OBJECTIVE:
These Regulations contain basic regulations for fair play,
ethical and moral behaviour, and general discipline in Water Polo events
conducted in any competition or competitions promoted by the ASA or any
District, association, organisation, body or club under the jurisdiction of the
Amateur Swimming Association (ASA).
These Regulations include measures related to incidents
involving players, team leaders and officials, supporters, spectators but also
involving officials or any other persons present at water polo matches conducted
under ASA Laws.
The Regulations shall be in force from 1 September 2003 and
replace the Code adopted by the ASA Technical Water Polo Committee on 9th March
2001.
The purpose of these Regulations is to guarantee that the
sport of Water Polo will be played in a fair manner without disturbance and to
sanction incidents, which damage the image of Water Polo or bring it into
disrepute.
1. SUBORDINATE AND SUPPLEMENTARY TO ASA RULES
These Regulations are subordinated and supplementary to all
ASA Judicial Laws and Rules and the ASA/ISTC Code of Ethics.
2. OFFENCES BY OFFICIALS
The sanctions to be imposed for offences committed by any
person appointed by the ASA or relevant District, County, local association or
league, as referee, goal judge or serving at the table at any water polo match
held within the jurisdiction of the ASA shall be suspension from participating
further in the relevant competition, league or tournament in which the match
occurred and a report shall be made to the Judicial Administrator by way of
complaint under ASA Law 105. for consideration of additional sanctions.
3. OFFENCES AGAINST OFFICIALS
3.1 Any offence committed by any member of a team or team official, with the
exception of FINA Rule 21.11, shall result in a minimum suspension of two (2)
matches up to a maximum suspension of all water polo
matches promoted or administered by the ASA and/or relevant District, County,
local association or league, for one (1) year period.
3.2 An offence committed in accordance with FINA WP 21.11 shall result in a
minimum of an admonishment up to a maximum suspension of all water polo matches
promoted or administered by the ASA and/or relevant District, County, local
association or league, for one (1) year period.
3.3 If the offence includes violence resulting in serious
injury, use of any hard object or any other kind of violence against the body,
the minimum suspension shall be for all water polo matches promoted or
administered by the ASA or relevant District, County, local association or
league, for one (1) year period up to a maximum of a lifetime suspension from
water polo matches at such events.
3.4 If the offence is an attempt to commit an offence
referred to in 3.3, the minimum suspension shall be three (3) matches up to a
maximum suspension of all water polo matches promoted by the ASA and/or relevant
District, County, local association or league, for one (1) year period.
3.5 Offences in 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 and 3.4 involve acts committed
from 30 minutes before the beginning of the match until 30 minutes after the end
of the match.
3.6 The minimum sanction for any offence under Article 3 may
be increased for a second or subsequent offence by any individual.
4. OFFENCES AGAINST TEAM MEMBERS OR TEAM OFFICIALS
4.1 For brutality, FINA Rules WP 21.10 committed by a player against other
players or team officials, the minimum suspension shall be for two (2) matches
up to a maximum of all water polo matches promoted by the ASA and/or the
relevant District, County, local association or league, for a one (1) year
period.
4.2 For misconduct, FINA Rules WP 21.09 committed by a player against other
players or team officials, the minimum suspension shall be for one (1) match up
to a maximum of all water polo matches promoted by the ASA and/or the relevant
District, County, local association or league, for a one (1) year period.
4.3 If the offence in either 4.1 or 4.2 is committed by a team official
against any player or team official, the minimum suspension shall be two (2)
matches up to a maximum of a lifetime suspension from water polo matches
promoted by the ASA and/or relevant District, County, local association or
league.
4.4 If the offence is in either 4.1 or 4.2 is committed by any other person,
the minimum sanction shall be expulsion from the venue up to a maximum of a
suspension of the right to attend ASA and/or the relevant District, County,
local association or league matches for any period up to, and including, life.
4.5 The minimum sanction for any offence under Article 4 may
be increased for a second or
subsequent offence by any individual.
5. OTHER OFFENCES
5.1 For any offence committed by any team member or team
official against media representatives, spectators, pool staff or any other
person present in the venue at the time of a match, the minimum suspension shall
be from all water polo matches at ASA and/or the relevant District, County,
local association or league for a one (1) year period up to a maximum of
suspension of the right to attend ASA and/or the relevant District, County,
local association or league events, for any period up to, and including, life.
