REGULATIONS FOR THE CONTINENTAL CUP SEASON 2013/14 The Continental Cup is an official IIHF competition for club teams of European countries. 1. ENTRIES 1.1. Eligible to participate are European national champions entered by their National Associations and accepted by the IIHF. In exceptional cases a club team of a non-european country located close to the European continent may be accepted to take part, in case there is no similar club competition in its continent. If the National Champion is not able to participate the Runner Up of the National Championship or a club, that takes part in a cross border competition, if this team is considered equal or stronger than the national champion, may take part. In exceptional cases the winner of the second league might replace the national champion under the condition that the national association finds this team suitable to participate. The IIHF preserves the right to place teams in certain rounds including the Final Round. 1.2. The entry must be submitted to the IIHF office in Zürich on the official Entry Form (enclosure 1), latest by 1 June 2013. The entry must also include the possible application to organize a tournament in the Continental Cup. The entry form must be confirmed by the respective National Association, which will guarantee the obligations of its participant in the Continental Cup. 1.3. Upon reception of the completely filled out and signed Entry Form, the application is approved by the IIHF, unless the IIHF informs the respective national federation and the club otherwise. Approval of the entry is at the sole discretion of the IIHF. If a team, after submission and approval withdraws, the fines will apply as defined in article 4 Non Participation. 1.4. The entry fee for the Continental Cup is CHF 0 2. CONTINENTAL CUP COMPETITION SYSTEM AND TEAM SEEDINGS 2.1. The Continental Cup 2013/14 will be played in a tournament system in four rounds with promotion of winners from lower to the higher round. The competition format is part of the CC Regulations. 2.2. The teams will be seeded in the respective round and groups according to the IIHF World Ranking of European countries. Other criteria such as geographic location and strength of the club will be taken into consideration.
2 The seeding will be done by the IIHF at its sole discretion. The criteria for the appointment of an organizer are based on its experience and reliability. The choice of an organizer might have an effect on the competition mode and composition. 2.3. In each tournament the competition format is a single round robin. This means that each team will play each other ones in three consecutive days (see also art. 3.2 & 3.3). The organizer will have the right to propose the schedule of games to the IIHF for approval. Between the start of a game for a team there must be a minimum difference of 17 hours. 2.4. The dates of the rounds in the Continental Cup 2013/14 are as follows: First Round September 27, 28 and 29, 2013 Second Round October 18, 19 and 20, 2013 Third Round November 22, 23 and 24, 2013 Final Round January 10, 11 and 12, 2014 * Should a pre-qualification be necessary, this will be played during the first weekend in September. 2.5. The venues of all tournaments will be fixed at the Continental Cup General Meeting on 29 June 2013. 2.6. An organizer will be a club eligible to take part and selected amongst others based on organizational, economic and geographic conditions. 2.7. The organizer of the Final tournament and the team from the Country of the reigning Champion will be seeded directly into the Final Round. 2.8. The seeding of teams will be subject to approval during the Continental Cup General Meeting. 2.9. The Continental Cup competition format (enclosure 2) as well as the seeding of the teams will be part of the CC Regulations. 3. COMPETITION RULES 3.1. The Continental Cup will be operated following the IIHF Statutes and Bylaws, IIHF Official Rule Book, IIHF Sport Regulations and the Continental Cup Regulations. Each CC tournament will be played in a single round robin format in which teams will play each other once. All the CC games must have a winner. If a game is tied after 60 minutes regular playing time, there shall be a 4-on-4 five minute sudden victory overtime period. (enclosure 3) If no goal is scored in the overtime, the IIHF game winning shots procedure shall take place. (enclosure 4)
3 The points will be awarded as follows: 3 points, to the team winning the game in the regular playing time of sixty minutes. 2 points, to the team winning the game in over-time or by game winning shots. 1 point, to the team losing in overtime or by game winning shots procedure. 3.2. Concerning the classification the IIHF Sport Regulations Tie break procedure (enclosure 5) applies for team standings in the tournaments. 3.3. Winners of the tournaments in the First, Second and Third Rounds will be promoted to higher rounds following the CC Format. The Winner of the Final Round is the 2013/14 Continental Cup Champion. 3.4. The format and financial conditions of the Final Round will be agreed with the organizer. 3.5 The IIHF Regulation for Television Commercial Breaks may be applied in the CC 2013/14 if agreed with the IIHF. 4. NON-PARTICIPATION 4.1. If a team withdraws from participation in the First or Second Round tournament after the Continental Cup General Meeting, it will be fined with CHF 10,000.-- and suspended from participation in the Continental Cup in the upcoming season. 4.2. If a team withdraws from participation in the Third Round tournament, it will be fined with CHF 15,000.- and suspended from participation in the Continental Cup in the upcoming season. 4.3. If a team withdraws from participation in the Final Tournament, it will be fined with CHF 25,000.- and suspended from participation in the Continental Cup in the upcoming season. 4.4. If a team withdraws from participation in any tournament within less than fourteen days before its start, the fine will be doubled. 4.5. If possible, the withdrawn team will be replaced. 5. TOURNAMENT OFFICIALS 5.1. All CC games will be officiated by referees and linesmen holding IIHF license and nominated for the Continental Cup by the IIHF Referee Committee. 5.2. It is foreseen that each tournament of the First and Second Round will be officiated with the three man system (one referee and two linesmen). The officiating pool for the 1 st and 2 nd round tournament will consist of three
