Mississippi Competitive Soccer League Rules 1. Rules of Play 1.1 Rules of Play shall be in accordance with MSA Tournament hereafter noted. Rules, unless 1.2 At the referee's discretion, if a game must be terminated due to inclement weather and/or unsafe field conditions and one half of the game has been completed prior to termination, the results of the match at the time of termination will stand. The game will not be replayed. 1.3 Teams will surrender USYS/MSA Player Passes and a copy of the Game Report generated by the Software Package designated by MSA, which includes the Team Roster to the Referee prior to the beginning of the game. The referee shall check the players against the Game Report and Player Passes prior to the start of the game. If the referee does not perform the above check as he/she is required to, the coaches must perform the above verification before the start of the game. 1.4 If a team does not have their USYS/MSA player passes and a copy of the Game Report at the start of the game, the game may be started but they must be present and checked by the end of the first half. If the team is unable to present passes by the end of the first half, the opposing team will be awarded a 4-0 win. An electronic copy of the Game Report and an electronic copy of the USYS/MSA player passes (provided the electronic copy of player passes contains the pictures and shows the front and back of the pass) will be sufficient. If only one of the teams has a copy of the Game Report, that Game Report can also be used to check the other team's players to their player passes but the players are limited to those shown on the Game Report. 1.4 Games may end in a tie (no overtimes, etc). 1.5 If a Mississippi Competitive 1 or 2 League Game does not have 3 licensed referees, the game cannot be played. If a Mississippi Competitive 3 League Game does not have 3 licensed referees, the game can be played as long as both coaches agree. Every effort should be made to contact the assignor to see if licensed referees can be obtained in a reasonable time. If both coaches do not agree to play the game with less than 3 referees, then the game that was not played will go through the reschedule process as shown in the MCSL Procedure document for games not having 3 referees. As a last resort if there is no common date, the game will be played on the 14
makeup date scheduled for the applicable season when the game was originally scheduled, either Fall or Spring. Anytime a game does not have three licensed referees at a league game, MSA needs to be notified. This notification must be done regardless if the teams agree to play the game or not. 1.7 A player participating in a match as part of league and/or State Cup play may not display any non-usys affiliate logo or name on their uniform. Players and/or teams will be asked to change if this should happen. Failure to do so will result in forfeiture of the match. 2. Player Misconduct 2.1 Ejections (send-off): A player who is ejected (sent-off) from a game shall leave the playing area and team sideline under the supervision of a designated adult team representative 2.2 If a player is sent-off during a game, the team manager shall retain possession of the player pass. 2.3 A player who is ejected (sent-off) from a Competitive League game shall be suspended and as a minimum shall not be allowed to participate in his/her team's next playable Competitive League game. An additional suspension of one (1) more competitive league match (for a total of two matches to be served in suspension) is mandated in the event of an ejection for: violent conduct including but not limited to the aggression of a player towards an opponent with clearly no intent to play the ball; fighting with, hitting or punching a player, coach, trainer, spectator, referee, or administrator; offensive, insulting or abusive language or gestures directed toward a player, coach, trainer, spectator, referee, or administrator; spitting on or at a player coach, trainer, spectator, referee, or administrator. If a suspended player participates in a Competitive league game before serving the suspension, that game will be recorded as a forfeit and the player will still have to serve the one game suspension. 2.4 It is the responsibility of the head coach and team manager to make sure that suspensions are served. They shall notify the referee of suspensions that are being served so that the referee can record that a specific player did not participate in that game due to serving the suspension. 2.5 The suspension for an ejection (sent-off) issued in the final Competitive League game will be served in the first game of the State Cup Tournament. As with MCSL, any ejections in the last game of the Sub Regional Premier League, the suspension will be served in the first game of the State Cup. 2.6 If the suspension is not served in the next Competitive League Game and/or State Cup game, the suspension will be served in the next available game (Competitive League or State Cup) and any games played in by the player will be recorded as a forfeit. 15
