Editing Field hockey (section)

====Free hits====
Free hits are awarded when offences are committed outside the scoring circles (the term 'free hit' is standard usage but the ball need not be hit). The ball may be hit, pushed or lifted in any direction by the team offended against. The ball can be lifted from a free hit but not by hitting, the ball must be flicked or scooped to lift from a free hit. (In previous versions of the rules, hits in the area outside the circle in open play have been permitted but lifting one direction from a free hit was prohibited). Opponents must move {{convert|5|m|yd|abbr=on}}<!-- 5 m is the distance used in most of the world, only US high school rules mandate 7 yards. Please don't change--> from the ball when a free hit is awarded. A free hit must be taken from within playing distance of the place of the offence for which it was awarded and the ball must be stationary when the free hit is taken.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Field Hockey Rules and Fouls |url=https://longstreth.com/pages/field-hockey-rules-fouls |access-date=2025-02-28 |website=Longstreth Sporting Goods |language=en}}</ref>

As mentioned above, a 15&nbsp;m hit is awarded if an attacking player commits a foul forward of that line, or if the ball passes over the back line off an attacker. These free hits are taken in-line with where the foul was committed (taking a line parallel with the sideline between where the offence was committed, or the ball went out of play). When an attacking free hit is awarded within 5&nbsp;m of the circle everyone including the person taking the penalty must be five meters from the circle and everyone apart from the person taking the free hit must be five meters away from the ball. When taking an attacking free hit, the ball may not be hit straight into the circle if the hitting player is within their attacking 23-meter area (25-yard area). It has to travel 5 meters before going in.