5.2 For verbal or written statements of an abusive kind or
nature and directed against the ASA, or any District, County, local association
or league, any organiser, authority or any other person, and which are not
elsewhere covered in this Code, the minimum sanction shall be for a minimum of
three (3) matches up to a maximum of suspension from all water polo matches at
ASA and/or the relevant District, County, local association or league for a one
(1) year period.
5.3 The minimum sanction for any offence under Article 5 may
be increased for a second offence by any individual.
6. OFFENCES COMMITTED BY TEAMS
6.1 If more than three members of the same team, including
team officials, commit offences sanctioned in accordance with Articles 3, 4 or 5
in the same match, that team shall be sanctioned with disqualification from that
match and a minimum suspension from the next match in the tournament to a
maximum suspension from taking part in any ASA and/or the relevant District,
County, local association or league for a period of one (1) year.
6.2 Suspension in 6.1 means that the match or matches for
which the team has been suspended shall be awarded to the opponent(s) with the
goal score of 5-0.
7. PROCEDURES FOR IMPOSING SANCTIONS
7.1 Automatic Sanction by the Judicial Administrator
7.1.1 ASA Law 110 contains provisions for the Association, through the
Judicial Administrator, to apply an automatic sanction to any member of the
ASA of suspension from a specified number of water polo matches by the ASA
and/or relevant District, County, local association or league, for a breach of
the FINA Rules of Water Polo 21.09, 21.10. 21.11 regarding:
misconduct;
brutality;
refusal of obedience to a referee and/or disrespect to a
referee or official;
which has been committed by the member of the ASA in a match
held under ASA Laws and
Rules and reported to the Judicial Administrator by a referee
of the match.
7.1.2 The Judicial Administrator shall maintain and monitor
the database of water polo offences.
In the event that an individual incurs three (3) suspensions for any offence
contrary to FINA WP21.09, 21.10,21.11 within a twelve (12) month period the
Judicial Administrator shall bring this to the attention of the Chairman of
the ASA TWPC, who shall consider making a complaint under ASA Law 105 under
the grounds of "serious misconduct" as defined in ASA Law 105.4.1
7.2 Penalties for automatic sanctions
The Judicial Administrator, on receipt of a report from a
referee, may impose an automatic
suspension in accordance with the following tariff;
7.2.1 Acts of misconduct, violent or persistent foul play
(contrary to WP 21.9)
7.2.1.1 For the first reported offence a 1-match suspension.
7.2.1.2 For a second reported offence a 2-match suspension.
7.2.1.3 For a third reported offence a 3-match suspension.
7.2.2 Acts of brutality against other Players (contrary to WP
21.10)
7.2.2.1 For the first reported offence a 2-match suspension.
7.2.2.2 For a second reported offence a 3-match suspension.
7.2.2.3 For a third reported offence a 5-match suspension.
7.2.3 Acts of disobedience or disrespect towards an official
(contrary to WP 21.11)
7.2.3.1 For the first two reported offences an admonishment.
7.2.3.2 For a third reported offence a 1-match suspension.
7.2.3.3 For a fourth reported offence a 2-match suspension.
7.3 Serious misconduct
Nothing in the foregoing or in any regulations shall prevent
a referee or any member of the ASA making a complaint about the incident under
the Judicial Law 105.4.
7.4 Violent acts against Officials
Actual or attempted violent acts against a referee or any
other official should always be the subject of a complaint to the Judicial
Administrator. In such cases, and where the reported offence is proven before
the Independent Disciplinary and Dispute Resolution Panel, the level of sanction
to be applied should take into account the suggested penalties at 3 above.
7.5 Reporting
7.5.1 Reported offences shall apply to an individual
regardless of the competition the offence occurred in.
7.5.2 Reported offences shall remain in force for one (1)
year from the date of the letter confirming the offence.
7.5.3 Suspensions will be effective in the competition that
triggers the suspension or any other relevant competition.
7.5.4 Reported offences will remain on file for a period of
six (6) years from the date of the letter confirming the offence.
7.6 Rights of Appeal
There shall be a right of appeal under the Judicial Laws and
Rules against any sanction imposed by the Judicial Administrator, to the
Independent Disciplinary and Dispute Resolution Panel in accordance with ASA Law
110.