3. Team Misconduct A team shall forfeit a game if conduct by players, coaches or spectators causes a game to be prematurely terminated or abandoned. Any caution or send-off in the forfeited game is still subject to penalties and suspensions. 4. Coach Misconduct 4.1 A coach who is ejected (sent-off) shall leave the immediate vicinity of the playing area and is prohibited from any further contact, direct or indirect, with the team during the remainder of that game. If a credentialed team official is not present, the games is terminated and the offending team shall forfeit the game 4.2 If a coach is sent-off during a game, the team manager shall retain possession of the player/coach pass once the referee has completed the proper paperwork. 4.3 A coach who is ejected (sent-off) from a Competitive League game shall be suspended and as a minimum shall not be allowed to participate in his/ her team's next playable Competitive League game. The coach may not be at the soccer complex while serving the suspension, unless he/she is coaching another team. If a suspended coach participates in a MCSL game before serving the suspension, that game will be recorded as a forfeit and the coach will still have to serve the one game suspension. 4.4 It is the responsibility of the head coach and team manager to make sure that suspensions are served. They shall notify the referee of suspensions that are being served so that the referee can record that a specific coach did not participate in that game. 4.5 The suspension for an ejection (send-off) issued in the final Competitive league game will be served in the first game of the State Cup Tournament. As with MCSL, any ejections in the last game of the Sub Regional Premier League, the suspension will be served in the first game of the State Cup Tournament. S.Protests and Appeals 5.1 Protests and Appeals shall be referred to the Discipline and Appeals Committee. 5.2 Clubs involved in the hearing will not have anyone from their club serve on the panel if they are regularly members of the Discipline and Appeals Committee. 16
6. Protests & Ai>peals Procedures 6.1 To be valid and eligible for consideration, protest or appeal must be received in writing at the MSA office within 3 business days from the scheduled game or occurrence of the event or decision being appealed and must include a certified check or money order made payable to MSA in the amount of $300. Personal checks and cash will not be accepted. The written protest or appeal must include the following before they will be considered: a. a written statement describing the specific grounds for the protest or appeal and b. a clear and concise statement of the relief or action soughtbythe protesting or appealing party. 6.2 Only the head coach, club executive director or club president may lodge the protest. 6.3 If involving a game the referee's game report must be received in the MSA Office before the Committee can take any action. 6.4 Any protest relating to goals, nets, or playing field conditions shall be entertained only if an objection had been lodged with the game referee prior to the start of the game. 6.5 The fee required will not be refunded if the protest or appeal is denied; however if the protest or appeal is upheld the fee will be refunded. 6.6 An Appeal is allowed if the appeal falls under one or more of the conditions listed in MSA policy. 7. Appeals of Discipline and Appeals Committee Decisions 7.1 Decisions of the Discipline and Appeals Committee may only be appealed to the MSA Executive Committee. The procedures to file an appeal are the same as those detailed above. 7.2 Decision of the MSA Executive Committee-may only be appealed to the USSF 17
8. Tabulation of Results 8.1 Competitive League games will be scored as follows: 3 Points for a win, 1 point for a tie and O points for a loss. 8.2 Ties will be broken per Policy General Tournament Rules. 8.3 To apply tie breakers to age groups that have divisions that do not have the same number of teams the following will be used for the application of Most Wins, Goal Differential and Goals Allowed if they are part of the tie breakers: a. Most Wins: number of wins divided by the number of games played. b. Goal Differential (maximum of plus or minus 4). For example for a score of 2-1, the goal differential for the winning team would be + 1. Another example is 5-0, the winning team's goal differential would be +4. If the divisions do not have the same number of teams, and a tie exists between two teams in different divisions calculate a percentage. The percentage would be calculated as follows: Goal Differential/Maximum Possible Goal Differential ( each game's maximum would be assumed to be +4). c. Goals Allowed (no maximum). If the divisions do not have the same number of teams, and tie exists between two teams in different divisions calculate the average goals allowed per game. The average would be calculated as follows: Goals Allowed/Games Played 9. Reporting Game Results The team manager of each team is required to post the game score and Yellow and Red cards received within 36 hours following completion of the game. All game reports where a red card is received or a red card suspension is being served must be sent to the MSA Office and received by the Friday following completion of the game. If the above deadlines are not complied with the offending team and club will be notified in writing by MSA and given one week from the date of written notification to remedy the situation. If the situation is not remedied the $500.00 Club Performance Bond check will be deposited. If a Club's bond check is deposited, the Club must submit another $500.00 bond check within 10 calendar days of the date of deposit or the offending team will not be able to participate in MCSL or State Cup. 10. Assignors/Referees 10.1 Assignment of referees will be the responsibility of the licensed Assignor as directed by the State Referee Administrator for the Competitive 1 U13 - U18 League game. Assignment of referees will be the responsibility of the 18
licensed Assignor of the host Association for Competitive 1 U11-U12 games and all Competitive 2 & 3 games. MSA will pay to the host Association a $10.00 per game referee assignor's fee at the completion of the season. 10.2 Payment of referees will be "CASH-IN-HAND" at the field by the team managers prior to the games. Each team will contribute one-half the total referee fees for that age group. Fees are established by the MSA Council and will be published on or before August i st of each season. 19