What:
Two or more defensive players are within 3 metres of the thrower and are not guarding any other players.

Result:
The offence may call “double team” unless all “extra” defenders can claim they are guarding (within three meters of an offensive player and are reacting to that offensive player) another offensive player, or if they are merely running across the area.

Note:
In zone defence it is common for a defender to come within 3 metres of the thrower when another offensive player enters into that same area. To avoid a double team the defender must be guarding that offensive player, which can include attempting to stop a pass to that offensive player.If the defence does not believe they have committed a double team infraction they may call contest and play shall stop – they cannot just ignore the call.Any number of defensive players are allowed to guard the same offensive receiver.

Extra:
When a double team is called and is accepted, the marker must first wait for the illegal positioning to be corrected (18.1.4) and then resume the stall count with the number last fully uttered before the call, minus one (1) (18.1.3).Any offensive player may make a double team call, however if the call is not made by the thrower, the call should be made loud enough for the thrower and marker to hear. If the thrower echoes a double team call made by a teammate, this should be treated as the same double team call (eg the stall count needs only to be reduced one time.)If a defender intentionally double teams the thrower, with no regard for any other offensive players, and gets a block, this can be addressed by rule 1.2.1.