SAFA Cape Town u20 International Tournament Rules

SAFA CAPE TOWN, u20 International Tournament Rules - 24 May to 3 June 2012

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SAFA CAPE TOWN

U20 International Tournament Rules

24 May t0 3 June 2012

1. Disciplinary matters

a. Disciplinary incidents are dealt with in compliance with the FIFA Disciplinary Code in

force as well as with all relevant circulars and directives, with which the

Participating Associations undertake to comply.

b. SAFA Cape Town may introduce new disciplinary rules and sanctions for the

duration of the Tournament. Such rules shall be communicated to the Participating

Associations one month before the first match of the Tournament at the latest.

c. The Participating Associations and their Delegation Members agree to comply with

the Laws of the Game and with the FIFA Statutes and SAFA Cape Town Tournament

Regulations, in particular the Disciplinary Code, the Anti-Doping Regulations, the

Code of Ethics, the Commercial Regulations and the Equipment Regulations, as well

as with all directives and decisions of SAFA Cape Town unless these Regulations

stipulate otherwise. The players / officials agree to comply with all further SAFA

Cape Town guidelines, circulars and decisions that have any significance regarding

the Tournament.

d. If the above time limits and formal requirements for lodging a protest case are not

met, the protest shall be disregarded either by the SAFA Cape Town Organising

Committee or by the SAFA Cape Town Disciplinary Committee, as the case may be.

e. If an unfounded or irresponsible protest is lodged, the SAFA Cape Town Disciplinary

Committee may impose a fine.

f. Cautions and expulsions imposed during the Tournament

i. Cautions

Single yellow cards will be cancelled after the group stages

ii. Suspension as a consequence of two cautions imposed during different

matches

If a player / official receives two cautions during two different matches, he

will automatically be suspended from his team’s following match

iii. Expulsions

If a player / official is sent off as a result of a direct or indirect red card, he

will automatically be suspended from his team’s following match

In addition, further sanctions (ie additional suspensions, fine etc) may be

imposed


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g. Notification of sanctions

The secretariat of the SAFA cape Town Disciplinary Committee will notify the head

of delegation concerned of all sanctions in writing

The consequences of a sanction (caution, expulsion and automatic suspension)

imposed on a player / official will take effect in the next match, even if the team in

question has not received the respective letter of confirmation by that time.

2. Equipment, team colours

a. The Participating Associations shall comply with the FIFA Equipment Regulations in

force.

b. Delegation Members and any other persons carrying out duties on the Participating

Associations’ behalf are not allowed to display political, religious, commercial or

personal messages in any language or form on their playing or team kits, equipment

(including kit bags, beverage containers, medical bags, etc.) or body for the

duration of their time in the stadiums, training grounds or any other areas where

accreditation is required to gain access. Any violations shall be reported to the SAFA

Cape Town Disciplinary Committee for the necessary sanctions to be imposed in

accordance with the FIFA Disciplinary Code.

c. Each team shall inform SAFA Cape Town of two different and contrasting colours

(one predominantly dark and one predominantly light) for its official and reserve

team kits (shirt, shorts and socks). In addition, each team shall select three

contrasting colours for its goalkeeper kits. These three goalkeeper kits must be

distinctly different and contrasting from each other as well as different and

contrasting from the official and reserve team kits. Only these colours may be worn

during matches.

d. SAFA Cape Town will inform the teams of the colours that they shall wear for each

match.

e. During the final competition, all equipment (kits, gloves, bags, medical equipment,

etc.) that could be on display within the stadiums, the training grounds, the hotels

or during transfers to, from or within the host country must be approved by SAFA

Cape Town.

f. Throughout the Tournament, each player shall wear the number assigned to him on

the official players’ list

g. The player’s last name or popular name (or abbreviation) may be affixed above the

number on the back of the shirt and shall be clearly legible in accordance with the

FIFA Equipment Regulations.

h. The official and reserve team kits (including those of the goalkeepers) shall be taken

to every match.

i. The footballs used in the final competition shall be selected and exclusively

supplied by SAFA Cape Town. The footballs shall conform with the provisions of the

Laws of the Game and the FIFA Equipment Regulations. They shall bear one of the

following three designations: the official “FIFA APPROVED” logo, the official “FIFA

INSPECTED” logo or the “INTERNATIONAL MATCHBALL STANDARD” reference.


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j. During the final competition, the FIFA flag and the flags of the host country and

both competing associations shall be flown in the stadium at every match. The FIFA

Fair Play flag shall also be hoisted or draped in the stadium, clearly visible from the

VIP box. The FIFA anthem shall be played while the teams are entering the pitch,

followed by the national anthems of the two teams.

3. Laws of the Game

All matches shall be played in accordance with the Laws of the Game in force at the time of

the Tournament and as laid down by the International Football Association Board. In the

case of any discrepancy in the interpretation of the translation of the Laws of the Game,

the English version shall be authoritative.

4. Eligibility of players

a. Each Participating Association shall ensure the following when selecting its

representative team for the Tournament:

i. all players shall hold the nationality of its country and be subject to its

jurisdiction;

ii. all players shall be eligible for selection in accordance with the FIFA Statutes

and relevant FIFA regulations, in particular art. 15 to 18 of the Regulations

Governing the Application of the FIFA Statutes.

b. In addition to the above provision, each Participating Association shall ensure that

all players of its representative team were born on or after 1 January 1992.

c. Protests regarding the eligibility of players shall be decided by the SAFA Cape Town

Disciplinary Committee in accordance with the FIFA Disciplinary Code.

d. The Participating Associations are responsible for fielding only eligible players.

