Dublin Canoe Polo League (DCPL)

League Rules

1.00. Organisation:

1.01  Canoe polo competitions and leagues shall be organised by the Dublin Canoe Polo Committee. Admission to such activities will be at the discretion of the Committee.

1.02  Teams must be entered online and entry fee paid by the date given by the Committee. Teams not entered online and paid by this date will not be accepted in to the league.

1.03  Where payment may be delayed, the Team Secretary is required to approach the Committee to agree the date for payment. Acceptance of a delayed payment is at the discretion of the Committee.

1.04  Each team will nominate one person who will receive all communications on behalf of the team from the organisers or the committee. This person will be known as the Team Secretary.

1.05   Any team failing to complete a fixture must notify the Committee at least a day before the fixture will take place. If failure to do so on 4 fixtures in a season, entry into the league for the next season may be denied.

1.05.01  Any team failing to complete fully a fixture will be required to pay 100% of the league charges for themselves and for their opposition.

1.06  A team will, on a rotating basis, be assigned as duty team.

1.07  Each team must supply at least one referee or trainee referee per season. Referre's may be assigned to referee game(s) of equal or lower standard to their own division by the Committee on any night where they have a fixture.

1.07.01  In the instance of a new team entering the league, a period of one season's grace will be allowed from this rule. A newly formed team consisting of experienced players must comply with part 1.07 of this rule. Failure to conform with this rule will mean unsuccessful application to the league.

1.07.02  Referees that are unable to attend their assigned games must supply a substitute of equivalent standard. Failure to do this will incur a penalty to his/her team.

1.07.03  If referee is a trainee referee, they must approach another qualified referee to shadow them.

1.08  A team may only register its name with the consent of the committee.

1.09  Any team wishing to change the date or time (or otherwise) of a match fixture must make a request to the Committee by email (canoedcpl@gmail.com) with proof of approval of any other teams affected. This must be done three days in advance of the game night with all requests being completed at least a day in advance of the fixture.

 2.00 Players

2.01  All players must register with the league. Team registrations must submitted online by the date required by the Committee. All players wishing to play must be registered with their team. Player registration can be amended up to 24 hours before the start of the game night they wish to partake in. Any deviance from this where a player who has not been approved plays, that game will be deemed a scratch.

2.01.01  All players must be registered as a member with the Irish Canoe Union and provide a valid ICU number upon registration online. If a player does not have a valid ICU number registered online they are not insured and will not be allowed to play any fixtures and will be deemed an illegal player and will follow rule 2.04.  All players are subject to inspection and must be able to provide proof of identity and proof of ICU membership.

2.02  Any team may register a maximum of ten players. A player may only compete when the registration has been completed as set out in rule 2.01 and 2.01.01.

2.02.01  The Committee is only required to provide prizes for seven members of each team

2.03  Any player who is unregistered or registered with more than one team at the same time will be deemed an illegal player.

2.04  Any team found by the Committee to have played an illegal player will be penalised by the Committee and will forfeit the game which will be deemed a walkover to their opposition.

2.05  Except as set out below or where specifically approved in writing by the Committee any player who has played more than two games in one division shall not be eligible to play in another division of lower grading.

2.05.01  Women or youth players are exempt from this regulation when playing in women's or youths competitions. Where a women's or youths competition is not available, an entry into the standard league by this criteria may be reviewed by the Committee.

2.05.02  A player of Division 1 standard shall be eligible to play in the division graded immediately below the division in which that player has previously played but so that no team may register more than one player who is such eligible. A player of any other division shall be eligible to play in the division graded 2 steps below the division in which that player has previously played but so that no team may register more than one player who is such eligible.

2.05.03  The committee may relegate, where this team will be allowed to play in the division graded immediately below the division in which they lasted played.

2.06  Player transfer must be registered online a minimum of one day before a fixture and must be approved by the committee before the game takes place. Player transfers may not take place between teams when either team has three or less league games remaining.

2.07  Players must be at least 14 years of age upon registration with the league.

3.00 Finance

3.01  All competitions normally shall be financially self-supporting. Teams entry fees shall be sufficient to cover running and pool costs, ICU levies, insurance etc. Team fees shall be payable when indicated by the Committee.

3.02  Balance of payments, where applicable are to be received by the organisers by the required date. Any team which fails to pay the balance may be removed from the league, and may not be allowed enter any other tournament organised by the Dublin Canoe Polo Committee. This sanction will apply to the team as a group, and also to individual players and officials at the discretion of the committee, until the outstanding moneys are received

3.03  Reduced fees may be payable by teams with youth or student players as decided by the committee.

3.04  When committee boats are rented by players, the team will be responsible for rental costs.

3.05  Competition fees, referees, and boat hire fees, shall be as determined by the organisers or the Dublin Canoe Polo Committee.

3.06  League fees, boat hire, levies etc. will be payable in advance as required by the committee. Fines imposed on a team will be deducted from any advance payments. Failure by a team to provide funds to meet league fees, Fines, etc. may result in the withdrawal of fixtures and awarding of walkovers to opposition.

