Rules & Conditions

Definitions
  • Annual General Meeting (or ‘AGM’) an annual meeting of the member Club Associations convened pursuant to these Rules.
  • Club Association shall mean a ‘Club Association’ which is a member of the League and for which the player played in the Year of Competition immediately preceding their registration with the League to play for University Club Association.
  • Extraordinary General Meeting (or ‘EGM’) an extraordinary general meeting of the member Club Associations convened pursuant to these Rules.
  • Near Relative shall mean – husband, wife, common-law partner or cohabitee, son, daughter, brother, sister, father, mother or guardian (whether natural or by adoption) and to include all such individuals who would be deemed to be any of the aforementioned but for marriage (i.e. step-sister; step-son etc).
  • Reserved Matters shall be limited to those matters referred to in Appendix B
  • Year of Competition the period being the second week in February to the end of October in any one calendar year.
  1. Name
    1.1 The ‘League’ shall be called the Bristol and West Water Polo League (formerly known as the Bristol and District Water Polo League) and shall be affiliated to Gloucestershire ASA, ASA South West and governed by ASA Law.

  2. Objects
    2.1 The objects of the League shall be to promote the competitive game of Water Polo in
    accordance with ASA Law.

  3. Membership
    3.1 Membership shall be open to clubs affiliated to Swim England or Swim Wales.
    3.2 Club Associations wishing to become members shall make a written application to the Hon.
    Secretary before 1st November in the year prior to the Year of Competition in which membership
    is sought, save where Club Associations were members in the year prior to the Year of
    Competition in which case there shall be a presumption of continuing membership.
    3.3 The acceptance of any such application shall be at the discretion of the Management Committee
    and subject to the remaining Rules of the League.

  4. The Offices and Officers
    4.1 The Offices of the League shall comprise:
    4.1.1       President;
    4.1.2       Hon. Secretary;
    4.1.3       Hon. Match Secretary;
    4.1.4       Hon. Referees’ Co-ordinator;
    4.1.5       Finance Officer;
    4.1.6       Welfare Officer; and
    4.1.7       Compliance Officer

    Individuals to be elected to each office at the Annual General Meeting, and the holders of each Office shall be referred to as the ‘Officers’ of the League.

    4.2    Each Office-holder shall be of a minimum 18 years of age and a current member of a Club that
    complies with the requirements of Rule 3.1, as well as having continuous membership of the
    ASA. In the event that an Officer Holder’s membership of the ASA is withdrawn for any reason,
    the Office Holder shall immediately cease holding any Office of the League. In the event that
    an Office Holder’s membership of the ASA is suspended temporarily or any reason, the Office
    Holder shall immediately be suspending from holding any Office of the League until such
    suspension is lifted by the ASA.
    4.3    Each Office of the League should be held by a separate individual save where insufficient
    nominations are forthcoming at an AGM of the League, and then Offices should be appointed to in a way such that the least possible number of Offices are held by any one individual.
    4.4    The Officers of the League shall be appointed by an election at each AGM and shall serve for a period of one year. There shall be no restriction as to the number of times any one individual can be re-appointed as an Officer of the League at successive AGMs of the League.
    4.5    The Officers shall have authority over the Reserved Matters of the League, providing that the Officers shall require a Quorum of 4 individuals (and for the avoidance of doubt any individual holding more than one office shall be counted as one individual irrespective of the number of Offices held for the purposes of deterring a quorum) in order to conduct any business in relation to the Reserved Matters.
    4.6    Reserved Matters can only be determined/amended at an AGM or EGM of the League and shall require ratification by 2/3 or greater of the Club Associations entitled to receive notice of an AGM or EGM and in respect of which delegates attend the AGM or EGM as the case may be.

