WPHU – League Rules

1. Registration of Players
2. Identity Cards/Authenticity of Players
3. Transfer of Players
4. League Format
5. Results
6. Promotion, Relegation and Challenging
7. Definition of a Team
8. Relegation of Players
9. Substitutions
10. Official Matches
11. Grounds
12. Misconduct
13. Postponement of Fixtures
14. Procedure to Play Postponed Matches
15. Appeals
16. Fines

 

1. REGISTRATION OF PLAYERS

• 1.1. Each club shall register the names of each of its players with the League Secretary before 10 April 2010. The completed SAHA spreadsheet must be submitted to the League Secretary by 30th April 2010.
• 1.2. Registration of players with the Union is compulsory. Failure to submit lists of names of players and all required details – R500 fine, plus an additional fine of R200 for every calendar month or part thereof in which registration is not submitted.
• 1.3. Late-joining members may be registered immediately. The League Secretary is to be informed in writing before the start of the match in which the player is to take part. Acceptable forms of notification include email and SMS messages.
• 1.4. Should a team use an unregistered player in a league match, the match shall be awarded to the opposition. The defaulting team will also incur a fine of R500.

 

2. IDENTITY CARDS/AUTHENTICITY OF PLAYERS

• 2.1. All players participating in matches under the auspices of the WPHU shall be registered and in possession of an identity document. The Identity document shall contain the name, ID number and a photograph of the player. Acceptable forms of identification include an SA identity document, driver's licence or student card.
• 2.2. The opposing captain shall have the right to examine such identification of any member of the opposing team. Any player unable to satisfactorily identify him or herself will be ineligible to play in that match.
• 2.3. Should a team have a query regarding the authenticity of a player or his right to play in the team, the opposing team will have the right to lodge a protest with the technical table where applicable or the umpires, but the match will proceed as scheduled. The protest is to be lodged telephonically with the league secretary within 24 hours of the match being played and confirmed in writing within 72 hours of the game being played.

 

3. TRANSFER OF PLAYERS

• 3.1. No player shall represent more than one club during the outdoor season without obtaining written clearance from the club the player intends leaving, the clearance shall be sent to the WPHU office. This can be transacted via electronic mail.

 

4. LEAGUE FORMAT

• 4.1. For 2010, the MGC, MTC, LGC and LTC leagues will consist of twelve teams and play a single round robin. At the conclusion of this round of fixtures each of these leagues will be divided into an A and B section comprising the top and bottom six placed teams respectively. A further round of fixtures will then be played within the A and B sections on a round robin basis. The venues for these fixtures shall be the reverse of those in the first round. All points and goals scored and conceded records will be carried over to the second round. This format will be reviewed for 2011 no later than March 2010.
• 4.2. The M2, M3, M4, M5, L2, L3 and L4 leagues will consist of ten teams and play a double round robin.
• 4.3. The lowest leagues (M6 and L5) will be drawn up and structured according to the number of teams entered and thus may play a different system. The lowest leagues will be finalised no later than in the third week of fixtures. The League Secretary will provide a written addendum to these rules to set out the format for the lowest leagues.
• 4.4. No club may have more than two teams in any one league, except in the lowest league.
• 4.5. It is the responsibility of clubs to check the home/away venues for the season. Should clubs have not contacted the league secretary by the 31st March 2010 regarding imbalances/errors, the fixtures will remain as published and no changes will be allowed.

 

5. RESULTS

• 5.1. Bonus Points System for 2010:
  
  • A winning team earns four points
  • A draw earns 2 points
  • A loss earns 0 points
  • A team which scores 4 or more goals earns a Bonus point
  • A loss by one goal difference earns a Bonus point
  In any situation where a match is conceded or points are awarded to one of the teams, the recorded score will be 5-0 in goals and four points, and a bonus point will be awarded. A fine shall also be levied as stipulated in paragraph 13.
• 5.2. The ranking of the leagues shall be decided by the number of points gained. In the event of teams having equal points,
• 5.2.1. the better goal difference will decide; and if that is also identical,
• 5.2.2. the more "goals for" total will decide the issue.
• 5.2.3. Should this also be identical, the result of the matches played between the teams involved will decide.
• 5.2.4. Should the situation still be unable to be resolved, the Executive Committee will give a ruling on the issue.
• 5.3. In the event of a team failing to fulfil a fixture without having informed a club the opponents will be awarded five points, a 5-0 score and the defaulting club will be fined R500.
• 5.4. In the event of a team conceding a match (unless for reasons acceptable to the league secretary and sanctioned by the Executive Committee) within less than 24 hours preceding the scheduled date, the opponents will be awarded five points, a 5-0 score and the defaulting club may be fined up to R500 could be implemented.
• 5.5. Each team shall keep a record of its players for each league match on an official match card. This match card is to be completed with the FULL NAMES of all players participating in this match and is to be handed to the technical table where applicable or the opposing captain before the commencement of the match. The match card is to be signed by the umpires to reflect the official score of the match and the names of players awarded penalty cards. These match cards are to be submitted to the hockey office within 72 hours of the match being played. Failure to have completed match cards will result in the team not being allowed to take the field and 5.4. will apply.
• 5.6. Failure to submit match cards or copies to the hockey office by the stipulated time will result in a fine of R20 for each outstanding card. Match cards may be submitted to WPHU by facsimile or email, but original cards must be submitted to the WPHU office within three weeks of the match.
• 5.7. Each club shall forward the results to the League secretary, by 17h00 on the first working day after the match. Failure to do so will result in a fine of R200.

