Question:  If a player is fouled going in for a lay-up and a defender pulls on the rim as the ball is coming off the backboard is the basket good?  Is the shooter awarded just one free throw or is the play dead on the foul and the shooter is awarded two shots?

Answer:  This is a very difficult play for an official to judge but if a defender grasps the ring in such a way that it prevents the ball from entering the basket then basket interference must be called and two points awarded.  If the defender grasps the ring while the ball is in contact with the ring it is basket interference and two points are awarded.

When points are awarded, the player who was fouled shall be awarded one free throw.

If the official rules that no violation has occurred, two free throws are awarded for the foul in the act-of-shooting!

Question:  When there is an over and back violation in FIBA rules, is the ball in-bounded from the mid-court line or the nearest location to where the ball is touched or goes out of bounds?

Answer:  The mid-court line is part of the back court, therefore, all over and back violations are administered in the front court. The thrower-in does not have the right to throw the ball into their back court.  The ball would be in-bounded at the nearest spot to the infraction (where it was touched) – this could be the sideline or baseline.