  5. Management
    5.1 A Management Committee consisting of the Officers, plus a delegate representing each senior male, female and junior division shall be responsible for the day to day management the League.
    5.2 All Officers and each delegate appointed pursuant to Rule 5.1 shall be of a minimum 18 years of age.
    5.3 The Management Committee shall be appointed by an election at each AGM and shall serve for a period of one year. There shall be no restriction as to the number of times any one individual can be re-appointed to a position on the Management Committee at successive AGMs of the League.
    5.4 In the event that there are insufficient nominations for a delegate to represent each division of the league, then the Management Committee will continue providing that there is a minimum of one delegate appointed to represent the senior male division(s) and one delegate to represent the senior female division(s).
    5.5 The Management Committee shall require quorum of 5 individuals in order to conduct any business and / or manage the affairs of the League.
    5.6 No appointments by proxy to any vacancy on the Management Committee shall be appointed save with the express written agreement of each Officer of the League, and providing that no written objection is received from any Club Association that has membership of the League, providing such objection is received within 14 days of having received written notice from or on behalf of the Officers of the League of their intention to make an appointment by proxy.
    5.7 With the exception of the offices of Welfare Officer and Compliance Officer, individuals who are members of the Management Committee and / or Office holders of the League must:
    5.7.1 be Members of a Club that is affiliated to the ASA or WASA; or
    5.7.2 be a Life Member of the League.
    5.8    In the event that a delegate’s membership of the ASA or WASA is withdrawn for any reason, the delegate shall immediately cease membership of the Management Committee of the League.
    5.9    The Management Committee shall have full executive powers to manage the League’s business in all matters save for the Reserved Matters. Decisions of the Management Committee shall be taken by a simple majority vote, with each member of the Management Committee exercising one vote and subject to the provisions of Rules 6 and 7. The Management Committee shall have authority to amend any League Rule, which is affected by changes to the Rules of Water Polo as prescribed by FINA.
    5.10 There shall be no obligation on the League to make any amendment to the rules of the sport for the purpose of the competition of the League unless required by ASA Law to do so, and for the avoidance of doubt the League does not have to follow any decisions made by any other competitive institutions or leagues within the UK.
    5.11 All fines and expenses ordered by the Committee shall be paid to the Finance Officer who shall reimburse non-offending clubs as directed the Committee when appropriate.
    5.12 The Committee may suspend from the activities of the League, any Club Association that fails to pay, within 14 days of written notification, any monies owed by the Club Association to the League.
    5.13 The Management Committee shall have the power to deal with any matter referred to the League by any ASA County, Regional Association or the ASA, to include the Judicial Commissioner or any committee appointed by the Judicial Commissioner or the Commissioners staff.