 

6. PROMOTION, RELEGATION AND CHALLENGING

• 6.1. End of season promotion or relegation will be automatic. Between the M/LGC and M/LTC there shall be automatic promotion and relegation of ONE team. Should the team winning M/LTC be ineligible for promotion in terms of paragraph 4.4, then the highest eligible team will be promoted provided that this team finishes within the top three places of M/LTC. Should there be no eligible team willing to be promoted then no team will be relegated from M/LGC.
• 6.2. Between all other leagues, TWO teams will be relegated and TWO teams will be promoted at the end of the season. Should more than one team withdraw from a league during the course of the season, the team with the lowest points will remain in that league and the appropriate number of teams from the league below will be promoted to restore the correct numbers. Should the team finishing in one of the top places be ineligible for promotion in terms of paragraph 4.4, then the next highest eligible team will be promoted provided that this team finishes within the top five places of that league. Should there be less than two eligible teams willing to be promoted then the number of teams to be relegated from the higher league will be reduced accordingly.
• 6.3. No challenge matches shall be played.

 

7. DEFINITION OF A TEAM

• 7.1. A team consists of a squad of up to 16 players. Should a team field a squad in excess of eleven players, the entire squad shall be deemed to be members of that team and may not play for another team at any time, unless the normal rules of relegation and/or reversion have been followed. (This applies particularly to any one weekend round of fixtures - i.e. a player may not play for one team on one day and then for another on the next). Any substitute is considered to be a member of that team.
• 7.2. A maximum of 5 substitutes and 4 management staff may be seated on the team bench. No other persons shall be allowed within the playing area.

 

8. RELEGATION OF PLAYERS

• 8.1. No Club shall relegate players from any of its teams which has a bye or for whatever reason, no scheduled fixtures, or which has completed its matches, nor may a player be relegated for the sake of strengthening a lower team. (This constitutes "reversion" and will result in the lower team losing the points, having a score of 0-5 recorded and the club being fined R500).
• 8.2. In the case of a higher team player being relegated to a lower team, this player shall remain in the lower team for two consecutive matches. Should a higher team player not be available the player may return to the higher team but permission must be obtained from the League Secretary.
• 8.3. No player from a higher team shall play in a lower team in the event of the lower team being short of player/s.
• 8.4. The penalty for breach of this rule shall be the forfeiture of points and penalties for the team in which the player relegated played in addition to a fine as decided by Council at the February meeting.

 

9. SUBSTITUTIONS

• 9.1. Players from a team squad may not play again in a lower team in any weekend of fixtures.
• 9.2. When a higher team is short of players, a lower team player who has already played, may fill such a vacancy, but only as an emergency and not as a general rule. An emergency is considered to be:
• 9.2.1. a player who withdraws from a team no more than one hour before the scheduled time of the match;
• 9.2.2. a player who does not arrive for the match for whatever reason;
• 9.2.3. if a player is injured while en route to the match or during the warm-up period. If a team has a squad of 11 or more players, no emergency substitution of one player is allowed. Under no circumstances may a player who has already played for a higher team, play again for a lower team in the same round of fixtures.
• 9.3. The general rule is that no player may play for two different teams in any one week of fixtures - including preplayed or postponed matches.
• 9.3.1. The exception is that in leagues below Town Challenge, a goalkeeper may play for a lower team in a field position. A player who normally plays in a field position may act as a goal-keeper in a lower team. This concession shall only apply to a goalkeeper wearing full protective equipment as described in Rule 2.2 of the Rules of Hockey 2009/10 Code.
• 9.4. The penalty for transgressing any aspects of these rules regarding substitution shall be the forfeiture of points, by the team for which the player played a second match and a fine of R500.

