EDVɅ Rules

Supplementary Rules to EVA Rules

1. COMPETITIONS TO WHICH RULES APPLY

1.1 All fixtures arranged and held under the auspices of the Exeter and District Volleyball Association (EDVA) will be played in accordance with the International rules published by the English Volleyball Association, supplemented where appropriate by the rules set out in this document.

1.2 Before competing in any such fixture, each team must:

(i) Be affiliated to the English Volleyball Association.
(ii) Have its players registered with the EDVA.
(iii) Have paid any competition fees that may be in force.
(iv) Have paid a goodwill deposit of £10-00. (£5-00 for Junior teams).

Note: At the EDVA Fixture Meeting, teams will confirm their EVA membership, their goodwill deposit balance and pay their team entry fee.

2. FIXTURES

2.1 The date and time of all fixtures will be agreed at the fixtures meeting organised by the Exeter & District Volleyball Association.

2.2 All competing teams must be represented at the fixtures meeting, unless there are exceptional circumstances. Any team unable to attend the fixtures meeting must advise the Fixtures Secretary of the agreed dates for their fixtures within 2 weeks of the fixtures meeting.

2.3 All fixtures must be played on the agreed date, at the agreed time. A game may not be postponed unless there are exceptional circumstances.

2.4 All requests to postpone fixtures must be submitted to the Fixtures Secretary at the earliest possible opportunity. The Executive Committee of the EDVA will consider any such request at their next available meeting. In reaching a view on such a request the Executive Committee shall take into account any extenuating circumstances and whether an unfair advantage could be deemed to arise to the team requesting the postponement.

2.5 In applying Supplementary Rule 2.4 the Executive Committee shall decide to follow one of the following courses of action:

(i) Declare the game void.
(ii) Award the game to one of the teams. (25-0, 25-0, 25-0, 25-0, 15-0).
(iii) Agree to the postponement of the fixture.

2.6 Where the Executive Committee agree to the postponement of the fixture the date and time of the rearranged fixture must be notified to the Fixtures Secretary within 2 weeks of the Committee’s decision.

2.7 A game may be brought forward from the agreed date and time only with the agreement of the opposing team. The opposing team must be given at least 2 clear weeks of the proposed alternative date and must make a prompt reply to any such proposal.

3. MATCH ARRANGEMENTS

3.1 It is the responsibility of the home team to ensure that sufficient court time is booked for each match. In any unfinished game the home side forfeits the set being played and any remaining sets.

3.2 A fixture should start within 10 minutes of the scheduled time (as per the fixtures published on the EDVA website). For the purposes of applying this rule, the fixture shall be deemed to have started once the Referee has begun the official warm up session.

3.3 Any team not ready to begin the fixture within 10 minutes of the scheduled time will forfeit a set. Thereafter, a set will be forfeited for every 10 minutes (or portion of 10 minutes) that the team is not ready to play.

3.4 Matches between teams from the same club must be played no later than 15th March or will be declared void to both teams. Similarly any such match not played will be deemed void to both teams, irrespective of the reason.

3.5 A fixture shall be made of five sets, all of which will be played. The first 4 sets are to be played to 25 points and the fifth set to 15 points. To win any set, a team will need a clear two-point lead.

3.6 All matches to be played using ‘rally points’ rules i.e. every rally results in a point being scored (except where a “let” is called by the referee).

3.7 In the fifth set the teams will change ends when the leading team (in that set) reaches eight points. Teams shall only change ends once during the course of the set.

3.8 Should a team fail to appear for a fixture, a fine will be levied by the Executive Committee. This fine will take into account the costs incurred by the aggrieved team and will incorporate an increased fee of £6-00 for the Referee.

3.9 The home team must organise the provision of all necessary equipment for all matches.

3.10 Within the First Division of the Mixed League the fixture must be played with an EVA legal net and have an reasonable amount of room and height, any exceptions the committee reserves the right to review on a case by case basis. There will be no restriction on other Divisions other than for safety reasons.

3.11 Home teams are required to complete a descriptive match report, of no fewer than 30 words, in the report section of the online results entry form. A fine of £5-00 will be levied for each occasion in which a team fails to provide the online match report.

3.12 At the end of each match each team is required to nominate a player from the opposition for Player of the Match, guidelines can be found on the web site in the Document about Player of the Match Award.

