Rule Book

This is a copy of the 2002 rule book, changes will be applied as they become available. This is a manual transcription of the 2002 manuscript so please bear in mind there may be some typo's, please log in and use the "add comment" button at the foot of this page to report any problems. Also (!) some of the language and rules are a little outdated (See #59) , if you would like any changes to be submitted at the next AGM, again, please use the "add comment" button to add them to the foot of the page.

NAME AND CONSTITUTION

1. The League shall be called "The Cardiff and District Table Tennis League" and shall be affiliated to the T.T.A of W.
2. The League shall be open to all Table Tennis Clubs. A General Meeting shall have the right to refuse admission to the League to any Club which is considered unsuitable. Clubs must have a table complying with T.T.A. of W. Rules and should also have a reasonable lighting and runback. (it is recommended that there should be a run back of at least eight feet and four feet on each side of the table). Should any objections be raised by a visiting team to the playing conditions, the match shall be played and a report made to the Management Committee.
3. The League shall be composed of Divisions formed at the Pre-Season Meeting. Promotion and relegation - two teams to be promoted and two teams relegated from each Division
   

   OFFICERS

4. The Officers of the League shall be the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, General Secretary, Match Results Secretary, Tournament Secretary or Secretaries and Treasurer who, together with the Auditor, shall be yearly at the Annual General Meeting.
   
5. The League shall be governed by a Management Committee consisting of the Officers and eight Representatives from affiliated Clubs to be elected at the Pre-Season General Meeting. No more than two of the elected representatives shall be from any one Club. The Management Committee (which shall have power to co-opt additional members if deemed necessary) shall meet during the first week of each month, and shall have powers to decide all matters not provided for by the existing rules and also any questions that may arise as to the interpretation of such rules. A copy of the Minutes of every Management Committee Meeting shall be sent to each Club.
   

   MEETINGS

6. A General Meeting shall be held at the commencement of the season. The Annual General Meeting shall be held not later that the 31^st of May in each year. At least ten clear days notice shall be given of the Annual General Meeting.
7. A Special Meeting shall fulfil the same functions and duties as the Annual General Meeting and may be called by half of the Clubs in the League instructing the General Secretary accordingly.
8. At all General Meetings, each Club may be represented by one member for each team entered. Voting power shall be one vote per team, one delegate may not vote for more than one team. A Club not represented at a General Meeting shall be fined 5.00.
9. No amendment, or alteration or addition to the Rules of the League shall be made, except at the Annual General Meeting (or Special General Meeting). Any suggested amendment, alteration or addition to the Rules must be made in writing, and must reach the General Secretary prior to April 1^st for inclusion on the Agenda, which shall be circulated to the Clubs prior to the Annual General Meeting.
10. The financial year of the League shall end of 31^st May each year and a balance sheet made up to date shall be presented at the first General Meeting for the following season. A copy of such balance shall be presented to the Clubs at the first General Meeting.
11. Twenty persons must be present at a General Meeting and five persons at a Management Committee Meeting to form a quorum.
    

    SUBSCRIPTIONS

12. The Annual Subscription shall be agreed at the Annual General Meeting for both teams and cup. Team entry fees must be paid before the first match. In the event of such fees not being paid before the first match, further matches will be cancelled and the points awarded to their opponents until such time as that fees are paid.
13. The Club will pay a Guarantee Fee as agreed at the Annual General Meeting. This Guarantee Fee is payable with application for membership and is returnable provided that all teams belonging to that Club shall fulfil their fixtures.
14. A League registration fee per player agreed at the Annual General Meeting shall be paid in addition to affiliation fees to be set by the T.T.A. of W. and the Glamorgan County Association. A free copy of the League Handbook will be given to each team.
    Note: affiliation to both Associations is compulsory
15. A player who is under eighteen years of age on 1^st Jan in any year shall be classified as a Junior player for the subsequent season.
    
16. No player may play in a League game until they have been registered for three days, except in the case of the Club's first League game, for which they may be registered prior to such game. No player may be registered for more than one Club at any one time. No player may be registered after 31^st of January in any year without the special consent of the Management Committee.
17. During a season a player may play as a reserve for a higher or lower lettered team, even for a team in the same division four times only provided the player that is replaced is replaced by a player of the same or higher handicapped player than the original team player. After playing four times as a reserve approval of the Management Committee must be obtained should the Club wish to play the player other than in their registered team.
    

    When a Club has more than one team, it shall register a minimum of three players in each team.

    CONSTITUTION OF TEAMS etc.

18. In all Divisions each team shall consist of three players, each playing three opponents the best of five games of 11 points. Also that one doubles match be played as the fifth event when a fourth player may be used if required.
    

    Where the three players shall be letters A,B,C and the other three players on the other side are letters X,Y,Z playing order is 1^st A v X, 2^nd B v Y, 3^rd C v Z, 4^th B v X, 5^th doubles, 6^th A v Z, 7^th C v Y, 8^th B v Z, 9^th C v X, 10^th A v Y.
    

