Welsh Petanque Association

1.0 GENERAL

1.1 All teams entering the league are deemed to have accepted these rules and to be bound by them for the duration of the league season.

1.2 The league season is defined as the period of weeks in the year where league fixtures will be played. The document on which this period is indicated is the league fixture grid.

1.3 COMMON DECENCY RULE. All teams are requested to abide by the unwritten rules of common decency. Do to others only what you would accept to have done to yourself. This is meant to be a fun and friendly league.

2.0 TEAMS

2.1 All teams participating in the League and League Cup/Plate competitions must be affiliated to a club currently registered with the WPA and all players within a team must hold a WPA licence or an equivalent National Licence issued by the EPA, SPA or IPA and having appropriate insurance cover organised by that national Body. Non WPA Licence holders will not be eligible to enter WPA national Competitions or represent Wales in any other Competition.

2.2 Teams consist of two “doubles” playing under the normal WPA/ FIPJP rules and any local rules regarding terrain etc. Rules regarding uniform will be waived for play in the league.

2.3 Some additional rules may apply for the league cup and plate competitions. These rules will be advised to participants in the start up document for the League Cup/Plate if necessary.

2.4 Team players are members of their designated club for the whole season including League Cup and Plate competitions unless transferred to another club (See 2.11).

2.5 No player can play for a different club during the season or in the League Cup and Plate competitions, unless transferred to another club (See 2.11).

2.6 Players play for their WPA affiliated club and may play for any of the teams that the club may place in the league as long as they follow the rules in 2.7 to 2.10. However a player can only play for one of their clubs teams in the Cup/Plate as they become ‘cup-tied’.

2.7 Playing down. Players from first division sides cannot play in second division fixtures. Players from the first or second division cannot play in third division fixtures.

2.8 Playing up. Players from second division sides can play in first division fixtures up to a maximum of six times in the season. Players from third division sides can play in higher division fixtures up to a maximum of seven times in the season.  If players play beyond this limit, they are deemed to be a first or second division player according to the league in which they played the most, and they are then viewed under rule 2.7.

2.9 A player can only play for one side in any one week. A week is defined as those fixtures designated to be played in a week of the league season and also a calendar week (this means you can’t play for side (a) in a re-arranged game if you’ve already played for side (b) the calendar week the re-arranged game is due to be played OR the week the fixture should originally been played). The league fixture grid gives details of the fixtures that are to be played in a week.

2.10 Reserves are not allowed in doubles play under FIPJP rules.

2.11 In exceptional circumstances, team members may officially “transfer” to another club during the season, but only with the authority of the Executive Committee. Once a player is transferred, they can not return to their original club for 1 season unless authorised by the Executive Committee.

2.12 Players may move between clubs in closed season.

2.13 Teams may attend a fixture with less than the full compliment of players. The minimum number allowed is 2 players.

2.14 A team may only use rule 2.13 to a maximum of three fixtures in a season.

3.0 PLAY

3.1 Teams will play under the normal WPA/ FIPJP rules and any local rules regarding terrain etc. (Please see the FIPJP rule book).

3.2 Teams should begin play at the latest time of 7.30pm.

3.3 If a team arrives late, the following rules will apply. One point awarded to the opposition for every five minutes (or part of five minutes) late; seven minutes late would produce an award of 2 points to the opposition.

3.4 If a team arrives after 8.30pm the two first round games are forfeit. After 8.30pm the same rules as in 3.3 will apply; a team arriving at 8.36pm will forfeit their first round games and will have two points from the second round games awarded to the opposition.