  6. Conflict of Interest and Chairman’s Vote
    6.1 It shall be customary for the President of the League (if present) at a meeting of the Officers of the League or Management Committee of the League to be appointed as Chairman of the Meeting. However, if a proposal is received from two Officers (or in the case of a meeting of the Management Committee two delegates) then a vote shall be held to appoint a Chairman for the meeting unless the President is prepared to give way to an alternative proposal.
    6.2 The Chairman of any meeting shall have a vote in his own right, and a Chairman’s casting vote.
    6.3 Any Officer or member of the Management Committee that has a conflict of interest in any decision to be voted upon by the Officers or Management Committee (as the case may be) shall declare that interest prior to any vote taking place, and the conflict of interest should be minuted.  Any Officer or member of the Management Committee (as he case may be) who declares an interest in any matter shall not be permitted to vote in relation to any determination of the matter in which an interest has been declared and this fact shall be minuted.
    6.4 For the avoidance of doubt, a conflict of interest will arise in the circumstances set out in Appendix A to these Rules, but the content of Appendix A shall not be deemed to be an exhaustive list.
    6.5 Where a conflict of interest arises for any Officer or member of the Management Committee who may be required to determine a matter otherwise than through a formal vote of the Management Committee, that Officer or Member should declare the interest and ensure that another Officer or Member of the Management Committee is assigned to determine the matter. The application of this Rule will not preclude the Member of the Management Committee so assigned from consulting with the Compliance Officer in respect of any such matter (even though the Compliance Officer may have declared a Conflict of Interest), providing that the Member of the Management Committee so assigned is made aware of the conflict of interest and takes such steps as they may reasonably determine as being necessary in the circumstances to assure themselves that the conflict of interest declared will not impact on their decision making in any way.
  7. Annual General Meeting / Extraordinary General Meeting / Return of Trophies
    7.1 The Annual General Meeting shall be held not prior to the 1st December in the year prior to the Year of Competition to which the AGM relates and not later than 30th January in the Year of Competition, and no alteration deletion or addition to Rules or the objects of the League shall be made except at such meeting or an Extraordinary General Meeting.
    7.2 Notice of any proposed change to rules must reach the Hon. Secretary in writing on or before November 1st preceding the Annual General Meeting or 28 days prior to an Extraordinary General Meeting.
    7.3 A Extraordinary General Meeting shall be called on the written request of a minimum of three Officers of the League, or five Club Associations who have a current membership of the League (at the time the written request is received)  or a decision of the Management Committee. A meeting must be called within six weeks of receipt of such a request. Only items specified in the written request for a meeting may be discussed.
    7.4 A minimum of 21 days written notice shall be required for an Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting to be convened in accordance with these Rules.
    7.5 Proceedings at an Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting will be the subject of one vote per member of the Management Committee, and each Club Association shall be entitled to one vote.
    7.6 In the event of an equality of votes, Life Members who are otherwise not entitled to vote may cast votes providing they are present, and in the event of an equality of votes after Life Members have cast their vote, then the Chairman shall have a ‘casting vote’.
    7.7 No resolution for change of rule shall be adopted unless carried out by a two-thirds majority of the officers and delegates present and voting in accordance with this Rule 7.
    7.8 Other delegates (Life Members and other individuals who are members of the ASA) may attend the Annual General Meeting and any Extraordinary General Meeting and shall be entitled to speak on an issue, but not vote save in the circumstances prescribed at Rule 7.6. For the avoidance of doubt Life Members who are also Officers and / or members of the Management Committee shall not be permitted to cast a vote as a Life Member in circumstances where they are permitted to vote in their capacity as an Officer and / or member of the Management Committee.
    7.9 Club Associations are required to:
    7.9.1 attend the Annual General Meeting of the League by sending a representative (being an individual who complies with the requirements of Rule 8.3) to attend in person. Any Club Association failing to send a representative in accordance with this Rule shall be fined £50.00;
    7.9.2 return League Trophies before the Annual General Meeting,
    and a failure to do so and/or a failure to return them in a clean and sound condition and engraved will result in the imposition of a fine of £100.00. In the event of a return without engraved – the Club shall have £30.00 per trophy added to the cost of its subscription for the Year of Competition following the year of competition in which the Trophy was awarded and the Management Committee shall attend to the engraving. Even if engraving cost to the League is less than £30.00 no refund of any difference shall be made.
  8. Quorum Requirements for AGM or EGM
    8.1 The quorum at any Annual General Meeting or Extraordinary General Meeting shall be 50 per cent of the Member Club Associations entitled to be present.
    8.2 Member Club Associations shall not be entitled to be present (or to vote) if they are subject for suspension from the League pursuant to Rule 5.10.
    8.3 Club Associations can only be represented by members of that Association (or a parent/legal guardian of a member under the age of 18 who is authorized to attend by that Club Association).
  9. Nominations
    9.1 Nominations for individuals to serve on the Management Committee shall be sent to the Hon. Secretary at least 14 days prior to the Annual General Meeting.
  10. Annual Fixtures
    10.1 All fixtures are to be delivered to the Hon. Match Secretary not later than 2359 on 31st January in the Year of Competition.
    10.2 Any fixtures not confirmed by a Club Association in accordance with the preceding Rules of this Rule 10 shall commence the season with -2 points, and a further -2 points shall be deducted for every successive period of 7 days that passes from the 31st January in the Year of Competition, without all fixtures having been agreed and notified to the Match Secretary by that Club Association. For the avoidance of doubt, one Club Association having provided the notice to the Hon Match Secretary required by this Rule 10.3 shall not satisfy the requirements of this Rule 10.3 in respect of the other Club Association(s) that are party to a specific fixture – it is incumbent on each Club Association to provide the requisite notice to the Hon. Match Secretary.
    10.3 Where one Club Association is at fault in respect of Rule 10.3 above, the Hon Match Secretary shall exercise his / her discretion so as to ensure that only the defaulting party is subjected to a detriment by virtue of the application of Rule 10.3.
    10.4 Any dispute regarding the application of Rule 10.3 shall be referred in accordance with Rule 22, and no points shall be deducted until such time as the dispute has been determined in accordance with Rule 22.
  11. Subscription
    11.1 The subscription for each season shall be decided at the Management Committee Meeting immediately prior to the Annual General Meeting. The subscription (and any ‘equalisation’ payments required pursuant to Rule 12.8 and any fines due in respect of the previous Year of Competition) shall be paid to the Finance Officer not later than 31st January in the Year of Competition to which the subscription relates. Failure to pay the annual subscription (or any equalization and/or fines relating to the previous Year of Competition) by the due date shall result in a fine of £100.00 (notwithstanding suspension pursuant to Rule 5.10 may also be applied), unless a referral has been made in relation to the amount of the subscription (or equalization or fines) in accordance with Rule 22.
    11.2 For the avoidance of doubt any referral relating to any amount to be paid pursuant to Rule 11.1 and Rule 22 shall only operate to justify non-payment of the sum (or partial sum) that is the subject of a referral under Rule 22 and the balance of any sum invoiced shall be required to be paid in accordance with Rule 11.1 and any failure to abide by the requirements of this Rule 11.2 shall result in the Management Committee being entitled to levy a fine pursuant to Rule 11.1.
  12. Competition
    12.1 The Competition shall be conducted annually on a home & away basis and will be completed before 31st October in the year of competition. An extension of the playing season may granted in extenuating circumstances at the discretion of the Management Committee.
    12.2 Each Member Club Association shall be responsible for their own travelling expenses.
    12.3 points shall be awarded as follows:
    12.3.1 3 points for a win
    12.2.2 2 points for a draw
    12.3.3 1 point for a team that contests a fixture and loses
    12.3.4 -2 points for a team that does not contest a fixture / causes a fixture to be cancelled save where Rule 14.1 applies. For the avoidance of doubt, the score-line that shall be recorded in respect of a fixture determined to fall within the ambit of Rule 12.3.4 shall be 5-0 in favour of the Club Association that was prepared to contest the fixture or which did not cause the fixture to be cancelled. 
    12.4 Where Rule 14.1 applies to a fixture, no result shall be recorded until such time as the fixture is replayed in accordance with the Rules of the League.
    12.5 In exceptional circumstances where a fixture is the subject of successive cancellations in accordance with the Rules of the League, the Officers of the League shall be permitted to determine the outcome of the Fixture in a meeting of the Officers or alternatively by correspondence.
    12.6 Should two or more teams have equal points at the end of the competition, the final position shall be decided by:
    12.6.1 The results of matches between the two equal teams or, should that be identical;
    12.6.2 The most goals scored in the games between those sides or, should that be identical;
    12.6.3 Goal difference.