Failure to do so will lead to the consequences stipulated in the FIFA Disciplinary

Code.

e. Before the start of the final competition, every player on the final list must prove

his identity, nationality and age by producing his legally valid individual passport

with photograph (stating day, month and year of birth) and a copy of his birth

certificate. Any player who fails to submit these documents will not be allowed to

take part in the final competition.

f. 23 players shall be named on the player list for each match (11 selected players and

12 substitutes). Not more than 23 people (11 officials and twelve substitutes) shall

be allowed to sit on the team bench. A suspended player will not be allowed to sit

on the team bench. Up to a maximum of three of the substitutes may take the

place of the selected players at any time during the match.

g. SAFA Cape Town shall issue each player and team official with an official

accreditation bearing a photograph. Each Participating Association will receive a

maximum of 40 accreditations (28 for the listed players and 12 for their officials).


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5. Competition format

a. The Tournament shall be played in a group stage, followed by one knockout stage,

the play-off for third place and the final.

b. In the knockout stages, if a match is level at the end of normal playing time, extra

time shall be played (two periods of 15 minutes each) and followed, if necessary, by

kicks from the penalty mark to determine the winner.

c. Group stage

i. The 8 participating teams will be divided into two groups of four teams.

ii. The SAFA Cape Town Organising Committee will divide the teams into

groups.

iii. The system of play will be the league system, each team playing one match

against each of the other teams in the same group, with three points for a

win, one point for a draw and none for a defeat.

iv. The ranking of each team in each group will be determined as follows:

1. greatest number of points obtained in all group matches;

2. goal difference in all group matches;

3. greatest number of goals scored in all group matches.

If two or more teams are equal on the basis of the above three criteria, their

rankings will be determined as follows:

4. greatest number of points obtained in the group matches between

the teams concerned;

5. goal difference resulting from the group matches between the teams

concerned;

6. greater number of goals scored in all group matches between the

teams concerned;

7. drawing of lots by the SAFA Cape Town Organising Committee.

d. Semi-finals

i. The two teams that finish 1st

and 2nd

in each of the two groups will contest

the semi-finals as follows:

1. Winner A v. Winner B

2. Winner C v. Winner D

e. Final, play-off for third place

i. The winners of the semi-finals qualify for the final.

ii. The losers of the semi-finals will contest the play-off for third place.

iii. If the play-off for third place is not played directly before the final and is

level at the end of normal playing time, extra time shall be played (two

periods of 15 minutes each) and followed, if necessary, by kicks from the

penalty mark to determine the winner. However, if the match is played

directly before the final and is level at the end of normal playing time, no

extra time shall be played and the winner shall be determined by kicks from

the penalty mark.


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iv. If the final is level at the end of normal playing time, extra time shall be

played (two periods of 15 minutes each) and followed, if necessary, by kicks

from the penalty mark to determine the winner.

f. Inclement weather in Cape Town – and the tournament format of double headers -

warrants that in order to protect the pitches of the match venues, no training

sessions will be permitted in the match venues, but teams will be permitted to

inspect the pitch of match venues wearing training shoes.

6. Trophy, awards and medals

a. A certificate will be presented to all the members of the delegation in the

Tournament.

b. A representative appointed by SAFA Cape Town will present the winner of the

Tournament with the keep sake trophy.

c. Medals will be presented to each of the top three teams in the Tournament, i.e.

gold medals to the winners, silver medals to the runners-up and bronze medals to

the team ranked third – 30 medals maximum per team in each of the categories

mentioned

d. One medal will be presented to each of the referees, assistant referees, fourth

officials and Match Commissioners who take charge of the play-off for third place

and the final.

e. At the conclusion of the Tournament, the following special awards will be

presented:

i. Top Goal Scorer

1. The Trophy will be awarded to the player who scores the most goals

in the Tournament. If two or more players score the same number of

goals, the number of assists (as determined by members of the SAFA

Cape Town Technical Study Group) will be decisive. Each goal is

worth three points and each assist one point.

2. If two or more players are still equal after taking into account the

number of assists, the total minutes played in the Tournament will

be taken into account, with the player playing fewer minutes ranked

first.

ii. Player of the Tournament

1. The Trophy will be awarded to the best player in the Tournament on

the basis of a vote taken among the media accredited for the

Tournament. A short list of players to be considered for the Trophy

will be determined and provided to the accredited media by the

SAFA Cape Town Technical Study Group.

iii. Goalkeeper of the Tournament

1. The Trophy will be awarded to the best goalkeeper in the

Tournament on the basis of a ranking compiled by the SAFA Cape

Town Technical Study Group.

2. There are no official awards other than those listed above, unless

otherwise decided by the SAFA Cape Town Organising Committee.


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7. Matters not provided for

Any matters not provided for in these Regulations and any cases of force majeure shall be

decided by the SAFA Cape Town Organising Committee. All decisions shall be final and binding

and not subject to appeal.

Documents

SAFA Cape Town u20 International Tournament Rules