4.0 FIXTURES

4.1 All fixtures MUST be played.

4.2 Fixtures are to be played on the days as described in the League Fixture Grid.

4.3 Fixtures can be postponed subject to the rules as laid out in section 5.0 below.

4.4 FIXTURES NOT PLAYED - Should a match not be played within the “two week rule” (See 5.5), the Executive Committee will investigate the reasons for non-playing in closed session. In this event, the committee will adjudge which side was deemed to have cancelled the match and in addition, one of two decisions will be made:

4.4.1 To replay the match on a date specified by the Executive Committee, or

4.4.2 To eject from the league the team deemed to have cancelled the match without refund of entry fees. In addition, that team (and all players registered to that team) will be banned from entering the league for the next league season. On re-entry to the league the team would be placed in the lowest division for that season.

4.5 Should a side be ejected from the league, all fixtures played by the side concerned will be deemed void and their results will not be taken into account for the league.

4.6 Should a replay be imposed (under rule 4.4.1) and the fixture does not take place on the prescribed day/time, the team adjudged to be defaulting will be ejected from the league under rule 4.4.2 above (unless they can prove mitigation).

4.7 The Executive Committee in closed session will decide upon the defaulting team under rule 4.5 separately from the decision taken in rule 4.4. In exceptional circumstances, the Executive Committee may take the decision to eject both sides from the league.

5.0 POSTPONEMENT OF FIXTURES

5.1 A team captain who wishes to postpone a match must contact the opposition team captain by 7.00pm on the day previous to the fixture, but preferably as soon as they are aware that they need to postpone the fixture.

5.2 When the postponing captain contacts the opposing captain, they should propose a new date and time for the fixture. It is not in order to just postpone a fixture without making alternative arrangements. Should this happen the postponing captain will be deemed to have cancelled a fixture See rule 4.4 to 4.6 above.

5.3 The two captains involved may re-arrange a fixture in accordance with 5.4 and 5.5 below. They should then contact the league organiser to inform them of the changes made to the league programme.

5.4 Team captains can arrange by mutual consent to play any fixture BEFORE the fixture date. Details of any re-arrangements should be notified to the league organiser as soon as they occur.

5.5 TWO WEEK RULE. Any postponed match should be played no later than two weeks after the date of the original fixture that appears on the league fixture grid. The League organiser must be informed of the reasons for postponement and the date the game will be played ASAP. Any game being played outside this 2 week window must be agreed with the league organiser and satisfactory reasons provided. Failure to adhere to this will result in a £5 fine as under rule 6.8.

5.6 The team postponing a fixture will be deemed to be in contravention of league rules (unless the team can prove otherwise, and the onus is on them to do this) should an enquiry by the executive committee be required.

6.0 RESULT REPORTING

Results are required for position calculation and publicity purposes. Any delay in publishing results will affect the credibility of the league, and potential sponsorship.

6.1 All results are to be reported. If a result is not received on time (6.6 below), the fixture will be viewed as though it was not played. (See rules 4.4 to 4.6)

6.2 Results are to be reported by the “Home” team in every case.

6.3 Both captains should verify the result slip by means of a signature and also use the tick box to verify that licences have been checked.

6.4 A captain may appeal to the league organiser should they feel that a result has been reported or published incorrectly.

6.5 If a result slip is received without an away captain’s signature, it will be deemed that they are in agreement with the result as reported and that they waive the right to appeal against the report should it be incorrect.

6.6 Results are to be sent on the result slips provided by surface mail to:

Bob Pugh
13 Pontrilas Close
Culverhouse Cross
Cardiff
CF5 4TT

or by Email to: results@welshpetanque.org.uk

or by text to 07746217118 please use the format of - Home team, games, points, Away team, games, points e.g. – Wheatsheaf A 3 48 In Shops 1 22

The result slip should arrive by Saturday immediately following the fixture.

6.7 Results sent by email or text should be verified with a hard (paper) copy of a signed result slip that should be passed to Bob Pugh ASAP. The email copy must have the names of the captains placed into the signature areas of the result slip before transmission.

6.8 Failure to report a result on time will result in a £5.00 fine. Until the fine is paid, the result is viewed under rule 6.1 above. On payment of the fine (provided all other league rules above are adhered to) the result will stand.