RULES AND REGULATIONS (April 01 2013) Prelude Any matter not covered by the CAF Constitution, Bylaws, Rules and Regulations and Policies and Procedures, shall be dealt with by the Board of Directors as per Article 5, 5.4 of the Constitution. 1. Team Fees a) Team Fees will be determined by the Executive Board and paid by the Teams applying to CAF along with their application as per the deadline established. b) For Team Fees structure, please refer to Appendix A. 2. Team Regulations a) Each team must play in its own age level unless otherwise approved by the Executive Board of CAF and it must comply with the CAF Rules and Regulations. b) Each team may register a maximum of 25 players. c) Teams are responsible for registration of all officials and players in CAF. For the outdoor season, a minimum of 11 players must be registered by May 1 st for the U12 division and up and a minimum of 7 players for below the U12 division. For the indoor season, the same minimum number of players as above must be registered by Oct 15 th. d) All players registered on a team will be so in accordance with the CAF Constitution and Rules and Regulations including: i) Players playing for a Club/Academy in CAF shall not be permitted to transfer or re-register to play for another Club/Academy in CAF in the current playing season. ii) A Club/Academy with more than 1 team in a division are not allowed to interchange players between teams excluding the U8 and U10 divisions. iii) A team may use one (1) over age player per team in the U12, U14 and U16 divisions. In these divisions, the player may not be more than one (1) year older. For the U20 division, four (4) over age players who are not older than U23 are allowed. Page 1 of 11
iv) Any team found to have played more than one allowed over age player in a CAF game shall forfeit the game by 1:0 score and be disciplined. 3. Team Registration a) All team registrations must be received by January 15 for the current outdoor season and September 30 for the current indoor season. All registrations are due with entry fees as per Appendix A. b) Each team may dress a maximum of eighteen (18) players for a game in the U12, U14, U16 and U20 divisions. For the U8 and U10 divisions, each team may dress a maximum of twelve (12) players. c) Each team must notify CAF in writing within seven (7) days of any change in team officials, or team official s information (e-mail address, phone numbers etc.). 4. Team Officials a) Team Official shall mean Head Coach, Assistant Coach, Physiotherapist, Manager, Assistant Manager, Equipment Manager or Trainer who shall be registered with CAF. b) All Team Head Coaches and Assistant Coaches must have a Coaching Certification as per CAF s requirement for the applicable age group. c) Team Officials will not be allowed to smoke while coaching their teams. A team official that does not comply will be subject to disciplinary action by CAF. d) A minimum of one (1) and a maximum of four (4) team officials, which are registered to the team, shall be permitted to sit on the bench. e) Any team official withdrawing a team from a game shall be disciplined as per CAF Rules and Regulations and the team will forfeit the game. Forfeits will be recorded as 1:0 score by default. Page 2 of 11
5. Team Responsibility a) Any reported altercation on the field between players or team officials with the game officials, will be subject to a disciplinary hearing. Discipline will be applied depending on CAF Discipline Committee findings. b) For U12, U14, U16 and U20 divisions, a maximum of eighteen (18) registered players may sit on the bench. For U8 and U10, a maximum of twelve (12) registered players may sit on the bench. All players entered in the game sheet, are deemed to be registered. (Players under suspension shall not be entered on the game sheet and will not be on player s bench). c) Teams are responsible for the conduct of their players, officials, and spectators on and off the field of play during, before and after a game scheduled by CAF. If CAF s Rules and Regulations and Policies are not followed, they shall be disciplined as per CAF Rules and Regulations and the team will forfeit the game. Forfeits will be recorded as 1:0 score by default. d) Teams are responsible to be on the field at the scheduled CAF game time. e) For U12, U14, U16 and U20 divisions, a team must field a minimum of seven (7) registered players for games and for U8 and U10, a minimum of four (4) registered player. If the minimum number of players are not present, the team shall forfeit the game (1:0 score by default) and be disciplined by CAF Rules and Regulations. f) Team Officials will coach within the marked technical area or within one (1) meter of their bench and are not permitted to walk up and down the sideline or obstruct the view of the assistant referee. g) Anyone on the bench entering the field of play without consent of the referee during a CAF game will be disciplined as per CAF Rules and Regulations. h) Teams failing to comply with CAF Rules and Regulations are subject to fines and/or disciplinary action. Team Officials will be notified in writing of any fines levied and/or disciplinary action applied. 7. Referees and Assistant Referees a) Referees and Assistant Referees shall be assigned to all CAF games. b) CAF or its designate will assign registered officials to all games. c) Registered Game Officials must be present at the game thirty (30) minutes prior to the scheduled start to Page 3 of 11
