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Rules 1-3
1.NAME
The League shall be known as the Wirral Table Tennis League, hereinafter referred to as ‘The League’ and shall be affiliated to the relevant County (presently Cheshire) Table Tennis Association and to the English Table Tennis Association,
2.JURISDICTION OF LEAGUE
The area within which the jurisdiction of the League shall apply is that area lying within the boundaries of the Metropolitan District of Wirral in the Metropolitan County of Merseyside.Clubs having a headquarters outside this area, but within a reasonable distance thereof, may, subject to the consent of the League, become affiliated to the League.
3.CONSTITUTION
The League shall consist of President, Vice-Presidents, Life Members, Elected Officers and affiliated clubs.
The elected officers shall be Chairman, Vice-Chairman, General Secretary, Fixture Secretary, Treasurer, Coaching Secretary, Tournament Secretary, Press Officer, Women’s Representative and Youth Representative. Any person may at any time hold more than 1 of these posts, subject to the proviso that the positions of Chairman and Vice-Chairman shall not be held simultaneously by the same person.
The control of the affairs of the League shall be vested in a General Council consisting of a Management Committee duly elected to manage the affairs of the League and one authorized representative from each club affiliated to the League. The Management Committee shall consist of the elected Officers set forth in sub-section (b) above, together with not more than six elected members. All Members of the management Committee shall be subject to election at least once in each calendar year at a meeting of the General Council.
The Management Committee shall have the power to Co-opt not more than 2 persons on to the Committee for any purpose. The Management Committee shall meet as often as is considered necessary, and shall endeavour to meet at least once a month during the playing season.
At a Management Committee meeting, the quorum necessary for the transaction of any business shall be five.
The Management Committee may delegate any of its duties to sub-committees, such sub-committees being composed of such persons fit so to act by the Management Committee. Any sub-committee so formed shall, in the performance of the duties delegated thereto, conform to any requirements or regulations imposed upon it by the Management Committee.
The Management Committee shall be empowered to nominate suitable candidates for the honorary posts of President, Vice-Presidents and Life Members of the League, any such nominee being subject to election at a meeting of the General Council.
Any Member of the Management Committee who fails to attend three consecutive meetings of the Committee without good reason shall be deemed to have resigned from the Committee. The resultant vacancy and any other casual vacancy may be filled by the Management Committee, the tenure of the thus filled vacancy lasting until the next meeting of the General Council.
The Management Committee shall have the power to legislate with regard to any disputes between individuals and / or clubs affiliated to the League.
There shall not be more than three Trustees of the League. The first trustees shall be appointed by the Committee and the property of the League (other than cash which shall be under the control of the treasurer) shall be vested in them to be dealt with by them as the Committee shall from time to time direct by resolution (of which an entry in the minute book shall be conclusive evidence). The Trustees shall be indemnified against risk and expense out of the League Property. The trustees shall hold Office until death or resignation or until removed from Office by a resolution of the Committee who may for any reason which may seem sufficient to the majority of them present and voting at any meeting remove any trustee or trustees from the Office of Trustee. Where by reason of any such death, resignation or removal it shall appear necessary to the Committee that a new Trustee or Trustees shall be appointed or if the committee shall deem it expedient to appoint an additional trustee or additional trustees the committee shall by resolution nominate the person or persons to be appointed the new trustee or trustees. For the purpose of giving effect to such nomination the chairman is hereby nominated as the person to appoint new trustees of the League within the meaning of Section 36 of the trustee Act 1925 and he shall by deed duly appoint the person or persons so nominated by the Committee as the new Trustee or Trustees of the League and the provisions of the Trustee Act 1925 shall apply to any such appointment. Any statement of fact in any such Deed of Appointment shall in favour of a person dealing bona fide and for Value with the League or Committee be conclusive evidence of the fact so stated. |
Rules 4-7
.OBJECTS
The League shall use its best endeavours:
To promote competitive table tennis in an atmosphere of good sportsmanship throughout the area falling within the jurisdiction of the League by organizing matches within the structure of the League.
