the goalie can swing at the ball with a closed fist without being penalised. Advantage rule If an offensive player, such as the centre forward, has possession of the ball in front of the goal, the defensive player tries to steal the ball or to keep the centre from shooting or passing. If the defender cannot achieve these aims, he may commit a foul intentionally. The hole set then is given a free throw but must pass off the ball to another offensive player, rather than making a direct shot at the goal. Defensive perimeter players may also intentionally cause a minor foul and then move toward the goal, away from their attacker, who must take a free throw. This technique, called sloughing, allows the defense an opportunity to double-team the hole set and possibly steal the inbound pass. The referee may refrain from declaring a foul, if in his judgment this would give the advantage to the offender's team. This is known as the Advantage Rule. Injuries Water polo is a contact sport, with little protective gear besides swim suits and caps with ear protectors, and thus injuries are common. Among the most frequent serious injuries are those affecting the head and shoulders. Those induced to the head are usually caused by elbows or the ball itself, while shoulder injuries are a result of grabbing and pushing while throwing the ball or simply of repetitive overexertion of joints and muscles when taking hard shots. The hands and fingers are vulnerable areas, due to contact when opponents attempt to steal the ball, or when players block shots. Other injuries take place underwater, such as leg and groin injuries, as many actions cannot be seen from above the surface and not much padding is used to protect the players. Sunburn is a common minor injury in outdoor matches. Players often don't apply sunscreen as it makes their skin, and hence the ball, slippery; FINA and most state governing bodies forbid the use of copious sunscreen to make the body harder for the opposing team to grip. Variations Inner tube water polo is a style of water polo in which players, excluding the goalkeeper, are required to float in inner tubes. By floating in an inner tube players expend less energy than traditional water polo players, not having to tread water. This allows casual players to enjoy water polo without undertaking the