JOHANNESBURG RULES & REGULATIONS BOOKLET FOR REGIONAL AND LOCAL FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION LEAGUES 1 INDEX Composition Page 1 Trophies & Awards Page 1 Structure of the Competition, Tournaments & Events Page 1 Participation & Entry Page 1-2 Dates and Venues of Matches Page 2-3 Matches in accordance with the laws of the game Page 2 BOOKLET LEAGUES RULES & REGULATIONS 3 1 COMPOSITION 1.1 All clubs affiliated (inclusive of their officials, servants, or duly authorised representatives) together with all amateur players registered for the purpose of participating in the Regional or LFA”s Leagues/Competitions (herein referred to as "The League") shall be bound by the Rules and Regulations contained herein. 1.2 The Regional or LFA "Leagues" is presently made up, amongst others, of amateur teams registered and playing under the Rules and Regulations of the Region and LFA’s 1.3 The teams referred to in 1.2 above are situated and registered within the SAFA Johannesburg Region. 2. TROPHIES AND AWARDS 2.1 The winners of the Regional or LFA Leagues may be awarded trophies. These trophies may be retained by the winning clubs and thereafter returned to the Regional or LFA office in the same condition as they were presented, by no later than 14 days after presentation. The clubs may also be presented with miniature trophies which they shall retain permanently in accordance with any sponsorship or agreement specifically relating to their division. 3. STRUCTURE OF THE COMPETITIONS, TOURNAMENTS AND SPECIAL EVENTS 3.1 The Region or the LFA Leagues may be played in streams as determined by the Executive Committee of the Region and LFA’s. 3.2 Rules for all competitions tournaments or special events other than the normal leagues played under the jurisdiction of the Region or LFA’s shall be determined by the Executive Committee of the Region or the LFA prior to the start of any competition, tournament or special event. 4. PARTICIPATION AND ENTRY 4.1 Promotional Divisions 4.1.1 The Promotional Division/streams shall consist of a minimum of eight (8) teams per stream during 4 each season. 4.1.2 The relegation of teams at the conclusion of the season of the league playing under the immediate jurisdiction of the Region or the LFA shall occur as outlined hereunder 4.1.2.1 The two teams at the bottom of the stream log shall be relegated to the lower league 4.1.2.2 Two teams from the respective lower leagues, shall be promoted to this league 4.1.2.3 Depending on the relegation from the higher league, the league shall reciprocate with the same number to the relegated 4.1.3 The Executive Committee shall determine which clubs shall be promoted from the lower stream to the higher league in terms of a format laid down by the Committee 4.2 Teams shall submit the prescribe entry and information documents together with the prescribed fees to the Region or LFA Leagues by the specified deadline date. 4.3 On entering any competition run by the Region or LFA, clubs undertake: - to observe these Regulations: - to accept that all administrative, disciplinary and refereeing matters connected with any Competition undertaken by the Association shall be dealt with in terms of these Regulations and where all of the above are silent, by the decision of the Executive Committee and thereafter the Rules and Regulations of SAFA. 4.4 Should a club withdraw or be withdrawn from any division where it gained promotion, referred to in 4 above, before the start of the season, the Region / LFA may allow the runner up of the lower league to be promoted. 4.5 It shall be compulsory for all clubs entered into any of the Regional / LFA Leagues to participate in all Competitions organized by the Region or LFA when so directed by the Association 5 5. DATES AND VENUES OF MATCHES 5.1 The dates and venues of matches shall be fixed by Region/LFA 5.2 Clubs shall be notified of fixtures changes in writing by no later than midday of the third working day 72 hours prior to the match. Should such notification be given, then the LFA or Region will advise clubs of the date, time and venue when the said fixture will be played. 5.3 Should any club wish to request a change to a fixture, such request must be submitted in writing by midday of the fourteenth day prior to the match. Fixtures will only be amended in extreme circumstances, at the discretion of the Association who may delegate this power in writing. 5.4 Save and except where permission to change a fixture has been given in terms of Rule 5.2 above, no fixtures may be changed in any manner whatsoever. 5.5 The onus if securing a venue shall be with the home club, and save and except for "Force Majeure", the club's failure to secure a venue shall be regarded as misconduct, and the club shall be deemed to have fulfill its fixtures. 5.6 In its application to the Association for affiliation, a club shall name the ground at which it will play its home fixtures, as well as its alternative home ground. In this regard, the league may at any time prior to any game under its auspices (if the Association is of the opinion that the safety of the public, players and officials cannot be guaranteed, any reason whatsoever then and in such event) fixtures such games at any alternative venue. 5.7 If for any reason a club is unable to play its home fixtures at its home ground, the Association may order the club to play the fixture at a ground selected by the club as its alternative home ground alternatively at a neutral venue determined by the Association. All costs inclusive of ground rental, security shall be borne and paid for by the original home club. 6. MATCHES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE GAME 6.1 All matches shall be played according to the Laws of the Game authorised by the International Football Association Board and published by FIFA. 6.2 No more than five club officials who shall be so registered with the Association in terms of the club's registration with the Association shall be allowed to be seated on the team bench, such official shall be defined as including the coach, assistant coach, Medical Doctor and/or Masseur who shall be obliged to produce their 6 official cards should they be called upon to do so by the referee. 6.3 In the event of the persons referred to in 6.2 not being in possession of such card, alternatively, being in excess of the number referred to, they shall immediately be removed from the field and the club may be charged with misconduct. 7. DURATION OF THE MATCHES 7.1 All matches shall be played in terms of Rule 7 of the FIFA Laws of the Game, and as such the match shall last two (2) equal periods of forty-five (45) minutes, the Referee being the sole judge and adjudicator of time, inclusive of injury time, if any. 7.1.2 Senior male forty – five (45) minutes 7.1.3 Senior female forty (40) minutes 7.1.4 Juniors:- - U10/U12 Twenty (20) minutes - U13/U14 Thirty (30) minutes - U16/U17 Forty (40) minutes - U19/U20 Forty five (45)minutes 7.2 Players are entitled to an interval at half-time which must not exceed fifteen (15) minutes. 8. FIELDS OF PLAY, FOOTBALLS 8.1 The Association shall inspect the fields of play and all clubs shall ensure that their fields of play comply with the Laws of the Game and the directives of FIFA. 8.2 Each club shall register its home ground/s with the Association and no club shall relocate to another ground without first obtaining the written consent of the Association, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. 8.3 The minimum illumination necessary for night matches shall be 200 lux 8.4 The dimensions of the fields of play shall be as follows: 8.4.1 maximum lenth 120 metres: minimum length 100 meters: 8.4.2 maximum width 75 metres: minimum width 68 metres: 8.4.3 for small sided competitions and leagues the following may apply 7 a) Under 8- Under 10 b) Under 12 8.5 Clubs must register their pitch dimensions with the Association prior to the start of each season. It will be deemed misconduct for a club to alter its pitch dimensions during the season unless with the prior written consent of the Association. The Board may at any time require a club to submit a report from a qualified independent source certifying the pitch dimension. 8.6 Each club shall take all reasonable steps to maintain its pitch in good order. The association may require a club to take such steps as the Association shall specify if it is not satisfied that an adequate standard of pitch is being maintained. 8.7 Each club shall provide separate areas adjacent to the pitch for the sole use of team officials, medical staff and substitutes. Such designated areas shall be clearly marked "home" and "visitors" have direct access to the pitch, be located equidistant from the halfway line, and be capable of seating not less than eight (8) persons from each club. 8.8 It is the responsibility of the home or host club to ensure that a qualified medical practitioner and a qualified physiotherapist are in attendance throughout a match.