    12.7 The ‘home’ Club Association for a fixture shall be responsible for all costs associated with the hire of the facility and any staff associated with the hire of the facility at which the fixture is to be played.

    12.8 The expenses of referees for a fixture shall be the responsibility of the ‘home’ Club Association, but subject to an end of season ‘equalisation’ to be calculated by the Management Committee after the end of the last fixture of any division in respect of any Year of Competition, such that each Club in each division shall share an equal proportion of the total referees expenses incurred by the Club Associations in that division in any one Year of Competition.

  13. Divisions

    13.1 Subject to the remaining provisions of this Rule 13, the Management Committee shall decide the compilation of each division.

    13.2 The winner of a lower division shall be promoted, and the team with the least points shall be demoted.

  14. Fixtures

    14.1 Once agreed and notified pursuant to Rule 10 the location, time and date of a fixture shall be fixed, and the date shall not be capable of being cancelled/moved or rearranged save where:

    14.1.1 The reason for the cancellation is one of the proscribed reasons set out in Appendix C; and

    14.1.2 Greater than 13 days notice of the proposed cancellation has been provided to the other Club Association and the Hon Match Secretary; and

    14.1.3 Both member club associations are in agreement to the cancellation (which has been notified in writing to the Hon Match Secretary); and

    14.1.4 Both member club associations have agreed to a new date, time and location for the fixture (which has been notified in writing to the Hon Match Secretary).

    14.2 If a cancellation is permitted in accordance with this Rule 14 then the team that has applied for the cancellation (the Requesting Team) shall be responsible for notifying the referees and any other officials appointed to officiate at the fixture by the Hon Match Secretary in accordance with the requirements of the remaining provisions of this Clause 14.

    14.3 ‘Advanced Notification’ of each fixture shall be required notwithstanding the provisions of this Rule 14, and such notification shall be in writing and / or by email to be received (or in the case of email transmitted) not late than the 14th day prior to the date of the fixture concerned. Advanced Notification shall be given by the ‘home’ Club Association to the ‘away’ Club Association and to each referee that has been appointed to officiate at the fixture.