3.07  The committee may deduct outstanding debts owed by teams arising from previous seasons from payment subsequently made to the league.

4.00 Competitions

4.01  A team will, on a rotating basis, be assigned as duty team. Assigned duty team will take responsibility, in its turn for the supervision and running of fixtures during their assigned times. Details of duties will be specified by the committee but are inclusive of setting up the playing area, ensuring teams are on time to play and/or referee, timekeeping, recording match details as dictated by the referees and dismantling the playing area at the end of the night.

4.02  The duty team will be required to provide at least three competent personnel to undertake the following functions:

1. Team chaser

2. Referee chaser

3. Score keeper

4. Time keeper

5. Pool guard

4.03  Monitoring and controlling the conduct of players off the field, team officials, and spectators shall be a duty team's responsibility, and details of misconduct must be reported by the duty team to the Committee.

4.04  Timetable of games shall be strictly observed.

4.05 Each team is responsible for being aware of the time of its matches, and should be togged out to play from half time of the preceding match.

4.06  A minimum of three players from each team shall be in the playing area at the commencement of a game. Starting time will be indicated by the referee giving one sharp blast. A team not ready to start at the commencement time shall concede one goal to their opposition for each minute or part there of that they are unable to get into position to start the game. Once three minutes has elapsed, the defaulting team shall be deemed to have conceded a walkover.

4.07  Times and dates of matches shall be fixed only by the committee. Teams may not rearrange fixtures to any other time or place by agreement between themselves. As per 1.05, Any team failing to complete a fixture must notify the Committee at least a day before the fixture will take place. If failure to do so on 4 fixtures in a season, entry into the league for the next season may be denied.

4.08  In the event of a player committing a serious offense, the referee or committee member on duty should submit a report to the Dublin League Committee with the view to further disciplinary action being taken

4.09  Failure of a duty team to attend or to fulfill their obligations properly will be regarded as a most serious matter by the Committee. A fine will be imposed upon the duty team, and two league points will be deducted.

4.10  League points will be awarded, as determined prior to the league in respect of a win or walkover, a draw, for playing but losing a game, or for conceding a walkover.

4.11  In the event of a team withdrawing, or being suspended from the league following its commencement, any points awarded to teams who had competed against the withdrawn team will be forfeited. Inclusion of a Replacement team, reorganisation of fixtures lists and other matters will be decided by the Committee.

4.12  In the event of a team withdrawing from a league, the sanction to be imposed upon the team will be determined by the Dublin Canoe Polo Committee. Payment will not be returned.

4.13  A disciplinary points system shall be operated, and records of the number of red, yellow and green cards awarded to an individual/team kept. The number of points shall be as follows:

A green card shall carry 1 point

A yellow card shall carry 2 points

A red card shall carry 3 points

4.13.01  The number of points awarded to any one player in any one match will not exceed 4.

4.13.02  Suspensions will be imposed on the accumulation of points as follows:

Accumulation of 5 points shall impose a 2 match suspension.

Accumulation of 8 points shall impose a 4 match suspension.

Accumulation of 12 points shall impose a 8 match suspension.

4.13.03  Suspensions not served before the end of a league will be served in the following league.

4.13.04  Points accumulated during a league will not be carried forward to the next league.

4.14  On the field of play a referee's decision is taken in good faith and is binding. A sanction may be appealed to the Committee within 7 days of fixture (canoedcpl@gmail.com). On review, the Committee’s decision is final.

5.00 Appeals and Protests.

5.01  Appeals and protests about any matter affecting the rights of teams or players, including sanctions decided by the referee and/or Committee may be made to the Committee (canoedcpl@gmail.com) by the penalised party within seven days of the announcement of the decision. In case of special events, appeals and protests must be brought to the Committee member on duty within twenty minutes of the disputed game an followed up in writing (canoedcpl@gmail.com)

5.02  In case of special events, appeals and protests will be heard by a protests/appeals committee (the P.A.C.) A P.A.C. shall consist of three persons chosen to deal with the matter by the chairperson of the committee, or if the chairperson is unwilling or unable to do so, by the secretary. No member of the P.A.C. shall have an interest in the outcome of the appeal or protest. The penalised party shall be given all fair and necessary information to enable them properly to represent themselves (Including details of all allegations against them, copies of reports and complaints which gave rise to the sanction). The penalised party shall be allowed to attend the hearing and be given reasonable opportunity to present their case in defence of their position.

5.03  Written reports, together with the attendance to give verbal clarification may be requested by The P.A.C. from the penalised party, but failure to give such reports or to so attend will not inhibit or invalidate the P.A.C. Proceeding in the absence of such co-operation to a determination of the matter.

5.04  An appeal shall lie from the decision of The P.A.C. to The Irish Canoe Polo Committee.

5.05  All sanctions shall take place effect immediately unless otherwise decided by the committee imposing them, and in particular shall not be postponed by the making of, or stayed pending the outcome of, an appeal or protest.

5.06  All appeals must be accompanied by an appeals fee of 10.00 Euro, this fee will be refundable to all successful appeals.