complete standard field check. d) Officiating complaints will only be acknowledged if received in writing to CAF. For cases of alleged violence, assaults and brawls the CAF shall conduct a hearing as per CAF Rules and Regulations. f) The game official is responsible for completing the game report and the games sheets plus pertinent paperwork and for submitting them to CAF or to a CAF representative g) All Game Officials must sign all game sheets and record any infraction which occurred for which players or team officials were ejected. All non-compliance will be reported to CAF for disciplinary action. 8. Conflict of Interest, Referees Each Referee is under an obligation to avoid a conflict of interest, whenever reasonably possible. However, conflicts of interest may arise. In such situations, the Referee is required: a) To absent himself or herself from any game at any time there is a matter giving rise to a conflict. b) To refrain from officiating in a game when you are a team official, executive, and/or a player within that club. 9. Uniforms a) All players shall wear regulation soccer equipment as outlined by FIFA and CAF Rules and Regulations. b) All teams will register their primary colors for their home and away uniforms, and will wear the appropriate registered uniform for all CAF games. Home and away uniforms must be different colors. c) All Players, including the goalkeepers, must be identified by a number, minimum size 8 on the back of their shirt and such number will be recorded against the players name on the game sheet. All numbers must be legible. No two players on the same team may wear the same number. Every player must have a different number. No taped numbers are permitted on any player on the field. d) All substitute players recorded on the game sheet must wear a pinnie that is a different color from the players on the field. The pinnie must be worn until the player enters the field of play. Page 4 of 11
e) If the goalkeeper is substituted, the new goalkeeper must have a different number than the original goalkeeper. f) Goalkeepers uniforms must not conflict with that of the game officials or opposing team and must be identified by a number on the back of the jersey. g) The Home team will change to their registered away uniform color if there is a conflict. 10. Game Sheets Only Online Game Sheets, as supplied by CAF on the CAF Online game sheet module are official game sheets and must be completed by the teams in full and given to the referee prior to kick-off. Only official completed game sheets issued by CAF are valid game sheets. Hand written game sheets will only be allowed with the approval of CAF. 11. Game Duration The length of played games is as follows: U8: Two (2) twenty (20) minute halves U10: Two (2) twenty-five (25) minute halves U12: Two (2) thirty-five (35) minute halves U14: Two (2) forty (40) minute halves U16, U20: Two (2) forty-five (45) minute halves Between halves, there will be a break of ten (10) minutes. Any more time allowed will be at the discretion of the referee. 12. Rules of Play a) FIFA rules shall be followed except where noted in CAF s Rules and Regulations. b) For the U14 division and above, a size 5 ball shall be used for all CAF games. For below U14, a size 4 ball shall be used. Page 5 of 11
13. Players Substitution a) For U12, U14, U16 and U20 divisions, player substitutions shall be permitted with the consent of the referee at all stoppages of play. For U8 and U10 divisions, changes will be on the fly or at a stoppage of play. b) No substitution is allowed for any player(s) ejected from the game c).all substitutions must enter and exit the field of play at the halfway line. All substituted players must leave the field without delay. 14. Game Start Time The referee will endeavor to start each game at the scheduled time designated by CAF. An allowance of not more than fifteen (15) minutes of grace from the scheduled time shall be made if either team has, for U12, U14, U16 and U20 divisions, less than seven (7) players in attendance and for U8 and U10 divisions, less than four (4) players. No exceptions will be allowed by the referee. 15. Standings a) Standings will be kept for the U12 division and above. No standings will be kept for divisions below U12. b) In the event of a tie for first place between two or more teams at the end of regular season, the following criteria will be used to determine the winner: i) The CAF Champion shall be the team which accumulates the greatest number of points, based on the formula of three (3) points for a win and one (1) point for a tie, in all games provided for by the CAF schedule of that age group. ii) If two teams tie for first place, a play-off game will be played. Kicks from the penalty mark will be taken if the game is tied after regulation time, as per FIFA Law Rules on penalty kicks. iii) If three or more teams tie for first place, a round robin will be played and each game must have a winner, as per Rule b and the team with the most points will be declared the champion. If the teams are still tied in points, the team with the best goal difference (goal plus against goal minus) will be declared the winner. Page 6 of 11
16. Rescheduling Of Games a) The game shall begin and/or continue to be played unless, in the opinion of the referee, the safety of the player is in jeopardy. b) The game will be replayed in full if less than twenty (20) minutes of the second half has been played, for U12, U14, U16 and U20 divisions, after which time the results of the match at the time of the stoppage shall stand. For U8 and U10 divisions, if less than ten (10) minutes of the second half has been played, the game will be replayed. The referee shall be the sole judge of time elapsed. c) All postponed games will be rescheduled by CAF. CAF will notify the teams a minimum of 72 hours in advance of any rescheduled game unless time does not allow the 72 hours advanced notice. When fields are closed due to weather conditions, CAF will notify affected teams of any cancellations as soon as notification has been received. 17. Game Abandoned Teams will be held responsible if a game is abandoned because of the actions of its players, officials or spectators and will be subject to disciplinary hearing. If the team is found guilty, it shall forfeit the game and the team will be disciplined. Forfeits will be recorded as 1-0 losses by default. 18.Participating as Ineligible Player or Ineligible Team Official a) Any team charged with participation of ineligible player/official in a CAF game will be subject to a disciplinary hearing. Upon being found guilty, the team will forfeit all points in games in which the ineligible player or official participated and will be disciplined as per CAF Rules and Regulations. b) An ineligible player or official is one who: -is not registered under CAF rules and regulations -is registered under a false name -is participating under CAF suspension Page 7 of 11
