League Rules as of 2023

KDOTSL Player Behavior Expectations and Disciplinary Regulations

KDOTSL Executive reserves the right to address and amend rules for the league to respect the spirit of the philosophy of its non-competitive nature. These behaviour and disciplinary rules are intended to keep players, referees, and all members of the KDOTSL community safe, and ensure a healthy future of the league.

As in all leagues, rule changes are necessary to get behaviour under control and protect our players, referees, spectators, and the executive committee from harassment that should be excluded in a fun, non-competitive league.

From a disciplinary perspective, there is a league responsibility for addressing unacceptable player behaviour, especially towards referees, and other players. Aggressive play, language/communication, threatening wellbeing, and unwelcomed contact has resulted in the loss of referees, who are extremely difficult to replace, and loss of playing time for teams and members.

The KDOTSL disciplinary and executive members are volunteer postions and any infractions, unacceptable behaviour/actions are accompanied by an extensive report, resulting in wasted recreational time for Executive members and has created the need for increased measures to address these issues.

Actions contributing to unacceptable play:

Physical altercations, including but not limited to pushing, hitting, choking, punching, kicking after the stoppage of play, both on and off the pitch. Intentional physical contact to potentially injure others, or uncontrolled aggressive challenges. Verbal abuse, goading, disrespectful language to any person on and off the pitch. On and off pitch players questioning referee’s calls. On and off pitch players arguing and aggressively challenging referees if they feel they have had a wrong call against them. On pitch players purposely playing in an offside position because they know the referee has a difficult time catching them without lines assistants.

Disciplinary Outline/Rules

The Referee decisions will determine the level of discipline for any actions during the game using the yellow and red card system. The KDOTSL Executive Disciplinary process will review and submit penalties to Team reps and Captains, to be apportioned accordingly. See rule specifics below:

• Disciplinary Cards (Note: All cards this year may/will have a team fine attached to them. Yellow Card $50; Red Card $100. This means if your team accumulates 3 yellow cards or 1 red and 1 yellow your team bond needs to be topped back up to $200 before you play your next game).

• ANY player issued a single (1) yellow card will have their actions reviewed and requires reasoning for the issuance of the card. • ANY player issued two (2) yellow cards in the same game will receive an immediate red card and miss the rest of the match, and the ensuing match; any further discipline will be reviewed and issued by the League Executive. • ANY player issued a direct red card will immediately miss the rest of the match, and at minimum, the following match; any further discipline will be reviewed and issued by the League Executive.

Challenging Referee Decisions

Unnecessary questioning of a referee’s call, especially offside calls will be an immediate yellow card. • A second yellow for this questioning of a referee call at any point during the season will be a one (1) game suspension. • A third yellow for this questioning of a referee call at any point during the season will be a minimum of a three (3) game suspension up to a seasonal ban or more. • If there is a situation where multiple players from a team or teams are badgering a referee, and Captains or Team Reps fail to control or eliminate it, there will be team monetary fines levied.

Offside Play

To deal with players taking advantage of lack of referee assistants, referees are going to be instructed to call the player offside if they are not sure. The referee may not refer to on or off pitch team members for additional views, perspectives, and/or opinions regarding an offside call; the decision of offside remains with the referee and the call stands.

Team Reps have a responsibility to ensure the players understand the rules and consequences of their actions, including communication to referees in an unacceptable manner. Best practice is for players to accept all decisions, not communicate to referees, unless it is to thank them, and speak with their Captain or Team Rep to approach the referee, other captain, or Team Rep in a respectful and calm manner for clarification and understanding.

Unacceptable Conduct

Physical altercations, including but not limited to, pushing, hitting, choking, punching, kicking etc, both on and off the pitch, will result in immediate suspension and further discipline will be decided by the League Executive and may result in immediate dismissal and subsequent ban. Intentional physical contact to potentially injure others, or uncontrolled aggressive challenges, will result in immediate discipline decided by the League Executive, and may result in immediate dismissal from the league. Verbal abuse, goading, disrespectful language of a discriminatory nature to any person on and off the pitch will result in immediate review and discipline by the league executive, and may result in immediate dismissal from the league.

Player Eligibility (Playing an unregistered or underage player will be an automatic $100 team fine. The second time this happens it will be a $200 team fine).

The minimum* required age for eligibility in the KDOTSL is 45 years of age in the same calendar year of the registration. *some exceptions for age requirements are allowed under section 5 b. Each team is only allowed to register and field a maximum of 3 players between the ages of 40 and 44 (underage) in the same calendar year of the registration. Teams that register or field more than the maximum allowable number of underage players will be reviewed and disciplined by the executive committee at its discretion and monetary levies, penalties and/or additional measures of discipline are possible. Each team MUST field a minimum of 7 players to fulfill the match minimum; However, in the spirit of the league, the opposing teams may “loan” players to fulfill comparable squads and even play. Team Reps have a responsibility to keep this league free of attitudes far more competitive than acceptable for a non-competitive, recreational league . KDOTSL is a non- competitive atmosphere not akin to other competitive leagues, the executive reserves the right to approach any Team Rep to discuss players not adhering to the philsophy of the league. KDOTSL Executive