    14.4 Where a fixture is required to be cancelled the Requesting Team shall notify the referees as follows:

    14.4.1 Where cancellation is with 7 days or greater notice, then notice of the cancellation shall be made by email to the referee’s email address as publicised on the website of the League from time to time.

    14.4.2 By email as set out at Rule 14.4.1; and

    14.4.3 By telephoning the referee on the telephone number publicised for on the website of the League from time to time and either speaking with the referee or leaving a voicemail recorded message.

    14.4 Failure to comply with the requirements to notify of a cancelled fixture contained in this Rule 14 shall result in the following, where any referee arrives to officiate at a cancelled fixture, mileage at 45p per mile to each referee for the return journey made to the location of the fixture.

    14.5 Payments to be made pursuant to Rule 14.4 are to be paid within 7 days from the later of the date of the Fixture or written notice received from the referee to the Club Association liable to make payment and providing details permitting the Club Association to make payment to the referee (each to be treated separately).

    14.6 If payment is not made in accordance with Rule 14.5, automatic suspension of the Club Association shall result with immediate effect and without any exceptions, and any matches played whilst suspended or which were due to be played but for the suspension shall be the subject of a -2 points and a score line recorded in accordance with Rule 12.3.4. Such suspension shall continue until such time as payment of all referees has been made, and the Club Association provides written notice to the Hon Match Secretary of payment having been made attaching or enclosing evidence of such payment.

    14.7  For the avoidance of doubt a Club Association suspended pursuant to this Rule 14 shall remain responsible for notifying the opposing Club Association of any fixture due to be played during any period of suspension, and any referees appointed to any such fixture that the fixture has been cancelled by reason of the suspension of the Club Association. Failure to inform any referee pursuant to this Rule 14.7 shall render the defaulting Club Association liable to the financial payments that may fall due in accordance with Rule 14.4, and the outcome of such a fixture shall be determined in accordance with Rule 12.3.4.

    14.8 Games will consist of four quarters of seven minutes playing time with two-minute intervals but otherwise will comply with FINA Rules.

  15. Delayed Start

    15.1 Subject to the provisions of Rule 15.2 if a fixture is delayed beyond 15 minutes of the notified start time the match shall be deemed to be cancelled unless both Member Club Associations agree in conjunction with the referee and there remains sufficient pool time available to play a full match with a delayed start. If there is not sufficient time for the fixture to be played, the Club Association that caused the delay shall be deemed to have cancelled the fixture and the outcome of the fixture shall be recorded in accordance with Rule 12.3.4 irrespective of how any remaining pool time may be used as between the Club Associations involved with the fixture.

    15.2 Where circumstances are such that no single Club Association was responsible for a delayed start, but the fixture could not be played, the referee(s) appointed shall write to the Compliance Officer within 7 days of the fixture providing a written explanation as to the circumstances that gave rise to the delayed start, and the Compliance Officer may arrive at one of the following outcomes:

    15.2.1 Require that the match be replayed at a date to be mutually agreed by both Club Associations; or

    15.2.2 Determine that one Club Association was the cause of the delayed start and determine the fixture as against that Club Association in accordance with the provisions of Rule 12.3.4; or

    15.2.3 In exceptional circumstances refer the matter to the Management Committee for consideration.

  16. Players

    16.1 All players must be registered with the League. Such registration shall include each player’s full name, Swim England or Swim Wales registration number, in respect of Senior male or female players – gender and, for junior players, date of birth.

    16.2 Registrations must be sent to the Hon. Match Secretary in writing no later than 31st January in the year of competition.

    16.3 Applications for the registration of new players during the season must be received in writing seven days prior to playing and will be subject to a £2.00 administration fee per player and will also be subject to review in relation to the list of “starred” players in accordance with Rule 16.6.

    16.4 A player who is registered with a University team and a bona fide student at that university, may also register as a player for their Home Member Club Association, provided the Home Member Club Association’s team plays in a different division to their university team.

    16.5 Save where Rule 16.4 or Rule 16.6 or Rule 16.11 applies, no member of a Club Association may represent more than one Club Association within the same division of the League in any Year of Competition.

