Marking Distance Meaning in Netball

Marking distance is the required space a defender must maintain from the player with the ball. Netball rules state that a defender must be at least 0.9 meters away from the attacker. The measurement starts from the landing foot of the attacker to the nearest foot of the defender. If a player stands too close, the umpire calls an obstruction penalty against them. A goal keeper checks their marking distance before stretching their arms out to defend. This rule ensures the player with the ball has enough room to make a pass. Defenders often take a small step back to ensure they remain at a legal distance. One real-world example features a defender measuring the gap with their eyes.