To raise the standard of play in the area falling within the Jurisdiction of the League and to enter teams in Competitions partially or wholly organized by the County Table Tennis Association and the English Table Tennis Association.
To Promote and / or control all competitions, tournaments and exhibitions taking place in the area falling within the Jurisdiction of the League.
To promote any other activities, which the Management Committee considers, will be beneficial to Table Tennis in the area falling within the Jurisdiction of the League.
To Provide and maintain a Table Tennis Centre and League Headquarters at the Bowls Pavilion, Arrowe Park.
5. GENERAL COUNCIL
The General Council shall be convened on a resolution of the Management committee once during each calendar year (hereinafter referred to as the Annual General Meeting). The general Council may also be convened within 28 days from the date of receipt by the General Secretary of a resolution supported, in writing, by at least one-quarter of the Members of the General Council or by a resolution passed by the Management Committee at any time (hereinafter referred to as Extra-Ordinary General Meeting).
6.VOTING POWERS
General Council
At any meeting of the General Council, each elected officer and member of the Management Committee shall have one vote, and each club affiliated to the League shall have one vote for each of its teams. In addition to his or her Own Vote as an elected Officer, the Chairman shall additionally be entitled to a casting vote in the event that the number of votes cast for and against any motion are equal. A Club will not be considered as affiliated to the League if any subscriptions or fees relating to such clubs are outstanding and hence shall not be entitled to vote at a meeting of the General Council. An affiliated club or Officer or a member of the Management Committee may be represented by a proxy for voting purposes only, such proxy voting being on written instructions only on identified motions. All matters voted on at a meeting of the General Council shall be decided by a simple majority except for motions to change the rules. A rule change will only become effective if at least two thirds of the votes cast are in favour of the proposed change.
Management Committee
Only elected Officers and Members of the Committee and persons filling a vacancy on the Management Committee in accordance with rule 3(h) above shall be entitled to vote at a Committee Meeting and then only if present at the meeting. In addition to his or her own vote as an elected Officer, the Chairman shall additionally be entitled to a casting vote in the event that the number of votes cast for and against any motion are equal.
7.ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The A.G.M. shall be held as soon as possible after the end of the playing season as determined by the Management Committee but shall be held no later than 31st May.
Notice of convening of the A.G.M. shall be given at least 7 days prior to the A.G.M. At Least 7 days before the date of the A.G.M. each affiliated club shall be supplied with a copy of the agenda for the meeting, a financial statement made up to 31st March of each year and any Proposed alterations to the rules.
Any suggested alterations to the rules shall be in the hands of the General Secretary no later than 30th April preceding the A.G.M.
Any amendments to the proposed alterations shall be received by the General Secretary by the last post of the third day preceding the A.G.M.
The General Secretary shall, at a suitable date, issue nomination papers to all affiliated clubs. Such forms shall give particulars of the Management Committee as then constituted and shall indicate which members of the committee are seeking re-election. Nominations in writing for elected posts on the Management Committee and for the post of Auditor shall be in the hands of the General Secretary not later than 30th April preceding the A.G.M. If any elected Officer or Member of the Management Committee or the Auditor does not wish to seek re-election, they shall notify the General Secretary no later than 31st March preceding the A.G.M.
The Auditor for the ensuing year shall be elected at the A.G.M.
In the absence of any nominations for the elected posts on the Committee or the post of auditor, it will be assumed that those members of the Management Committee who have not resigned and the auditor, if no resignation has been received, have been re-nominated and may be re-elected en bloc.
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Rules 8-12
8.FINANCE
The Scale of fees for affiliation to the League and registration of teams shall be set at the preceding A.G.M.
The League bankers shall be Barclays Bank Ltd; Hamilton Square, Birkenhead. The account shall be in the name of the Wirral Table Tennis League. Cheques drawn on the account shall be signed by any two of the following; Chairman, General Secretary, Treasurer any of whom shall be empowered to pay into the account. All accounts for payment over £ 25.00 shall be approved by the Management Committee.
