or GA throws the ball through the goal ring?
- A GS retrieves the ball whilst landing on one foot outside the Goal Circle, steps into the Circle onto the second foot and prepares to shoot. Is this allowed?
- From the correct distance, may a defending player step towards a player who is holding the ball?
- When a player catches the ball while standing on both feet and then moves one foot, a defending player must measure 0.9m (3 ft) from the foot that remains grounded. Is this correct?
- Should an Umpire award a Penalty Pass or Shot if a player accidentally knocks the ball from her opponent's hands?
- Is it correct that only contact which impedes an opponent's play should be penalised?
- At a Toss Up, should the umpire release the ball midway between the two players at waist height?
Sample Paper 1 (Amended in May 1999)

So how have you done? The answers, with some comments follow:
.
.
.
.
.
.
- No.
- No.
- Yes.
- No.
- No. (But a free pass should be awarded!)
- No.
- Yes.
- No. (The game has not started. The game cannot be started by the umpires until all players are "on-side")
- No. (The "Over a third" rule applies in preference to the "Out of Court" rule)
- No.
- No.
- Yes.
- Yes.
- Yes.
- No.
- No.
- Yes.
- Yes.
- Yes.
- No. (Ball should be placed in at the shoulder height of the smallest player).
If you'd like to have another attempt, follow this link to Test Paper No.2

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