What are the misconduct sanctions and which cards do I show?

Question

Accepted Answer

From the FIVB Rules 2025-2028 (Rule 21), applied at VA championships. Only the 1st referee sanctions misconduct, and all misconduct sanctions are individual, stay in force for the whole match and are recorded on the score sheet. Repeat offences by the same person are sanctioned progressively.

Minor misconduct (no sanction): Stage 1 is a verbal warning through the game captain. Stage 2 is a yellow card to the team member, which is recorded but has no immediate consequence.

Sanctioned misconduct has three categories: rude conduct (contrary to good manners), offensive conduct (insulting words or gestures, or contempt) and aggression (physical attack or threatening behaviour).

Offence	Sanction	Card
First rude conduct in the match	Penalty: a point and service to the opponent	Red
First offensive conduct, or second rude conduct (same person)	Expulsion	Red and yellow together
First physical attack or threatened aggression, second offensive conduct, or third rude conduct	Disqualification	Red and yellow separately

An expelled player must be substituted immediately (legally or exceptionally if on court) and cannot take part for the rest of the set. A disqualified person is substituted immediately and leaves for the rest of the match. An expelled coach loses the right to intervene for the set.

At VA championships, if there is no designated penalty area, an expelled team member must remain seated on the bench for the rest of the set (2026 VA Indoor Handbook, section 28).

Misconduct before or between sets is sanctioned the same way, and the sanction applies in the following set.