If at any time the League in General Council shall pass a resolution authorizing the Committee to borrow money, the Committee shall thereupon be empowered to borrow for the purposes league such amount of money either at onetime or from time to time and at such rate of interest and in such form and manner and upon such security as shall be specified in such resolution, and thereupon the trustees shall at the direction of the Committee make all such dispositions of the League property or any part thereof and enter into such agreements in relation thereto as the Committee may deem proper for giving security for such loans and Interest. All Members of the League, whether voting on such resolution or not, and all persons becoming members of the League after the passing of such resolution, shall be deemed to have assented to the same as if they had voted in favour of such resolution.
9.REGISTRATION
The Management Committee will be responsible for supplying Official forms to all Clubs affiliated to the League at the date of the preceding A.G.M. These forms will be distributed at the A.G.M. and should be returned to the Fixture Secretary by 1st August following the A.G.M.
All applications for registrations of teams and players within such team shall be made on the Official form. The Committee may decline to accept affiliation of any club, the registration of any team or the registration of any player without stating a reason. Only bona fide members of a club are eligible for registration for that club. The registration of an individual player for a particular club shall be received by the Fixture Secretary at least THREE clear days before the player’s first game for that particular club. The date of the Postmark shall be considered the date of the receipt of the registration.
Clubs must register a minimum of 3 players for each team entered together with a sufficient number of additional players to ensure that each fixture can be fulfilled.
The Management Committee shall have the right to debar a player of known ability from becoming registered to play in a particular team or teams within his or her club.
No Players shall be registered or transferred after 31st December each year except with the express approval of the Management Committee. Registration shall lapse on 31st May of each year.
Application from registered players for a transfer to another club affiliated to the League shall be submitted in writing to the Management Committee. The transfer fee shall be £1.00. Such applications must be accompanied by a signed release from the secretary of the club from which the transfer is being sought and the transfer fee. The Management Committee will advise the player and the 2 clubs concerned if and when the transfer has been approved and the effective date thereof. Any person or persons found guilty of attempting to induce, or inducing a registered player to join another club shall be deemed guilty of misconduct and be subject to disciplinary action at the discretion of the Management Committee.
A player intending to play in any other League as well as the Wirral League shall state on the registration form, which league has first call on his or her services for representative and League Matches.
No player may play for more than 1 club in any one season except as provided for under Rule 9F.
Once application for registration of teams and individual players have been made, the Management Committee shall set a date for a meeting for the issuance of handbooks. The fees payable for affiliation to the League and for registration of teams shall be paid no later than the date of the aforesaid meeting. Handbooks will not be issued to Clubs, teams and / or individual players unless all appropriate fees have been paid.
10.LEAGUE COMPOSITION
The League shall be divided into a number of divisions for League play and the composition of such divisions shall be decided by the Management Committee. As far as possible the Committee will apply the principles of promotion and relegation, but the final decision as to the constitution of each division shall lie in the hands of the Management Committee.
11.AWARDS
The league shall make awards to a maximum of 4 players forming the team winning each division and to players forming the runners up team.
12.MATCH NIGHTS
All clubs shall register the match Night for each team prior to the commencement of the season and any subsequent alterations thereto shall be subject to individual notification to the Fixture Secretary and each club affected by the Club involved. |
Rules 13-21
13.MATCH REGULATIONS
All games to be played under E.T.T.A. Rules. Changes made during the playing season will be printed in the next issue of the Wirral Horn.
In Each division a match shall consist of 9 singles sets and 1 doubles set, each set being the best of 3 games. Each team shall consist of not less than 3 nor more than 5 players. 3 players only in each team shall be nominated to play singles sets and each such nominated player shall play 1 singles set against each of the 3 nominated players of the opposing team. Each team shall nominate 2 players to play in the solitary doubles set. The nomination and order of players for both singles and doubles sets must be effected at the outset of the match.
The Captains shall simultaneously exchange full details of their teams and they shall decide. Alternately, the opponents of each set. The visiting Captain shall have the right of first choice. Unless otherwise agreed, sets will be umpired alternately by a member of each team, the visiting team supplying the umpire for every even numbered game.