 

10. OFFICIAL MATCHES

• 10.1. A period of 10 additional minutes is allowed for a team to take the field after the arranged time of the match. Should a team be short of the required minimum number of players (eight) by this time, they shall forfeit the points and a friendly game may be played.
• 10.1.1. Should a valid reason for the non-appearance or shortage of players exist, the league secretary is to be immediately contacted by telephone. Should the league secretary not be available, a message stating all details date and time of the call) is to be left on the answering service. The Executive Committee will issue a ruling as to whether the reason given for the non-appearance of the team is acceptable or not.
• 10.2. The match shall be played in two equal halves of 35 minutes each. Should a match have to be curtailed, the halves will be of equal periods.
• 10.3. The result of any match will stand if it for whatsover reason, is called off when 20 minutes of the second half have already been played.
• 10.4. Should a club be forced to concede matches because of a shortage of players, they must cancel their lowest teams first. In the event of a club conceding the points of a higher league team but it continues to play lower league matches, each of the lower league teams will be penalised through the loss of points.
• 10.5. No dispensation shall be given to the lowest team in a club to postplay or preplay in the event of a shortage of players caused by higher teams having to be filled.
• 10.6. Failure to gain permission to postpone a match will result in the fixture being declared null and void, or at the discretion of the Executive, the points will be awarded to the opposition.
• 10.7. Any side failing to fulfil a scheduled fixture shall forfeit the points. Clubs may not agree to postpone or preplay a fixture without the approval of the League Secretary. Should they do so, both will forfeit the points and no result will be entered in the logs.
• 10.8. A team must give 24 hours notice to the League Secretary and to their opponents of their intention to concede a match. Failure to do so will may incur a fine of R500 and automatic loss of points.
• 10.9. Where there is more than one game scheduled on one field, all games, except the last, shall finish at least 5 minutes before the scheduled start of the next game. Matches starting late shall therefore have both the first and second half playing times reduced equally so as to conform.
• 10.10. Should, for whatever reason, a match cannot be played, there will be no sharing of points and the fixture will be deemed not to have been played and so reflected in the logs.
• 10.11. Except in the case of MGC, LGC and MTC matches, should the appointed umpires not arrive to fulfil their duties, either any other appropriately graded umpire or the captains of each team shall officiate, so that the match WILL proceed. This shall not apply if clubs are given at least 24 hours notice that no umpires are available and that they must arrange a suitably qualified umpire themselves.
• 10.12. Should the appointed umpires not arrive to fulfil their duties at a MGC, LGC or MTC match, any other available and appropriately graded umpire could be used, providing both captains agree. Should no agreement be reached, the match will be played within 48 hours, at a time and venue to be arranged by the League Secretary, with umpires appointed by the Umpires' Association.

 

11. GROUNDS

• 11.1. Clubs which have artificially surfaced fields shall have the right to play matches scheduled for grass fields on the artificial field. Should any time changes be required to accommodate these matches, this has to be by mutual agreement with the visiting team.
• 11.3. The playability of any field due to adverse weather conditions or inadequate lighting will be at the discretion of the clubs, or relevant authority, e.g. groundsman. The umpires, however, shall make decisions as to whether the playing conditions will affect the safety of the players concerned.

 

12. MISCONDUCT

• 12.1. Any person who is reported for unbecoming behaviour which could bring the Union into disrepute shall appear before the Disciplinary Committee.
• 12.2. Any red card incident is to be reported in writing by both umpires to the Chairperson of the Umpires Association within 24 hours of the incident occurring. Should such report not be received, the red card will stand recorded, but the match suspensions will be held in abeyance until such time as the Disciplinary Committee has dealt with the incident should it be deemed necessary. Should no action be deemed necessary by the Disciplinary committee, the record of the red card will be expunged after a period of 14 days from the date of the incident.
• 12.3. A player given a Red Card is automatically suspended for 3 subsequent matches from that particular league from which the card was given. The Disciplinary Committee will decide if a meeting should or should not take place, where a decision will be taken to increase or decrease the suspension. The player or his club may appeal against the card within 48 hours. Any appeal is to be accompanied by a monetary deposit of R5 000. This may, at the discretion of the Executive Committee be forfeited if the appeal is unsuccessful. If the Disciplinary Committee decides to meet, such a meeting shall takes place within seven (7) days of the incident. Unless the Disciplinary Committee has ruled otherwise, a player who has been given a red card, with immediate effect, may not participate in any fixtures, which includes double headers.
• 12.4. The same procedure as outlined in paragraph 12.3 will apply to a player who receives a third yellow card during the season. The WPHU office will confirm the award of the third card. Any appeal must be lodged within 48 hours of this notification.
• 12.5. Any suspension decided or confirmed by the Disciplinary Committee shall apply separately to Indoor, Summer and Field Hockey.
• 12.6. Should a club wish to lodge a complaint with the League Secretary regarding the misconduct of a team or the transgressing of a rule by a club, such complaint to be lodged in writing, within 48 hours of the match. Should no written report be received, the complaint will be null and void.