The team should state which team they are and who they are nominating, preferably by shirt number and name. This can be written either in the box currently headed “Referee’s Player of the Match” or in “Captain’s comments / complaints”.

The 1st referee should ensure that both teams have completed this, as well as both team captain’s signing the scoresheet, before signing off the scoresheet them self.

4. MATCH OFFICIALS

4.1 The home team must arrange for a Referee, Second Referee and Scorer to officiate at all matches. The Referee must be competent to officiate and should be qualified to at least Grade 4 standard.

4.2 The Referee should be an unbiased party, with no connection with the participating teams except by prior mutual consent.

4.3 Referees are to be awarded a standard expenses fee of £6-00 match minimum. The Home team in all cases shall offer this.

4.4 The Second Referee and Scorer must be competent in carrying out the duties of their respective positions.

4.5 Failure by the home team to provide any one of the required officials shall result in a fine being levied by the Executive Committee in the sum of £1 -00 per official per match.

5. PLAYER REGISTRATION

5.1 All players must be registered with the Fixtures Secretary. New players may be registered on the official score sheet of an official league match prior to the match commencing (using the fields provided) – any registration fee payable in these circumstances shall be deducted from the teams goodwill deposit. Alternatively new players may be registered directly with the Fixtures Secretary.

5.2 All teams must wear individually and uniquely numbered shirts of a uniform appearance. For each player entered on the score sheet who does not wear a numbered shirt, one playing point per set will be awarded to their opponents before play commences in that set.

5.3 Teams making use of the Libero Player must complete the score sheet accordingly.

A libero is a specialist defender who may not serve, block or attack the ball when it is above net height, and cannot set up an attack from front court using an overhand pass) such a play becomes a fault if the ball is subsequently attacked above net height.

A team is allowed only one Libero player, who must be nominated at the start of the match on the score sheet and must wear a different colored shirt. The libero player must not be on court at the start of the set (when the referee checks positions) but can go on court for the first rally (provided his shirt number is recorded on the line-up for that rally).

Such a player can be exchanged any number of times, with the exchange taking place along the sideline between attack and end lines and does not count as one of the teams official substitutions.

Only the player replaced by the libero can replace him/her. Exchange must take place between rallies. A libero cannot be named as game captain.

If the libero is injured they may be replaced but only once and may not re-enter the match. Nor may they play in any other position in a match in which they have been nominated as libero.

Libero players may now be used in all Divisions.

5.4 All players’ names, including substitutes, must be entered on the score sheet prior to the fixture beginning – if not they will be deemed un-registered for that match.

5.5 A player may be entered on the score sheet who is not present at the start of the fixture, however the said player may not take part in the set in progress upon their arrival at the venue.

5.6 In the event that a player who is eligible to register does so, but this is not indicated on the score sheet in advance of the match commencing (i.e. admin errors), the team concerned will be fined £3-00 per instance and the player concerned will be registered for that team. In the event the player is ineligible to register, the match will be awarded to the opposing team.

5.7 Under 15-year-old Boys may play in the Ladies league and ladies Tournament, either as part of an existing Ladies team or as a U15 Boy’s team as long as the following conditions have been met:

(i)   Under 15 years of age on the 1st September in the year the league starts.
(ii)  Over 12 years of age.
(iii) Physique appropriate for playing on a 2.24m net height.
(iv) Committee to decide when a play becomes too strong to take part (ref: height and power).

6. “PLAYING UP” AND TRANSFERS

6.1 Clubs with more than one team in the league are required to nominate a ranking for each team at the time of registration.

6.2 Players registered with a lower ranked team may “play up’ for the higher ranked team(s) up to a maximum of 3 games in total per player per season. A player shall be regarded as having “played up” if they are included on the score sheet of the relevant match irrespective of whether or not they play on court during the course of the match.

6.3 If a player “plays up’ for a fourth occasion they will automatically be transferred to the team for which they are playing on that occasion. This transfer of a player should be noted on the score sheet. A fine of £3-00 per instance will be levied in the event that a player is transferred and this is not recorded on the score sheet prior to the match commencing.

6.4 Players are not permitted to “play down’ unless transferred in the normal way.

6.5 Only one transfer per person per season is allowed. Other than in the case of a transfer under Supplementary Rule 6.3, the Fixtures Secretary must be given at least 2 weeks written notice to complete any transfer.

