DISCIPLINE

Procedures

 

 MEMORANDUM OF PROCEDURES

FOR DEALING WITH MISCONDUCT OCCURRING BEFORE, DURING OR AFTER MATCHES AND COMMITTED BY PLAYERS OF CLUBS DEALT WITH BY COUNTY AND OTHER AFFILIATED ASSOCIATIONS BUT NOT BY THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION

 
This Memorandum cites procedures as they apply exclusively to Participants who are acting as Flayers when reported. For offered Standard Punishments, accepted allegations or for Personal Hearings found proved, the outcome will normally entail a Fine and a total or conditional suspension from playing.
 
Save for serious or repeated proved misconduct, Participants offending in a capacity other than as Players in a match should not be suspended but be subject to any of a reprimand, a warning as to future conduct, a written undertaking not to repeat, a touch-line ban for a period of time, and a Fine (active or suspended for a given period), together with costs in proved guilty cases
 

PART 1

 
1. Definitions
 
1.1   In this Memorandum the words “the Association” refer to the appropriate County or other Affiliated Association, and the words ‘the Association secretary” mean and include any person nominated to discharge a part of the disciplinary administration of the Association as well as its actual secretary.
 
1.2 Wherever gender is referred to in this Memorandum, either shall be inferred, as relevant.
 
1.3 All written communications from a player to the Association secretary must be sent by the secretary of the player’s club unless the player is no longer registered with the club,
 
1.4 Every Association must set out in its rules or regulations a copy of these procedures, which are to be followed after a player has been cautioned or dismissed from the Field of Play while playing in a match for a club or a particular team of a club not dealt with by The Football Association.
 
1.5(a) A “child” means a person who at the date of the relevant match was under the statutory school leaving age and throughout these regulations full-time education refers to a child who is of compulsory school age or who is over the school leaving age but is under the age of 18 and is for the time being attending a school or in full1ime education in an establishment of further education.
 
1.5(b) Financial penalties for misconduct must not be imposed on a child (Sections 5.2, 6.3 & 7.2 and 13.3). Where a Standard Punishment or Commission decision includes any financial element then the player’s club is liable for the sum imposed.
 
1.6 Wherever written” or “letter” is referred to in this Memorandum this is deemed to include communication by fax ore-mail. Where an Association chooses to communicate by fax ore- mail it must take all reasonable steps to ensure that the address or fax number used is current.
 
1.7 This Memorandum supersedes all previous versions and is effective from 1st July 2004 until further notice.
 
1.8 The term suspension” in this Memorandum means suspension is from playing football ONLY and any other sanction required for the period of suspension must be specified in the decision letter forwarded to the Participants.
 
1.9 Permanent Suspension means no review to be considered under a period of 10 years.
 
2. Timing  
 
Disciplinary procedures shall commence no later than 90 days, and the outcome determined no later than 180 days from receipt of the report of alleged misconduct, or otherwise be void, If deemed reasonable, any period of delay requested or caused by t e Participant will not count towards the 90/180 days. The Association must use due diligence to charge and/or finalise cases within that period of time and must conform with the requirements set out in Part I of this Memorandum, subject to the effects of the adoption by the Association of any of the alternative and optional powers set out in Part II.
 
3. Administrative Procedures - Upgrading/Downgrading of Match Officials reports
 
Where the referee’s report shows that the player should have been only cautioned and not dismissed from the Field of Play, the Association may substitute and record a caution, The referee must be notified of the reasons for doing so. An Association may reserve the right not to process a caution if the report is deemed to be invalid for any reason.
 
4. General
  
4.1 Without prejudice to the foregoing provisions of Part I of this Memorandum, an Association shall have the power to delegate to The Football Association or to another Affiliated Association its powers and duties to investigate and/or adjudicate in cases where it may be advantageous so to do.
 
4.2 If a referee omits to show the appropriate card when taking action against a player, this does not nullify the caution or sending-off offence. However, the attention of the referee should be drawn to the correct procedure.
 
4.3 A Participant consents to abide by the Laws of the Game, the Rules and Regulations of The Football Association or an affiliated Association and to reasonable proportionate disciplinary action when playing the game. The issue of a caution is a decision based on a question of fact on the Field of Play upon which the Referee’s decision is final, The recording of the caution and the consequences that flow are both reasonable and proportionate. Cautions not being the subject of appeal do not breach the Human Rights Act 1998.
 
4.4 Recommended punishments are to be used in Sections (5 and 6) below when offering a punishment and as a guide only when dealing with cases under Section 7. When a player is dealt with by a Disciplinary Commission cases must be dealt with on their merits and a punishment awarded consistent with the overall nature and effect of the offence(s); also the player’s record of misconduct over the current and previous five seasons.
4.5 Associations may, at their discretion, offer suspension periods that are split to avoid suspending players over the summer months. The start and end dates of time period where players will not be suspended will be determined by the Association. However the start date for the period must fall on a Monday and the end date for the period must be a Sunday. This clause shall not apply to sine die suspensions.