FLOPPERS will now be immediately assessed with technical fouls in one of the long-overdue rule changes to be enforced for the 47th season of the PBA.
A memo obtained by Spin.ph showed the rules regarding flopping were among the biggest changes enforced for the upcoming season. Now a flop will "merit an outright non-unsportsmanlike technical foul in addition to the usual monetary fines."
Previous rules slapped a player found guilty of flopping with only monetary fines.
[See Three players who committed most flops in 2019 PBA Finals]
Aside from that, the league also made changes regarding deliberate fouls, stating that it can be called when a defender fouls an offensive player during transition without the ball. In the past, duty fouls such as those are only deemed as ordinary fouls.
Also among the changes are players calling timeouts. Previously, a player who gains control of the ball may ask for a timeout even if he is lying down on the floor. That will no longer be allowed starting this season.

Beginning this season, the PBA will also consider a "side-swipe motion" that initiated contact as a non-shooting act, and therefore will not merit free throws unless the opposing team is already in the penalty.
Referees will also be a little more lenient in throwing players out. Unlike before, game officials can now issue a warning even to players who previously incurred a flagrant foul.
During a free throw situation, players who stand beyond the three-point arc can now enter the shaded area once the ball is released by the free throw shooter without being called for a lane violation. The free throw shooter, however, must remain in his position until the ball touches the rim.
These six rule changes were already enforced during preseason tuneup games and will take effect starting this Sunday.
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