BUCS Disciplinary

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BUCS Disciplinary: Fair play and foul play

Points of discussion • • • • • •

2012/13 statistics - who appeals more and why? The appeals process: BUCScore & the appeals inbox. Considerations when lodging an appeal. Appeal scenarios. Playing under protest – the misconceptions. Rearranging postponed fixtures – the spirit of getting games played. • Walkovers – voluntary versus involuntary. • Questions.

2012/13 appeal statistics In 2012/13 BUCS received 55 initial appeals. • 7 were rejected due to incorrect submission (past deadline, wrong format) • 23 were rejected due to no regulation being broken • 14 were accepted – result walkover • 9 were accepted – result replay • 2 were accepted – result other (e.g. void match) This was a vast improvement on the 250+ appeals that were received in 2011/12. But more can still be done to reduce unnecessary appeals…

2012/13 appeal statistics Most common reasons for appeal this year: • • • • • •

Team selection (playing down). Team selection (playing out of rank order). Fielding an ineligible player. Match officials requirements not met. Neutrality of official not appropriate. Sport specific regulation broken (e.g. notification of uncontested scrums in Rugby Union). • Rearrangement protocol not adhered to. • Venue/start time not communicated. • Facilities not adequate.

2012/13 appeal statistics Concede 1sts game, fulfil 2nd/3rds game

Accepted

Administration error Qualification of officials Rearrangement of fixture Neutrality of official Player eligibility Number/lack of officials Sport specific

Team selection 0

1

2

3

4

5

Rejected

Late to game Disagree with official decision Venue/Facility issue Neutrality of official Player eligibility Number/lack of officials

Sport specific Team selection 0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

2012/13 appeal statistics Which region submitted the most appeals? Scottish

South Eastern

Northern

Western Midlands

2012/13 appeal statistics Appeals without a regulation breach (result to stand) South Eastern Western

Northern

Midlands

Lodging an appeal – the process 1.

Contact the opposition. You must make contact with the opposition to discuss the appeal and whether a resolution can be reached amicably.

2.

Use BUCScore. If you still wish to appeal, this must be done by the main institution BUCScore user using the ‘Match Appeals’ tab, no later than 5pm the next working day following the fixture.

3.

List the BUCS regulations that have been contravened. You can only appeal breaches of BUCS regulations. Only include supporting information that is relevant and concise. Avoid emotion and opinion, and be selective with any supporting evidence (e.g. social media).

4.

Send additional supporting documents to BOTH the opposition and the BUCS appeals inbox . This may include PUP form, scorecard, photographs.

5.

The opposition responds to the appeal, also through BUCScore.

6.

BUCS makes a decision based on the evidence presented. A £50 charge will be incurred to the team at fault or the rejected appellant.

Supporting evidence – use of social media In what circumstance is a facebook status or tweet appropriate to use in a BUCS appeal?

Supporting evidence – use of social media

Scenario 1 Your Rugby Union 1st team (in tier 2) have called you to advise that after completing their warm up they feel the pitch is too wet to play. Also, the home team arrived very late and are currently still warming up. The referee is

aware of your captain’s concerns about the pitch, but is happy for the game to go ahead and has delayed kick off by 10 minutes to allow the home team a full warm up for health and safety reasons. Your team are keen to refuse to

play and claim the walkover as the win would see them go top of the league.

What action would you take?

Scenario 2 Your Men’s Football 4th team captain (in tier 5) has called you straight after the game to ask for an appeal to be lodged. At the beginning of the match the referee had not turned up so the home team offered to use a member of

staff who referees their intra-mural games. Both teams agreed to this before the match, as they had travelled a long way and were keen to play. But by half time the referee had awarded the home team a penalty and had seemed

biased. Your team had filled out a PUP form at the end of the match but the home team captain had already left so didn’t sign it. The team only lost 1-0 due to the penalty that they believed should not have been given. What action would you take?

Scenario 3 Your Women’s Tennis 1st team (in tier 1) have called to say they have just finished their fixture and believed that the opposition had played out of rank order, as listed on the BUCS website. They challenged the opposition who said they were forced to change the order for this particular fixtures as one

individual was in an exam and another had just come back from injury and was out of form. They filled out a PUP form on the back of a scorecard and got the opposition to write down their order. Your team were well beaten

(10-2) but want the walkover in order to lift them out of the relegation zone. What action would you take?

Scenario 4 Your Men’s Hockey 2nd team away match was called off this week due to bad weather. The regulations state that the home team should offer two dates for rearrangement within 24 hours, however it is already the Friday morning following the Wednesday fixture and so far the opposition have only offered one date (to which you have yet to reply as you have been too busy). The Men’s Hockey captain has just turned up to your office demanding the walkover as he is aware of the 24 hour regulation. What action would you take?

Scenario 5 Your Women’s Football 2nd team have just lost the semi-final of the Conference Cup 2-1. Your captain has called you from the changing room as she is concerned about two of the opposition players, who both played a part in the goals that were scored. On asking the opposition captain, she stated that the team were missing some of their players due to placements. Of the

two girls in question, one was usually a 1st team player but had not yet played in any other BUCS cup competitions. The other was a girl who started the season in the 2nd team but has since deferred university to the following year

so has not been a full student since the previous term. What action would you take?

Playing Under Protest form When should the PUP form be used? Answer: as soon as the issue arises! Whether this be at the start of the fixture or during the fixture. Reg 12.14.1 – If a team feels, upon arrival or during a fixture, the conditions do not adhere to those outlined in the BUCS regulations, or fixture confirmation they should complete a Playing Under Protest form immediately.

When is the PUP form not appropriate? Possible answers: when no regulation has been contravened , when an appropriate official has made a ‘controversial’ decision or when a team has travelled with prior knowledge of a breach of regulation. Reg 12.14.2 – If a team travels to a fixture with prior knowledge of a breach of regulations they are deemed to have accepted these conditions of play and can therefore not play under protest for that reason.

Note: the completion of the PUP form only allows an institution the right for appeal and does not guarantee the outcome of the appeal.

In summary • If you are considering an appeal, contact the opposition administrator to discuss. What outcome do you expect? What outcome is fair? • If you do lodge an appeal, keep it concise and relevant. State the regulations broken. Avoid emotion/opinion. • Educate your team captains about appeals and PUP forms, to avoid frivolous appeals. • The spirit of getting games played – avoid walkovers wherever possible.

Any questions?