MONTREAL RECREATIONAL SOCCER LEAGUE

2009 EDITION

RULES and REGULATIONS

1.0 GENERAL RULES

1.1 All FIFA rules will be followed with the exceptions as noted hereunder.

1.2 Unless restricted by local town ordinance, the decision whether or not a field is playable is at the sole discretion of the referee.

1.3 The referee will not be held liable for any injuries sustained during a game, since it is the personal decision of each player whether or not to play a game.

1.4 The referee’s decision is final. It is to be accepted without argument. These rules and regulations permit the team captain to ask for an explanation of any decision. The referee, however, is not obliged to provide an explanation.

1.5 Each team can register a maximum number of 22 players. Team roster cannot change after two-thirds of the season has passed. The team sheet submitted at game 11 is final or if a one sent directly to the league indicating it is the final roster.

1.6 All players must be a minimum of 18 years old. Noexceptions.

1.7 Teams found guilty of playing illegal players will, on their first offence, forfeit the game in question. If a team is found guilty a second time, the team will be expelled from the league.

1.8 If the game is abandoned for extenuating circumstances after the 60th minute of play, the score at that point will stand; if less than 60 minutes have been played, the game will be cancelled and rescheduled.

1.9 Only in exceptional circumstances will a game be postponed, and only if 72 hours notice is given to the opposing team rep and the league coordinator.

1.10 All forfeited games will be recorded as a 3 - 0 loss.

1.11 Should a team be expelled or withdraw from the league, its fees will not be refunded. All records in games concerning this team will be expunged.

1.12 Shin guards are compulsory. No red card will be issued, however, the referee will not allow the offending player to play.

1.13 A recommendation to referees: Safety of the players, especially the goalkeeper, is paramount.

1.14 League trophies must be replaced if lost or broken.

2.0 ON FIELD RULES

2.1 Minimum # of Players: A game will start at the scheduled time, irrespective of the number of players available from each team. Each team must have a minimum of 8 players dressed and on the field by NLT 15 minutes into the game for the game to be official. Failure to meet this requirement will result in that team forfeiting the match as per rule 1.10 above. In the unlikely event that both teams fail to meet this requirement, a 0 - 0 loss for each team will be recorded.

2.1.1 Once the referee has determined forfeiture, the match can continue as a friendly and will end at the regularly scheduled completion time.

2.1.2 Should a team fall below 8 players during the match, the match will continue as per normal.

2.2 Substitutions: A team may substitute any number of players during any stoppage in play when it is in possession of the ball, and only upon referee notification. Should a team make a substitution, then the opposing team may do likewise.

2.3.1 Either team may substitute on a goal kick or a goal or may replace an injured player.

2.3 Shirt Colours: Home team must change shirts in the event of a colour clash. Home team is listed first in the schedule.

2.4 Linesman: Each team must supply a linesman if they have at least one substitute player. Linesman has only to indicate if ball is out of play. Linesman will not watch for offside infractions.

2.5 Appeals: Generally appeals to overturn a referee’s decision will not be granted. In extenuating circumstances where the referee admits an error was made resulting from an unawareness of new FIFA rules, then a committee consisting of a minimum of 5 team captains will be convened to review the situation and recommend a course of action.

2.6 Team Sheets: Team sheets must be duly completed, signed by the team captain or manager and submitted to the referee by no later than end of half-time. Players arriving during the second half are eligible to play, however, it is the captain’s responsibility to add the player’s name. Failure to produce a completed team sheet will result in that team forfeiting the match as per rule 1.10 above.

2.7 Nets: Each team must have a goal net and pegs with them. In the event the city has not installed the game nets in time for kick-off, each team must install their own nets. This is required in the spirit of the game as only the net will positively confirm if a goal was scored or not, thus eliminating frustrations and confrontations.

2.8 Game Ball: Home team must provide a god quality game ball to play the game.

3.0 POINTS

3.1 Points for each game will be awarded as follows: WIN = 3, DRAW = 1, and LOSS = 0.

3.2 The top 6 teams will advance into post-season play at the end of the season.

3.3 Final standings will be decided as follows:

i - Points

ii - Goal difference

iii - Goals for

iv - Ratio of goals for to goals against

v - Net result of the matches between the two teams

vi - Toss of a coin

3.3.1 Note: If time and scheduling permit and the team reps agree, then a play-off match can be substituted for item vi above.

4.0 DISCIPLINE

4.1 The referee will show a yellow or red card, in observance of the laws of soccer as defined by FIFA, as the situation merits. The specific sanctions imposed on a penalized player are listed in the table below.

4.2 Cooling off penalty: in addition, this league permits the referee, at his discretion, to request that a player (including the goalkeeper) leave the field of play for 10 minutes as a “cooling off” period. The player may be replaced and no card will be given.

4.2.1 Failure to comply with the referee’s request for a “cooling off” period will result in that player being shown a yellow card.

4.2.2 No player may receive two “cooling off” periods in the same game.

4.2.3 At the end of the cooling off period, the player must obtain the referee’s permission to return to the field of play.

4.3 Yellow cards: Players may be asked to serve a 10-minute cooling off period at the referee discretion, but may be replaced.

4.4 Red cards: Players are ejected from the game and may not be replaced.

4.5 Infractions and sanctions as follows:

4.5.1 COMMITTEE: In the event that a team manager feels the sanction is too severe, then a committee formed of four other team reps and a referee will review the incident and decide the final sanction. This proviso, however, only applies to the infractions (in the table below) indicated by an asterisk (*).

4.5.2 Yellow cards will carry into the playoff. Yellow cards will not carry over into next season. Suspensions will carry into the next season.

INFRACTION	PENALTY	MINIMUM SANCTION
Refusal to “cool off”	Yellow card	10-minute rest
2 yellow cards in same game	Red card	1-game suspension
3 yellow cards in same season		1-game suspension
Red card (No yellow card)		2-game suspension
2 red cards in same season		Minimum twice the normal suspension
3 red cards in same season		Minimum 1-year suspension
Foul or abusive language directed at referee after the issuance of a red card.	2^nd Red card	6-game suspension in addition to the original offense. If a 3^rd red card is shown, 1-year to be added to the total.
Deliberately handling the ball at a critical time (referee’s discretion); last man foul provided it is not violent nor dangerous	Red card	1-game suspension
Violent conduct (*)	Red card	2-game suspension
Fighting (*)	Red card	5-game suspension
Instigating a fight	Red card	3 games in addition to fighting sanction
Headbutting	Red card	10-game suspension
Threatening an official; (*)	Red card	Minimum 1-year suspension
Charging towards an official in a threatening manner; Attempting to engage him in a fight (*)	Red card	Minimum 2-year suspension
Contact or striking an official; spitting; racial slurs or remarks (*);	Red card	Ejected from the league and record sent to other leagues.

POSTSCRIPT

The intent of this league is that we all get some exercise; enjoy some friendly competition; make some new friends along the way; and perhaps bend an elbow or two together at one of the local watering holes. This is not the World Cup. After all, we all have to get up and go to work the next day.

Let’s try our hardest because, after all, we owe our opponents our best effort. Let’s not get too disappointed if things don’t exactly go our way. Let’s keep in mind that the referee is human too, and is doing his best to ensure a fair game. But most of all, let’s have fun out there.