6.6 Other than in the case of a transfer under Supplementary Rate 6.3, a player may not play for the team they are joining until the transfer has been completed. They may however continue to play in official league matches provided any such appearance does not conflict with Supplementary Rules 6.2 & 6.4.

6.7 Players cannot be transferred between teams after 15th March, unless there are exceptional circumstances. Any team wishing to transfer a player after the transfer deadline must submit a written request to the Chairman, who shall have delegated powers to adjudicate as to whether or not the transfer shall be permitted.

6.8 Players who have transferred between club or teams are no longer eligible to play-up.

6.9 In the event that a player who is eligible to play-up does so, but this is not indicated on the score sheet in advance of the match commencing (i.e. admin errors), the team concerned will be fined £3-00 per instance.

6.10 In the event a player plays-up illegally, the match will be awarded to the opposing team.

7. LEAGUE POINTS

7.1 League points will be awarded on the basis of 2 points for winning the match and 1 point for each set won.

7.2 Should teams tie at the end of the season, league positions will be decided on the following criteria the largest number of games won, then the largest number of sets won, then the largest points difference.

7.3 Should a team drop out of the league, all their matches become void.

7.4 The home team will be deducted 1 league point for not entering their results online and uploading an electronic copy in accordance with the guidance on the websites within ONE week of the fixture being played. The white copies must then be held by the home team until the end of the season in case of queries.

8. DISCIPLINE

8.1 Referee cardings will attract the following penalty points:
Offence Penalty Points

Misconduct Sanctions
Offence     Card     EDVA Penalty Points
Warning     Verbal     N/A
2nd “rude conduct”     Yellow Card     3
Expulsion     Red Card     5
Disqualification     Red & Yellow Cards     6

Team 0ffences
Offence     Card     EDVA Penalty Points
Delay warning     Hand signal – point at wrist     N/A
Delay penalty     Hand signal + yellow card     3

8.2 All referee cardings shall be recorded on the official score sheet in the remarks section by the scorer.

8.3 A team will be fined £1-00 for every penalty point accumulated by it or one of its members.

8.4 The EDVA shall deduct fines incurred by a team in accordance with the above rules from the goodwill deposit. A team shall maintain its goodwill deposit at the level set by the EDVA.

8.5 A player and/or team shall have the right of appeal to the Executive Committee of the EDVA. The provisions of Section 9 of these rules shall apply.

9. DISPUTES AND APPEALS PROCEDURES

9.1 It is anticipated that teams will abide by both the letter and the spirit of these rules, and of the FIVB playing rules, and that defeat will nor be seen as an excuse for making a complaint.

9.2 All disputes must be referred in writing to the Fixtures Secretary as soon as possible prior to the scheduled fixture date, or within five days of the match taking place.

9.3 Any party wishing to make a protest must also advise the opponents and the first referee so that they may give their account.

9.4 If, prior to the start of the match, a dispute arises this should be noted on the score sheet by the first referee in the remarks section before the match commences. If no such entry is made it is assumed that up to that point all events and conditions are satisfactory, the first referee may also note at this point any breaches of rules, if he considers it appropriate.

9.5 If, during a match, a dispute arises, the referee’s decision is final. Any remarks to be noted on the scoresheet will be made after the end of the match by the first referee. Only the first referee may make comments on the score sheet. The first referee must, if requested, enter a protest covered by these rules on behalf of a team. The referee should then send a full report to the Fixtures Secretary. The Executive Committee of the EDVA will make a decision on the dispute.

9.6 Where a player and/or team wishes to appeal against a decision made by the Executive Committee, such an appeal will be heard at the next available meeting of the Executive Committee. Notice of any such appeal must be submitted in writing to the Fixtures Secretary.

9.7 Any party to an appeal shall have the right to an oral hearing.

9.8 Any party wishing to refer to any document or letter shall submit a full list or copies of such items to the Fixtures Secretary at least 7 days prior to the appeal being heard. Each party to the appeal shall be entitled to copies of these claims.

9.9 At the conclusion of the appeal hearing, the Chairman of the EDVA shall announce the decision of the Executive Committee, but shall be entitled to reserve the decision for further consideration and later announcement or communication to the parties involved

9.10 No appeals of any description whatsoever shall be considered unless filed within 14 days of the end of the season.

Exeter & District Volleyball Association

12th July 2014

Rule 5.7 added 02/08/2018