The Official starting time of League and Cup Matches is 7.30pm. If a Player is absent when called upon to play before 8pm that set shall be forfeited unless a reserve is played. If a set is so forfeited, the absent player cannot be called upon to play until after 8pm. If a player is absent when called upon to play after 8pm all the remaining sets for which he/she was nominated shall be forfeited unless a reserve is played. A reserve once played, shall continue to play throughout the match. A reserve shall be a player who was not originally nominated to play in a singles set. Every Player shall be entitled to take a rest interval of 10 Minutes duration if called upon to play in consecutive games.
It shall be the responsibility of the home team to provide, complete and ensure the onward transmission of the Official Scorecard to the Fixture Secretary. The duly completed Official Scorecard shall be signed by both captains at the end of the match.
In all divisions the result shall be decided by the sets won and lost, each team, being awarded 1 point for each set won.
Where a match is unfinished the unplayed sets, May at the discretion of the Management Committee, be awarded against a defaulting team or otherwise.
Clubs having more than 1 team shall rank their teams in order of ability and shall, upon registration nominate a minimum of 3 players for each team. Once so nominated a player shall not be eligible to play for any team of his or her club, which is lower, ranked than the team for which he or she is nominated. The Committee shall also have the right to determine what constitutes a lower ranked side. The Committee shall have the discretion to alter nominations either upon application by the club concerned or as they deem appropriate. If a player is re-ranked from a higher team into a lower team, he / she will not be permitted again to play for the higher team during that season.
If a player plays 5 or more times in any one Competition for a team higher ranked than that for which they were originally nominated, that player automatically becomes nominated for such higher ranked team, unless an application is made to, and is upheld by the Management Committee.
During the progress of a set, team captains may give advice to their players, but only in the interval between games. Play during a set shall be continuous and the length of the interval between games shall be at the discretion of the Umpire.
Clothing shall be in accordance with E.T.T.A. Legislation.
Postponements are permitted only when a Cup match clashes with a League Match or teams are depleted by calls on players for representative matches. League matches must take preference over cup matches. In all such cases the opposing team and fixture secretary must be notified in writing by the club requiring the postponement in sufficient time to avoid any inconvenience to the opposing team. Both clubs will then be mutually responsible for playing the fixture within 14 days of the Original date. In the event of a dispute arising over a postponed fixture the Fixture Secretary shall take action under Rule 16.
14.PENALTIES
Any club not directly represented at an Annual General or Extra Ordinary General Meeting shall be fined £5.00
Official Scorecards will be provided by the League and the scorecard for each match shall be in the hands of the Fixture Secretary within 7 days of the match. It is the responsibility of the home team to ensure that the scorecard is forwarded to the Fixture Secretary. The penalty for non-compliance with this rule shall be a fine of £1.00 for the home team.
Any team failing on THREE consecutive occasions to fulfill a fixture shall be expelled from the League.
The Management Committee shall be empowered to impose such penalties, as they deem appropriate for any breach of the League rules or any other form of misconduct on the parts of clubs or players.
The Management Committee shall be empowered to waive any penalty set out under this section if they consider that having due regard to all of the circumstances of the case, such waiving is justified.
Any Team Failing to fulfill a fixture shall be fined £10.00
15.PROTESTS
The Committee shall hear, discuss and decide all protests. Protests relating to any violation of the Laws of the game or the rules of the League shall be lodged by the aggrieved club with the General Secretary within 3 days (ex Sunday) of the occasion in respect of which the protest arises. The protest shall be accompanied by a deposit of £2.00 which may be refunded after the Management Committee decision has been made known. The Protest must include a full account of the alleged infringement of the rules, the latter to be specified. A copy of the protest shall simultaneously be sent to the secretary of the club(s) against whom the protest has been made, failure to do so causing summary dismissal of the protest.
Any Club receiving such a copy of a protest shall be allowed a period of 14 days from the date of receipt of the copy of the protest to supply their comments thereon to the General Secretary. A copy of any such reply shall simultaneously be sent to the club lodging the protest. In the absence of any such reply being received by the General Secretary, it will be assumed that the facts of the matter are not in dispute.