4 referees of different nationality than the teams participating in the tournament in which they are assigned and four linesmen from the hosting National Association. For the third round the four man system will be adopted and the officiating pool will consist of four neutral referees, four linesmen from the hosting national association and one IIHF Referee Supervisor coming in most of the cases from abroad. 5.3. For the Super Final which will be operated with the four man system, the IIHF Referee Committee will nominate the officiating team as follows: 5 referees and 3 linesmen of different nationality than the teams participating in the tournament in which they are assigned plus 3 linesmen from the hosting national association and one IIHF Referee Supervisor. 5.4. Referees and linesmen for all individual games will be assigned by the Directorate Chairman or by the Referee Supervisor in cooperation with the Directorate Chairman. 5.5. The off-ice officials will be appointed by the hosting National Association and will be remunerated by the organizer according to national rules. 5.6. Directorate Chairmen for CC tournaments will be selected by the IIHF. As regards the financial conditions applicable to the Directorate Chairman see art. 8.2. 5.7. The duties of the Directorate Chairman are specified in the Guidelines (enclosure 6). 5.8. Following the IIHF Bylaw 1208, the nominated referees and linesmen will receive in any tournament for incidental expenses CHF 100,- per day (including travel days) from the IIHF and CHF 100,- per day (including travel days) in local currency from the organizer to be paid upon their arrival. The IIHF Referee Supervisor will receive CHF 150.- per day from the IIHF including the travel days and CHF 100,- per day (including travel days) in local currency from the organizer to be paid upon their arrival. 5.9. Board, lodging and local transportation for the referees, linesmen, IIHF Referee Supervisor and Directorate Chairmen will be assured and covered by the organizer. 5.10. International return transportation tickets for referees and linesmen, IIHF Referee Supervisor and for Directorate Chairmen will be paid by the IIHF. 5.11. The IIHF officials are covered by the IIHF insurance policy. The other tournament officials must be insured (liability, health and accident) by the organizer or by their own insurance policy.
5 6. TEAMS 6.1. Latest by August 30 th, 2013, each participating club is obliged to submit to the IIHF office the properly completed Team Entry Long List with maximum 35 players including a minimum of three goalkeepers who are eligible to play for the club in their national championship league of the 2013/14 season. It is recommendable to register at least four goalkeepers. This form must be confirmed by the respective National Association. The electronic Team Entry Long List will be sent to the teams after the General Continental Cup Meeting in June. 6.2. The above Long List may be changed or completed during the season with new players who have become eligible to play for the club in the national championship league. Players transferred from the team must be deleted from the list immediately. The addition or deletion of any player must be executed by means of a separate New Team Entry Long List Form. Clubs have to indicate what player is added or deleted, providing the name of the previous or new club and confirmed by the National Association. 6.3. The clubs and National Associations are responsible for checking whether the international and national transfer card procedure was executed in the correct manner and time. Transfers solely or primarily related to the participation in the Continental Cup competition are considered irregular. The determination of an irregular transfer is done at the sole discretion of the IIHF. In case the IIHF declares a transfer irregular he will pass the case on to the IIHF Disciplinary Committee for further investigation and disciplinary action as mentioned in the IIHF Disciplinary Regulations, article 3.2. 6.4. The additional player may start playing for the club in a CC tournament on the seventh day after the date when the addition was registered with the IIHF office. The player transferred to another club must stop playing for the previous club in the CC immediately. 6.5. Only players registered and shown in the above articles will be eligible to play in the Continental Cup. The IIHF office will send the updated Team entry long list (Player Registration forms) to the respective Directorate Chairman four days before the tournament. 6.6. For a CC tournament, a team consists of maximum 20 players and 2 goalkeepers and an emergency goalkeeper plus 6 team officials selected from the players who are registered on the Team Entry Long List. The Team Entry Long List and players passports or state authority identity card, plus if needed under-age player waivers (enclosure 7) must be submitted to the Players Passport Control which will take place on the eve of the tournament. In case a team has less than the maximum number of players they can add players, who are registered on the Team Entry Long List, to the roster, at the latest 2 hours before the start of their game. If the roster is complete no changes to the roster can be made except for the replacement by an emergency goalkeeper.
