Can I defend with my legs as wide as I want?

There have been some discussions in our club whether one can defend an opponent with a stance that is wider than normal. Some people have argued that it is obstruction if you, closer than 0.9 m, defend with your feet and legs wide (let’s say wider than shoulder width for the purpose of explaining). This argument is understandable from the perspective of the attacker who wants to pass a defender in order to get the ball or attain a better position. However, the argument has no support within the official rules.

Rule 16.4 (Obstruction of a player not in possession of the ball) and more specifically rule 16.4.1 states:

“A player is obstructing, if within the distance of 0.9 m (3 feet) measured on the ground from an opponent without the ball, any movements are employed by that player, whether attacking or defending, which take the arms away from the body, other than those involved in natural body balance.”

The rule does not involve any information regarding the position of feet and legs. This makes sense, because some people have a body balance including a natural position of feet and legs that is wider than the width of their shoulders. Also, while running or sidestepping, your legs will naturally be wider than while standing.

It would be theoretically possible to have a rule that states that your feet, while defending (or attacking), cannot be wider than shoulder width. But this would probably lead to more subjective decisions from the umpires during a game and thus be impractical. Therefore, being able to stand or sidestep or run with as wide a stance as you want, is the right way to go. As an attacker playing against a defender with very wide legs, you still have the option/possibility of dodging and running faster and break free this way. You can also choose another strategy: bring your defender with you further away from the ball and the action of the game, consequently creating more space for your teammates. There are most likely more ways to handle a defender with wide legs.

One also has to think that, at a very wide stance, it is much harder to keep the balance and move fast in any direction. So, keeping your legs wider as a defender may only be an option if the opposing player is slower than you or clumsier (thus running into you all the time).

Last but not least, rule 16.4.1 does state that your arms cannot be taken away from the body in whatever way you want. This is a related, yet a different issue.