Any dispute between the Management Committee and a Member Club may be referred for arbitration to the County Executive as provided for by the Cheshire Association rules, any decision by the County Executive shall be considered final.
16.EMERGENCY POWERS
The Chairman, Vice-Chairman, General Secretary, Treasurer and Fixture Secretary shall be empowered to act individually in emergencies except in cases of disciplinary action. Any action taken under this sub-section is to be reported to the next meeting of the management Committee.
17.QUALIFICATIONS
Players shall not be eligible to represent the Wirral League in Representative Matches and Competitions unless they have opted to play for the Wirral League during the current season.
18.QUALIFICATION FOR CUP SEMI-FINALS AND WIRRAL CLOSED CHAMPIONSHIP
In the event of the Management Committee organizing cup competitions and/or a Closed Championship, no player shall be eligible to play in such cup semi-finals or final or in the closed championship unless he/she has played in at least 6 matches organized or controlled by the League prior to the date of the Cup Match or the closing date for the tournament, except at the discretion of the Committee. The Management Committee shall have the power to make regulations governing the organization, control and playing of Cup Competitions and Tournaments.
19.MATTERS NOT COVERED BY THE RULES
The Management Committee shall have the power to implement these rules, as they deem appropriate and to deal with any matter not covered by these rules.
20.CUPS AND TROPHIES
All Persons or team receiving Cups and/or Trophies from the League do so on the Following conditions;
The Cups and Trophies cannot be won outright.
The recipient shall sign a receipt and an undertaking drafted by the Committee when receiving the Cup or Trophy.
In the event of a person holding a League Cup or Trophy leaving Great Britain for a period in excess of 1-month, the cup or Trophy shall be returned to the General Secretary by such person prior to his departure.
Under no circumstances may any Cup or Trophy be taken out of Great Britain.
The holder shall keep the Cup or Trophy in proper condition and shall be responsible for any damage thereto.
The cup or Trophy shall be returned without any request being made to the General Secretary at least 1 month before the final of the Competition takes place in the following season or the League nominated person with responsibility for the engraving of annual Trophies.
The General Secretary must be given 24 hours notice before the Cup or Trophy is returned.
21.HANDICAPPED PLAYERS
Matches involving handicapped players will conform to the recommendation of the English Paraplegic Sports Association. As far as wheelchair players are concerned play shall be in accordance with the normal laws as far as is practicable. Apart from the concession on the service law, which is covered by ETTA Laws, the following guidelines shall be followed;
If 2 wheelchair players are playing doubles, they do not have to take alternate shots. They still have to change places for service as for the able-bodied. (If an able –bodied player or an amputee is playing with a wheelchair player, they must take alternate shots as normal).
If the trajectory of a service received by the wheelchair player would pass over the side, rather than the end, of the table, it is counted as a ‘let’. (This is to prevent a player who utilizes a short service of the side of the table gaining an unfair advantage because his opponent cannot ‘run’ around the table.)
Insofar as the service law concession is concerned it is only the ‘flat hand’ part that is affected. Some disabled players cannot turn over or flatten their hand but they must still throw the ball up. |
Cup Regulations
LONSDALE CUP RULES
The committee will not run any event that has insufficient entries.
The rules of the Wirral Table Tennis League shall apply to the Lonsdale Cup with the following exceptions;
Rule 9(e), (f) and (h) shall apply with the proviso that any player registered after 31st December shall be permitted to play in the Lonsdale Cup Competition in progress at the time of his or her registration only with the express approval of the Management Committee. A player will not be permitted to play for 2 or more clubs during the course of any one Lonsdale Competition.
Rule 13(g) shall not apply.
The following additional rules will also apply to the Lonsdale Cup;
The Lonsdale cup shall be open to all teams of all clubs affiliated to the Wirral Table Tennis League, and each player in each team must be registered with the League.
The draw for each round of the Lonsdale Cup will be made by the Management Committee and the Clubs and/or teams involved therein will be advised accordingly in a manner deemed appropriate by the Management Committee.