19. Discipline a) All discipline matters and protests (except appeals) shall be handled by the CAF Discipline Committee under the DBR (Discipline by Review), with the exception of Referee Assault. Suspensions will be handled as per appendix "B". Suspensions will vary from the stated minimum depending on the severity of the offence. b) The player has a right to request a hearing (DBH-Discipline by Hearing).There will be an administrative fee (See Appendix B) to those that want to request a hearing for a DBR case. The request for a hearing must be in writing and the fee must be received no later than 24 hours from the date of the game. All concerned team officials will be sent a copy of the referee report as soon as received. If the party is found not guilty then the administrative fee will be returned. Appeals of the results of the DBH will be the sole responsibility of the CAF Executive Board. c) All discipline reports must be mailed along with the game sheet within twenty-four (24) hours of game completion to CAF office by the referee or assistant referee. Game sheet reports must be completed online within (24) hours of the final whistle. Failure by the game official to provide to a CAF representative or to mail game sheets to the CAF office within stipulated time frame does not make the game sheet or any disciplinary reports null and void. CAF will process discipline once received and reviewed and all suspensions for players and team officials will be recorded and enforced by CAF. d) The accused is required to present their CAF registration ID or registration number at all disciplinary hearings. If a player/team official fails to appear at the hearing, immediate suspension from all soccer activity will result and will remain in force until a request for a hearing is received by CAF and the hearing is held. e) When required by the CAF Discipline Committee, a representative (Executive Member) must be present for a discipline hearing (DBH). If the representative does not show for the hearing the team will be fined and the team standing will be reviewed by the discipline committee. The team may be suspended by CAF until the representative attends a hearing. f) Any team official, who for whatever reason during a game pulls his/her team off the field, will be subject to disciplinary action depending on CAF Discipline Committee findings. g) Discipline in the case of alleged referee assault will be handled by the CAF Executive Board. The accused is automatically suspended from all soccer related activity. Page 8 of 11
20. Appeals a) Any discipline hearing decisions of the CAF discipline committee may be appealed to the Executive Board of CAF at the following address along with a payment for FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($500.00) appeal fee: Attention: Executive Board Canadian Academy of Futbol 5160 Explorer Drive Unit # 1 Mississauga Ontario L4W 4T7 b) Persons appealing a decision of the CAF Discipline Committee are subject to the decision rendered until the appeal has been disposed of. 21. Protest a) Teams may protest the outcome of a game based on the CAF Rules and Regulations not being followed. The protest to reverse the game result will be decided by the Discipline Committee at the protest hearing. The Discipline Committee will have the right to reverse the result of the game by default and issue fines applicable to the case. i) If protest is ruled out of order, fee will be returned minus an admin fee of one hundred dollars. ii) Hearing scheduled- if protest upheld, fee will be returned. iii) Hearing scheduled- if protest denied, fee will be forfeited. b) No protests will be entertained by CAF regarding players/team official(s) eligibility if the team making the protest has not conformed to CAF rules. c) The protest must be submitted in writing within forty-eight (48) hours of the game being terminated. A fee of Five Hundred dollars ($500.00) in cash or team payment must be presented with the protest within five (5) working days. Protests can only be heard if any rules of the CAF have been violated. All protests must be signed by an official team representative. d) Protests based on decisions of the referee s interpretation of the FIFA Laws of the game will not be acknowledged. Page 9 of 11
APPENDIX A 2013 Fee Structure Outdoor Team Fees: For U12: $ 2450.00 For U14, U16, U20: $ 3,000.00 For U10: $ 1,450.00 For U8: $ 1,200.00 Indoor Team Fee $ TBD Futsal Fee $ TBD Appeals Fee Rule 19, a $ 500.00 Team Protest Rule 2, c $ 500.00 Game Abandoned Rule 16, a $ 250.00 Non Attendance at AGM $ 100.00 Referee Assault: Rule 18, g $ 250.00 Discipline Hearing Fee Rule 18, b $ 50.00 Team Regulation Rule 2, a to d $ 100.00 Participating with Unregistered Player/Official: Rule 17, a $ 200.00 Team Responsibility Rule 5, a to j $ 100.00 Late Registration After deadline submission Rule 3, a $ 500.00 APPENDIX ``B`` Games Suspensions Foul and Abusive Language to game official Violent Conduct Serious Foul Play Serious Foul Play (Hand Ball) Second Yellow in a game Foul and abusive language not to game official Fifth yellow in the season Three (3) games Three (3) games Two (2) Games One (1) game One (1) game One (1) game One (1) game All held hearings by CAF and discipline findings by the committee at the hearing, resulting in suspensions, said suspensions could be from one game to multiple games. For any team receiving 20 yellows card in a season, a hearing will be held, and the team will be fined up to $200. For every accumulation of 10 yellow cards after the above 20,an additional fine Page 10 of 11
will apply accordingly. Page 11 of 11