6 6.7. No player may be replaced during the tournament. Only an incapacitated goalkeeper may be replaced during a tournament by an emergency goalkeeper. The emergency goalkeeper however has to appear on the Team Entry Long List. The replacement takes place upon submission of a written declaration signed by a doctor and the team manager. The incapacitated goalkeeper cannot return to play in that tournament. 6.8. The minimum number of 15 players and 2 goalkeepers per team must be present at the tournament venue by the time of the Players Passport Control. Teams with a lower number of players or goalkeepers cannot participate in the CC tournament. This will be regarded as non-participation as mentioned in article 4 of these regulations. 6.9. The participating clubs have to cover their own travel costs except local transportation. 6.10. In the CC 2013/14, the teams will wear the uniforms in which they play in the national championship; however, the upper part of the sleeves on both arms and the front part of the helmet are exclusively reserved for the IIHF advertising. The teams are obliged to cover their eventual advertising on these parts of their equipment by their own blank stickers or by special stickers, if supplied by the IIHF. The above mentioned parts of sleeves and helmets may be used for club advertising only with the approval of the IIHF. When such advertising is arranged by the organizer of the tournament and agreed with the participating clubs and approved by the IIHF, then the respective teams are obliged to wear it and the income for it will be shared in equal parts between the organizer and all participating teams wearing such advertising. 6.11. The participating teams are obliged to send to the organizer, at the latest three weeks before the respective CC tournament, pictures and information on the team and its top players for publicity purposes. The team failing to fulfil this obligation will be fined with CHF 1,000. - In the First and Second Rounds, CHF 2,000.- in the Third Round and CHF 3.000.- in the Final. 6.12. The IIHF is not responsible for the insurance of players and team officials. The participating clubs must ensure that their players and team officials have the appropriate accidental, health and liability insurance. 6.13. Each team in a CC tournament must have one set of uniforms in a light colour and one set in a dark colour (minimum 80% of the jersey and socks). 6.14. The home team has the first choice of the uniform colour and players bench. 6.15. All the goalkeepers must use IIHF approved equipment.
7 7. ORGANIZER 7.1. The organizer is responsible for the following: a) The game and practise arrangements. b) Availability of a first aid room fully equipped and with operating medical assistance, as well as an ambulance car on duty during practices and games. Defibrillators must be present. c) Skate sharpener, measurement gauge, three extra stop watches at the official scorekeeper s desk. d) Ten free tickets to the teams playing in that game. e) Incidental expenses to the off-ice officials in accordance with the national rules. f) Hotel accommodation and full board for a maximum of 20 players, 2 goalkeepers and 6 team officials per team, starting with the evening meal on the day of arrival and ending with the breakfast on the day of departure. Meals should comply with the IIHF nutricial guidelines. A minimum of 4 single rooms and 12 double rooms must be available for the team. g) The board also includes light pre game meals (sandwiches, cake, light coffee, tea, and bottled soft drinks) and bottled soft drinks and tea during the games and practices. h) Local transportation of the teams in the hosting country from and to the nearest international airport or railway station to the hotel and between the hotel and the arena for games and practices. i) Local transportation, accommodation, meals and incidental expenses for the referees, linesmen, IIHF Referee Supervisor as well as for the IIHF Directorate Chairman (see 5.8, 5.9, 5.10 & 8.2). 7.2. The organizer retains the gate money and the TV and advertising rights from all CC tournaments. 7.3. All rights and obligations of the organizer and the IIHF, pertaining to the CC Super Final Round are arranged in a special agreement. 7.4. The organizer has to send the schedule of games as approved by the IIHF with information on the organization of the tournament (e.g. venues, local transport, hotels, awards, special requests for publicity purposes etc.), at the latest 21 days before the tournament to the participating clubs and the Directorate Chairman. 7.5. The statistics of the CC tournament maybe covered by the IIHF Hydra System, whenever possible. If not than the organizer will have to take care of the statistical service. The Directorate chairman must collect the original official game sheets signed as required and supply them to the IIHF office next week after the tournament together with the filled in Final Report Form. 7.6. The organizer is obliged to fax, after each game, the front and back page of the official game sheet to the IIHF CC office (Fax No. +41.44 562 27 79) or email to merk@iihf.com. 7.7. The organizer has to provide the Directorate Chairman with 10 tickets for every game.
