Art. 2.4.3 of the FIBA official rules (approved 4th July 2017) says that

The free-throw line shall be drawn parallel to each endline. It shall have its furthest edge 5.80 m from the inner edge of the endline and shall be 3.60 m long

But in Diagram 2 of the same rules, the free-throw line is 4.9 m long (and not 3.6)

Am I missing something?


That 4.9 m line in Diagram 2 is the extended free-throw line, used for defining the restricted area. The centre 3.6 m of that line, where it joins the free-throw semi-circle, is the free-throw line itself. When taking a free throw, a player must

Take a position behind the free-throw line and inside the semi-circle.

(Art 43.2.3). If they took a position behind either of the 0.65 m extensions of the free-throw line, they would be in an incorrect position.

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