 

13. POSTPONEMENT OF FIXTURES

No fixture may be preplayed or postponed without the permission of the league secretary. No request will be considered unless both clubs are in agreement.

• 13.1. A fixture may only be postponed if a field is unplayable or if the umpires adjudge that the prevailing weather conditions (as decided at the field) would lead to dangerous play. No match may be postponed or preplayed for any other reason without permission from the League Secretary. There will be no preplaying or postponements of ANY matches (including already allocated postponed or preplayed matches) for non-hockey reasons.
• 13.2. In grass-based leagues, time changes during the weekend of fixtures may be made by mutual agreement between the teams. The weekend is regarded as any time from Thursday evening to Sunday afternoon.
• 13.2.1. In astro league matches, application to change the times of matches within the same weekend of fixtures must be made to the league secretary and if permission is granted, any changes must be by mutual agreement and with the proviso that the allocated umpires are available.
• 13.3. Postponements will be granted should a team have three or more players selected for any provincial team, under 18 teams, national teams and masters' teams. For national team involvement, only one week of fixtures may be postponed. It is the responsibility of clubs to apply to the league secretary for a postponement of a match and to supply the names of the selected players. This application must be made within ONE WEEK of the teams having been announced. Should a team qualify for a preplay or postponement because of provincial or national duties, the match will be rescheduled by the league secretary and will be played on that date at the time stipulated, with exceptions or changes considered only after application to the league secretary, whose decisions shall be ratified by the Executive Committee.
• 13.4. Matches postponed because of unplayable fields are to be played within two weeks of the scheduled date. Failure to do so will result in a fine, unless dispensation has been given by the League Secretary.

 

14. PROCEDURE TO PLAY POSTPONED MATCHES

• 14.1. Any matches postponed because of unplayable fields are to be played within two weeks of the scheduled date of the fixture. The home team (or in astro leagues where teams play at a neutral or shared venue the team in the left column), shall offer the opposition club three dates on which to play the match, within two weeks of the scheduled date. In MGC, LGC and MTC, the club making the arrangements shall also be responsible for contacting the Umpires' Association to have umpires allocated. Should none of these three dates be acceptable to the opposition club, the League Secretary will mediate and, after consultation with both clubs, set a date which will be non-negotiable.
• 14.1.1. Should the club responsible for offering the dates on which to play not do so within the two week timeframe, they will automatically lose the points, in addition to a fine.

 

15. APPEALS

• 15.1. Any appeals to the WPHU executive committee against decisions made by the League Secretary shall be lodged in writing within 24 hours of the decision and shall be accompanied by a R500. This may at the discretion of the Executive be refunded should the appeal be successful.
  ANY TRANSGRESSION TO THE ABOVE LEAGUE RULES WILL BE SUBJECT TO THE FINES SET OUT BELOW OR AS DEEMED APPROPRIATE BY THE WP EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.

 

16. FINES

• The following fines structure will be implemented for 2010:
• 16.1. Illegal reversion of players – R500, use of non-registered player – R500.
• 16.2. Not arriving for a match without 24 hours notification – R500.
• 16.3. Conceding match – R50.
• 16.4. Withdrawal from a league above the lowest league – R200; from the lowest league – R100.
• 16.5. Not playing postponed match by due date – R100.
• 16.6. Any incorrect information submitted on match cards or results submitted – R30 per detail.
• 16.7. If match results are not received by the League Secretary by 17h00 on the Monday following the weekend of fixtures or by 17h00 on the day following a midweek match – R200.
• 16.8. Non-registration of players within three weeks of the issuing of registration forms – R200.
• 16.8.1. An additional fine of R100 will be levied for every calendar month or part thereof in which registration is not submitted, or if the information submitted remains incomplete.
• 16.9. Non-attendance at official WPHU meetings without having submitted apologies – R500.
• 16.10. Non-attendance at three consecutive Council meetings even if apologies have been submitted – R500.
• 16.11. Non-submission or late submission of match cards to the hockey office – R20 per outstanding card.
• 16.12. Failure to supply personnel for technical tables as detailed in 10.13 – R200.