During the draw, the 1st drawn team of each pair will be the home team and the 2nd drawn team shall be the away team. Matches will be played during the week indicated by the Management Committee. It is the responsibility of the home team to advise the away team of the day of the week on which the match shall be played having due regard to the fact that League Matches take precedence over cup matches. The away team may object to the selected night only on the grounds that they have a League match on that day. In such a case the away team shall notify the home team and shall request that the fixture secretary shall grant a Postponement. If the home team cannot provide facilities on any suitable day during the appointed week, they shall concede home advantage to the away team, and shall advise the away team in sufficient time for them to make appropriate arrangements. If neither team can provide facilities for playing the match during the appointed week, the Fixture secretary shall be advised but it is expected that the date and venue for playing of the match shall be settled by the 2 teams. The Management Committee shall, however, have the power to appoint a date and/or venue for the playing of the match.
The semi-Finals and final of the Lonsdale Cup shall be played at a neutral venue on a date to be decided by the Management Committee. However, the Committee will, as far as possible, attempt to consult with the opposing teams prior to selecting such date and venue.
Except in the final, a tie finishing equal on sets, the winner shall be decided on the number of games won by each team, if the teams have won the same number of games, the result of the match shall be decided on the aggregate number of points won by each of them. If sets, games and Points are all equal, the winner shall be decided on the toss of a coin. There shall be no replays in any round of the Lonsdale Cup up to and including the semi-final. In the event of the final ending in a draw on sets, there will be 1 replay only. In the further event of the replayed final finishing equal on sets the replay will be decided as previously stated.
Once a player has played for one team in his or her club during a particular Lonsdale Cup Competition that player cannot thereafter represent an equal or lower ranked team in his/her club during that competition. Attention is drawn to sections 9d and 13I of the Rules of the Wirral Table Tennis League in this respect. However the Committee may, on receipt of an appropriate application, waive this rule. For the avoidance of doubt such waiving will generally only be exercised when a player has played as a reserve for a team clearly above his/her known ability.
The League shall provide a Trophy, which will be presented to the Winners of The Lonsdale Cup Competition for them to retain for a period of approximately one year. The winners are responsible for the safe keeping of the Trophy and returning it to the Management Committee by the 1st April of the year following their success.
A representative of the Management committee shall be present to act as referee at the final.
BILL LOWE SHIELD
The Rules of the Lonsdale Cup shall apply, Mutatis Mutandis (i.e. the necessary changes being made to the Bill Lowe Shield) with the following exceptions;
No team playing in the top division of The Wirral League shall be eligible to take part in the Bill Lowe Shield.
J.S.BANKS MEMORIAL TROPHY
The Rules of the Lonsdale Cup shall apply, Mutatis Mutandis (i.e. the necessary changes being made to the Bill Lowe Shield) with the following exceptions;
Eligibility for participation in the J.S.Banks Memorial Trophy Competition is restricted to young players of either sex who are under 21 years of age on 31st December of Current administrative year.
There shall be no doubles sets.
SWINDELLS TROPHY
As J.S.Banks except the age Limit in Rule 1 is 14 Years of age.
PHIL LUXON TROPHY
As J.S.Banks except the age Limit in Rule 1 is 17 Years of age.
J & F HEPPLE TROPHY
As J.S.Banks except the age Limit in Rule 1 is over 40 Years of age.
R.A.F.A. CUP
The Rules of the Lonsdale Cup shall apply, Mutatis Mutandis (i.e. the necessary changes being made to the R.A.F.A. Cup) with the following exception;
1 No team playing in the top division of The Wirral League shall be eligible to take part in the R.A.F.A. Cup.
McNAUGHT BOWL
The Rules of the Lonsdale Cup shall apply, Mutatis Mutandis (i.e. the necessary changes being made to the McNaught Bowl) with the following exceptions;
Eligibility for participation in the McNaught Bowl is restricted to female players who are registered with the League.
For the avoidance of doubt, it is pointed out that teams may be specially formed for the McNaught Bowl competition and each player may play for a club other than that for which she is registered.
There shall be no doubles sets.
NOTES
Administrative Year is the Period Commencing the day after completion of an ETTA AGM and ending on the day the next ETTA AGM is completed.
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