Invented in the late nineteenth century in Great Britain and played in many countries around the world, notably including Hungary, the game involves teams of seven players, with a ball similar in size to a soccer ball but constructed out of waterproof nylon. The goal of the game is to throw the ball into the team's goal net at the end of the pool, and prevent the opposition from doing so at the other end of the pool.
Dimensions of the water polo pool are not fixed and can vary between 20 x 10 and 30 x 20 metres, and are filled with water to a minimum depth of at least 1.8 metres. The goals are 3 metres wide. One player on each team is designated the goalkeeper, and their primary job is to guard the goals, deflecting or catching any shots at goal.
Players can move the ball by throwing it to a teammate or swimming whilst pushing the ball in front of them. Players are not permitted to push the ball underwater, or push or hold the opposition (though considerable amounts of holding and pushing do occur under the water where referees cannot see it occurring).
At long range from the goals, shots at goal are usually easy for goalkeepers to stop, but from closer in are very difficult. Hence, offensive and defensive tactics often superficially resemble basketball.
Men's water polo has been an Olympic sport for many years, but women's water polo was only introduced in the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games after political protests from the Australian women's team. Such protests were rewarded when Australia won the gold medal match against the United States with a "buzzer-beater" last-minute goal.
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