8 7.8. The hosting clubs must have the appropriate event contingency insurance as per IIHF Event Insurance Guidelines (enclosure 16) 8. DIRECTORATE 8.1. The Continental Cup tournaments are conducted by Directorates composed of the IIHF chairman, one representative of each participating team (a coach cannot be a Directorate member) and one representative of the organizing committee. In the case of equality of votes the chairman shall exercise the casting vote. 8.2. The travel expenses and incidental expenses of the Directorate Chairman will be covered by the IIHF. The organizer will supply local transportation plus full board and lodging. 8.3. The Directorate controls the registration of players, the operation of the tournament and individual games, officiating, medical services, statistics, and disciplinary actions. 8.4 The directorate takes decisions in disciplinary matters in the tournament. Decisions taken by the Directorate are final within the tournament. Offences with possible further disciplinary consequences must be reported by the Directorate Chairman to the IIHF office for the attention of the IIHF Disciplinary Committee. 8.5. In case of a Match Penalty or a second game misconduct in one tournament a player shall be automatically suspended for the next game. The directorate or the IIHF Disciplinary Committee shall deal with the case to determine further disciplinary actions as mentioned in the IIHF Statutes and By-Laws as well as the Disciplinary Regulations. 8.6. A player with a Match Penalty, game Misconduct Penalty for abuse of officials, a positive doping test, or an ineligible player is not entitled to receive any award and his team is not qualified for the Fair Play Cup competition. 8.7. Game protest, if any, must be submitted to the IIHF Directorate Chairman in writing and in English within one hour after completion of the game. 9. AWARDS IN THE CONTINENTAL CUP 9.1. Official awards in the Super Final tournament are the Continental Cup Trophy and 28 gold medals for the winning team, 28 silver medals for the second team and 28 bronze medals for the third team. 9.2. Optional awards may be suggested with the consent of the Directorate in all tournaments for teams and players. 9.3. The official awards will be supplied by the IIHF.
9 10. FINANCIAL RULES 10.1. Financial contributions to the organizers and the prize money for team rankings in the First, Second, Third Rounds are displayed in the CC 2013/14 budget (enclosure 8). The financial conditions for the Final Round are covered in the agreement with the organizer. 10.2. The fines for team withdrawals from the CC competition are listed in Section 4. 10.3. Expenses for referees, linesmen, IIHF Referee Supervisor and Directorate chairmen are covered in articles 5.6, 5.8, 5.9, 5.10, and 8.2. 10.4. Club travel costs are covered in article 6.9. 10.5. Advertising on player uniforms, sleeves and helmets, is defined in article 6.10. 10.6. Fines for not delivering the publicity information are covered in article 6.11. 10.7. Insurance responsibility of the participating teams is mentioned in article 6.12, of the organizer in article 5.11 and 7.8, of the IIHF in article 5.11. 10.8. The financial obligation of the tournament organizer concerning off-ice officials is covered in article 5.5 and 7.1 e), hotel accommodation and meals to the teams in article 7.1 f) and g), local transportation of the teams in 7.1 h), local transportation, accommodation, meals and incidental expenses to game officials and Directorate Chairmen in articles 5.8, 5.9, 7.1 i) and 8.2. 10.9. The financial and advertising rights of the tournament organizer are covered in articles 7.2 and 7.3. 10.10. Tournament awards are covered in article 9.3. 11. ORGANIZATIONAL PROCEDURE, UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES AND CLOSING PROVISIONS 11.1 The organizational questions, venues of tournaments, seeding of teams, advertising rights and other business will be dealt with at the CC General Meeting. The minutes of the CC General Meeting will become a part of the Continental Cup Regulations for the current season. 11.2. The Continental Cup management shall take decisions in all sport matters if not provided foreseen in these CC Regulations. 11.3. The circumstances requiring fast urgent decisions, including force majeure, will be decided by the respective Directorate Chairman and the IIHF.
10 11.4. The enclosures 1 to 16 including the CC competition format are an integral part of the CC Regulations. 11.5 The Continental Cup Regulations will come into effect after the approval by the CC General Meeting of that particular year.
11 ENCLOSURES 1. CC Team Entry Form 2. Continental Cup Competition Format 3. Overtime operations for Continental Cup 4. Game Winning Shots Procedure 5. Tie breaking system for Continental Cup Championships 6. Guidelines for CC Directorate Chairmen 7. Under-aged Player Waiver Form 8. CC 2013/2014 Budget 9. Pre-Game countdown for Continental Cup 10. Official Game Sheet 11. Referee Game Report 12. Injury Report 13. CC 2013/14 Club Addresses 14. IIHF Expense Report 15. European and Continental Cup Winners 16. IIHF Event Insurance Guidelines