    16.6 Registration for the Senior Knockout Handicap competition shall be confined to one Club Association, and this must be declared by the Club Association concerned in writing to the Hon Secretary prior to 31st January in the year of competition. A failure to abide by this rule will result in the player concerned being prevented from participating in the Senior Knockout Handicap competition for any Club Association other than the Club Association in respect of which the individual held registration for the League competition in the same Competition Year.

    16.7 Club Associations participating in more than one senior division shall register with the Hon. Match Secretary their nine best players as “starred” players, none of whom shall subsequently play in a lower division for the same Club Association. Where Rule 16.11 applies to a player that is ‘starred’ pursuant to this Rule, then the Club Association that loses one of its ‘starred’ players, another player must be ‘starred’ at the same time that the Club Association in question provides the agreement in writing required pursuant to Rule 16.11, and the Management Committee must approve the ‘starring’ of a replacement player in accordance with the provisions of Rule 16.8. For the avoidance of doubt, where a Club Association has greater than two teams competing in senior divisions of the League, then the requirement to ‘star players’ shall apply separately to each team competing for the Club Association, save where the Club Association may have more than one team competing in the same division, in which case entirely distinct player lists will need to be provided in accordance with Rule 16.2.

    16.8 The Management Committee shall approve or reject the list of registrations and nine “starred” players provided by each Club Association, and the discretion of the Management Committee in this regard shall be absolute. Approval must be given prior to 14th February in the Year of Competition, and if no notice of rejection is received by the Club Association then approval shall be deemed to have been given. Where Rule 16.11 and Rule16.7 require the re-starring of a player, approval shall be given pursuant to this Rule within 7 days of receipt of written notice by the Hon. Match Secretary.

    16.9 Players under the age of 18 cannot be ‘starred’ for the purposes of this Rule 16.

    16.10 For the avoidance of doubt, in the event of a late registration pursuant to Rule 16.2, the Hon Match Secretary may at his/her absolute discretion require the player that is the subject of the late registration to replace a ‘starred’ player submitted pursuant to Rule 16.7. The Hon Match Secretary shall use his/her judgment so as to ensure that the cohort of 9 ‘starred’ players represent the strongest players and / or those who are most likely to attend fixtures of the Club Association.

    16.11 Subject to the provisions of Rule 16.12 a player is permitted to change the Club Association they are registered to play for once during each Year of Competition. This change of registration will only be permitted if both Club Association Secretaries have confirmed their agreement in writing to the Hon Match Secretary (such agreement may be withheld for any reason and the Management Committee of the League shall not interfere with any refusal of any Club Association not to confirm their agreement), no monies are owed by the player to any Club Association that is a member of the League and the permission of the Hon Match Secretary has been granted (not to be unreasonably withheld).

    16.12 A player transferring pursuant to Rule 16.11 shall not be permitted to transfer to a Club Association team, where that team competes in the same division of the League as the Club Association team that they are transferring their membership from.

    16.13 In the Junior Divisions, players must be 16 years of age or under on 31 December in the Year of Competition.

    16.14 Any Club Association playing an unregistered player shall:

    16.14.1 Lose the match in which the unregistered player participated and be deducted 2 points;

    16.14.2 See their opponents be declared the winner of the match in which the unregistered player participated and the outcome of the match shall be determined in accordance with Rule 12.3.4; and

    16.14.3 Be fined £50.00 in respect of each unregistered player that participated in the match.

  17. Referees Panel

    17.1 The Management Committee shall elect annually referees to be invited to become members of the League’s Panel of Referees.

    17.2 Each referee must be a member of a club affiliated to the Swim England or Swim Wales.

    17.3 Each Club Association that has a team competing in any division of the League will be required to ensure that at least one of their members is available to be elected to this panel. Furthermore, on receipt of written notice from the Hon. Match Secretary each Club Association will be required to ensure that referees from their club carry out a minimum number of refereeing appointments which will be proportional to the number of games played by all teams from the Club Association. The minimum number of appointments will be determined by the Management Committee acting so as to ensure that all Member Club Associations are treated fairly and equitably in this regard.

    17.4 The Club Association that is the ‘home team’ shall pay each referee his or her expenses. At the end of the season, the referees’ expenses shall be totalled by the Hon. Match Secretary and equalised between the Club Associations in each division by reference to the number of teams that each Club Association has entered within each division of the League.

