What are ordinary fouls?

An ordinary foul gives the other team a free throw, with no exclusion and no personal foul (World Aquatics rules, Part Six, Article 8). Common ones:

• A false start (leaving your goal line before the Referee's signal at the start of a period), or moving the goal before the start.
• Holding or pushing off from the goal posts or the sides or ends of the pool.
• Touching the bottom of the pool (standing, walking or jumping off it), except the goalkeeper in their own 6 m area.
• Touching the ball with two hands at once, or hitting it with a clenched fist (except the goalkeeper in their 6 m area).
• Taking or holding the whole ball underwater when tackled or to hide it.
• Pushing or pushing off from an opponent who is dribbling or not holding the ball.
• Being in the opponent's 2 m goal area unless behind the line of the ball.
• Simulation (pretending to have been fouled), deliberately giving the ball away, or getting physical help from a team-mate.
• Swimming fully underwater to gain position.
• Taking a free throw, goal throw, corner throw or penalty throw the wrong way, or with undue delay.
• Holding the ball past the shot clock.