"sudden death") periods to settle ties with the clock stopping when the ball becomes dead.

[1] Roller hockey was a demonstration rollersport in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona.

Other countries, such as France, Brazil, Germany, Switzerland, Andorra and England are regular international competitors, but rarely overcome the traditional powers.

[citation needed] The first recorded hardball roller hockey game was played in 1878 at the Denmark Rink in London, England.

[3][5] The sport was introduced into the United States in 1882 with the formation of the National Roller Polo League in Dayton, Ohio, with teams in seven cities.

[6] Roller Hockey was played by the famous silent film stars, Stan Laurel and Charlie Chaplin, in the early 1900s.

[6] During its existence, British Pathé produced a handful of film reels showing roller hockey outdoors as a part of life in different areas of the world.

Another reel taken in the UK shows men competing in an outdoor enclosure[9] and titled, "Roller Hockey at Victoria Park, London (Wasps v Wanderers)".

The film was shot at a seaside town in southern Holland at a popular resort called Scheveningen while crowd of people watched, "from the sea front promenade".

Roller hockey was present as an exhibition sport at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.

In other languages, it is known as hockey sobre patines, hockey pista, hóquei em patins, hokej na koturaljkama, rulleskøjtehockey, rullskridskohockey and rulluisuhoki The rink has usually a polished wooden surface, but any flat, non-abrasive and non-slippery material such as treated cement is acceptable.

Likewise, it is allowed for rink owners to put advertisements in the playing area, as long as they don't interfere with ball or skate motion, which includes both physically (must be at exactly the same level as the remaining area) and visually (dark colours or any other pattern which can mask the ball).

Behind the goals there is a 4 m high net, even if there are no stands (to avoid the ball bouncing back from a wall and hitting a player).