  18. Referees

    18.1 The Hon. Match Secretary shall appoint two referees from the League’s Panel of Referees to each match. The Hon Secretary and Hon. Referees’ Co-ordinator shall each have the power to appoint referees if necessary.

    18.2 Should one referee fail to appear for a match, the remaining referee and the two captains shall, by unanimous agreement, appoint another referee from the League’s panel. If this is not possible, the referee and two captains may, by unanimous agreement, appoint any other referee or agree for the original referee to conduct the match alone.

    18.3 Should both referees fail to appear, two other referees shall be appointed by the captains, preferably from the League’s panel, but if this is not possible, any qualified referee may be appointed by the agreement of the two captains. If only one referee is available, the game shall be conducted with one referee.

    18.4 Should both referees fail to appear and the captains fail to agree upon a suitable referee, each Club Association shall bear its own expenses as if the game has been played. In these circumstances, a report shall be sent to the Hon. Match Secretary within seven days by each club and the match rearranged in accordance with Rule 15.2.1.

  19. Officials

    19.1 It will be the duty of the Club Association that is the ‘home team’ to provide:

    19.1.1 Competent Timekeepers and Recorders;
    19.1.2 Equipment in good serviceable order and to the requirements of the game;
    19.1.3 It is recommended that each club provide caps for its own use. This does not exonerate the home club of its responsibility to provide caps for both teams.
    19.1.4 Referees are required to report any deficiencies on the match record sheet.

  20. Match Record Sheets

    20.1 At all matches, each captain, before entering the water, shall give to the Recorder a list, in writing, of his or her players with cap numbers. At the end of each match, the Referees shall sign an official form to be completed by the Recorder.

    20.2 A copy of the Match Record Sheet shall be sent to the Hon. Match Secretary by each referee as soon as is practicably possible, although nothing in this Rule shall prevent any Cub Association also providing a copy to the Hon. Match Secretary.

    20.3 Where a Club Association wishes to record a ‘deficient’ evaluation of a referee that Club Association shall be required to submit a detail report within 30 days of the date of the fixture to the Hon. Match Secretary.

  21. Annual Tournaments

    21.1 The Senior Handicap shall be competed for annually. Each Club Association shall be entitled to enter one team; any Club Association not wishing to participate shall notify the Hon. Secretary prior to or at the Annual General Meeting.

    21.2 The President at the Annual General Meeting shall make the draw for the competition at the Annual General Meeting.

    21.3 Club Associations shall be equally responsible for arranging fixtures in the Knockout Competition by the deadlines prescribed by the Management Committee.

    21.4 Failure to arrange and / or play a fixture by the given deadline will result in both Clubs Associations being required to submit a written explanation to the Compliance Officer within three days of the date of the fixture, and where one or more of the Club Associations are deemed by the Compliance Officer to have caused the fixture not to have been played then one or both the Club Associations may be fined £50.00.

    21.5 Games shall only be played after the dates fixed for each round at the discretion of the Hon. Secretary and the Hon. Match Secretary and confirmed in writing. Member Club Associations contravening this Rule by not obtaining the written confirmation of permission from the Hon Secretary and/or Hon. Match Secretary shall be liable to a fine of £50.00.

    21.6 Junior Tournaments shall be competed for annually if held at the discretion of the Management Committee. Each Member Club Association shall be entitled to enter one junior team into each age-restricted tournament.

    21.7 The Management Committee will be responsible for setting a team’s handicap at each stage of the competition; for setting the venue of the Handicap Final and Junior Tournaments and making all necessary arrangements.

    21.8 In the event of scores being level at the end of normal time in a Handicap match, the result shall be decided by a penalty competition.

  22. Compliance / Complaints

    22.1  Any Officer, member of the Management Committee, Club Association or member thereof shall be entitled to raise a complaint regarding any aspect of the management of the League or the application of its rules to the Compliance Officer.

    22.2 The Compliance Officer shall deal with the complaint in as expedient as way as is possible, and there shall be no proscribed manner for which the Compliance Officer shall be required to deal with the complaint, it shall be for the Compliance Officer to determine an appropriate process and (s)he shall not be bound to apply any procedure for the resolution of any complaint simply by reference to the application of any previous procedure or process, providing that the outcome of the complaint is communicated in writing to the complainant within a reasonable timescale (to be determined by the nature of the complaint).

    22.3 In the event any complainant is not content with the outcome – the only right of appeal shall be via a referral to the ASA Office of Judicial Administration.

    22.4 In the event the Compliance Officer deems themselves to be in a position of a conflict of interest in relation to any complaint, the matter may be delegated to any Officer of the League to address on behalf of the Compliance Officer and in accordance with this Rule 22. The existence of a conflict of interest may not preclude the Compliance Officer providing advice to any Officer appointed by application of this Rule 22 providing that such advice is limited to the procedural aspects of the management of the complaint and not the substance of the complaint.

    22.5  Any decision of the Compliance Officer can be overridden by a decision of the Management Committee and/or Officers of the League acting unanimously.

  23. Swim England Law

    23.1  Anything not covered by the above rules will be dealt with according to ASA Law.

Appendix A – Conflicts of Interest

For the purposes of interpretation of this Appendix A, ‘X’ shall denote an Officer or member of the Management Committee of the League.

  1. Where X:
    1.1 Is a member of a Club Association directly involved in a matter to be voted on; and/or

    1.2 has a Near Relative who is a member of a Club Association directly involved in a matter to be voted on; and/or

    1.3 was a referee that officiated in a fixture that is the subject of a vote of the Officers or Management Committee of the League; and/or

    1.4 is a member of a Club Association which will directly benefit (in terms of the award of points as a result of the determination of a fixture) and which will see either:

    1.4.1 that Club association win a division (or such other competition promoted by the League) of the League when but for the determination of the matter the Club would not win the division; and/or

    1.4.2 that Club association would not be demoted from a division of the League when but for the determination of the matter the Club would otherwise have been the subject of a demotion (or capable of a demotion but for the discretion of a Club in a lower division being exercised as to whether such Club wished to accept promotion).

Appendix B

The following represents an exhaustive list of the reserved matters that can only be determined by the Officers of the League in accordance with the Rules of the League:

  1. To change affiliation of the League to any governing body or other similar association or entity;
  2. To change the objects of the League pursuant to Rule 7;
  3. To change the composition of the Management Committee in terms of the posts available for appointment thereto;
  4. To ‘wind up’ or close the League’s operations and to determine the entity to which such remaining assets of the League may be transferred providing that there is an equal distribution of such between either:

    4.1 All member Club associations of the League; or

    4.2 All County associations which have member Clubs participating in the League as at the date of the League bring wound up (and for the purpose of this Appendix B the Welsh ASA shall be deemed to amount to a County Association); or

    4.3 Such other equitable distribution as may be proposed by the officers of the League and confirmed by a vote (of a simple majority) of Club Associations at an AGM or EGM at which a resolution for the ‘winding up’ of the League is proposed.

    4.4 To accept any financial liability (to include any borrowing) on behalf of the League in excess of £1500.00.

Appendix C

Proscribed Reasons:

1.    Clash with an international fixture in which 3 or more players have been selected to
represent any country within the United Kingdom.

2. Clash with BWPL fixtures of either Member Club Association concerned (but for the avoidance of doubt this reason shall not be applicable where players are involved in a BWPL fixture for a Club Association that is not a Club Association that is competing in the League fixture that is the subject of the proposed cancellation).

3.    Clash with ASA SW Inter-County Championships;

4.    Clash with ASA SW Inter-Club Championships;

5.    In respect of the Junior League fixtures only – a clash with NAGs or successor competitions that were not already published as at the date of the Fixtures Meeting;

6.    Adverse weather conditions that result in the Meteorological Office issuing a ‘Red Weather Warning’ AND advising against all but essential travel.

7.   The following of any legislation by the Government or any devolved administration, that has a direct impact limiting or prohibiting the participation in aquatic team sports;

8.  The following of any ‘Guidance’ issued by the Government, NHS England or any devolved administration that, if followed, would have a material impact on either Member Club Association’s ability to participate in aquatic team sport.

For the avoidance of doubt the following are not deemed to be Proscribed Reasons

1.    Weddings, Civil Partnership ceremonies or other similar celebrations;

2.    Non-availability of players for anything other than a Proscribed Reason;

3.    Players representing their Club Association at NAGs or any successor competition save where Proscribed Reason ‘4’ above applies; and / or

4.    Examinations whether related to secondary, further or higher education.