    The home team shall be A,B,C and the away team X,Y,Z. Each captain shall name the team allotting a letter to each of the three players. The order of play thus determined may only be altered by the mutual agreement between the two captains. In the event that of a nominated player not having put in an appearance when requested to play, a reserve can be substituted in the place of the nominated player. Other placings will remain unaffected.
    

    Method of scoring. That in all matches one point be awarded in each individual match for each won game. The League position will be determined by adding all points won in each match.
    

    Should a player not conclude their games then their opponents will be awarded the event, that is one point for each game unplayed.

19. All Clubs shall play one home and one away match with each Club in the same Division.
20. For each event an Umpire shall be appointed alternately by each team.
21. All rackets must have the surface bright red on one side and the other side in black. Rubbers must not be painted or 'inked'.
    

    All rubbers must be on I.T.T.F list.
    

    Any player playing with an illegal racket shall automatically lose any points won with that racket.

22. The clubs must use 40mm table tennis balls which are authorised by I.T.T.F. These authorised balls are: Schildkrot, TSP, Imperial Blue, Imperial Black, Friendship, Nittaku and Lion and Joola.
23. All matches must not start after 7:15pm.
    

    MATCH RESULTS

24. A Score Card for each match, signed by both Captains shall be forwarded by the home team and must be received by the Match Results Secretary by the Saturday of the week following the playing of the match. Any Club failing to do this shall be automatically fined 2.00.
    

    TRANSFER OF PLAYERS

25. Any registered player wishing to transfer from one Club to another must complete a transfer form signed by the player and secretaries of the two Clubs concerned, and shall be eligible to play for the new Club immediately upon receipt of an acknowledgement from the General Secretary (but see Rule 29). No application for a transfer of a player can be entertained after 31^st January, unless any special circumstances arise, when the Management Committee shall have the power to grant such applications it thinks fit. A player changing Clubs between seasons does not require to be transferred,  but any objection rasied by a Club against a player signing for another Club shall be considered by the Management Committee, who shall have the power to cancel such a registration.
    

    PROTESTS

26. All protests and disputes must be made in writing to the General Secretary for consideration by the Management Committee.No protest  relating to a particular match shall be considered unless received by the General Secretary within seven days from the date of the match.
    

    BREACH OF RULES

27. A Club playing unregistered players shall be fined 10.00 for each offense, and their opponents will be awarded league points at the discretion of the Management Committee.
28. Any registered player who plays for any Club or Team other than that for which he, or she is registered shall be suspended for the remainder of the season. The Officers have the right to implement this rule immediately  the offense has been reported.
29. (i) The Teams must fulfil fixtures in accordance with the fixture list. If the Club Room is unavailable or the fixture clashes with a Cup game, the League Secretary and the secretary of the opposing Club must be informed at least 48 hours before such a match date,
    (ii) If a Club has difficulty in raising a team to play a fixture. The fixture must stand unless the Secretary of the non-defaulting Club is given at least 48 hours notice and agrees to postpone the match to a later date. If the Secretary of the non-defaulting Club feels that the opposing Club is being unreasonable in agreeing to a revised date, then he will write to the League Secretary claiming the points and advising the Secretary of the opposing Club of his actions.
    (iii) No match can be conceded. A team must turn up for a match unless Rule 29 (i) or Rule 29 (ii) has been complied with.
    (iv) A team will be fined 10.00 on each occasion if:
    

    (a) It does not comply with Rule 29 (i);
    (b) It is considered by the Management Committee not to have complied with Rule 29(ii) or to have behaved unreasonably in agreeing to a revised date under Rule 29 (ii);
    (c) It conceded or fails to turn up for a match
    

    (v) Any team forfeiting and/or unreasonably agreeing a total of two fixtures before the end of the season shall, irrespective of their position in the League, be relegated to a lower division.
    
30. If a team wishes to withdraw from a division and is given permission to do so, no person who has played for that team during the current season may play for any other team in the League without first obtaining permission of the Management Committee.
    
31. Clubs failing to pay fines within fourteen days shall forfeit any points won by the offending team during such period of fourteen days, and the said team shall be prohibited from playing any further matches until the fines are paid and the points in respect of such unplayed matches shall be awarded to their opponents.
    

    TIES etc.

32. In the event of there being a tie or ties at the end of the season for promotion or relegation, an extra match, or matches, shall be played on neutral tables to be arranged by the Management Committee. Teams tying for the top place in any division shall be considered joint winners.
    

    AWARDS

33. The League shall award medals (or such momentoes as the Management Committee shall decide) to Clubs winning the Championship of each division. The like awards shall also be made to the runners-up of each division.
34. Clubs holding trophies of the League must provide proper security for the safe-keeping of the same and must return them when requested to do so. Trophies will be insured out of League funds.
    

    SELECTION COMMITTEE AND REPRESENTATIVE GAMES

35. For the purpose of choosing any representative men's or women's teams, a Selection Committee shall be formed, consisting of members of the Management Committee. All players representing the League in representative matches must be registered with and play for a Club in the Cardiff and District League.
36. All Players representing the League in representative matches must wear regulation dress as determined by the Management Committee.
37. Should a Club or Team retire from the League for any reason during the season, no money shall be returned. All matches played by such Club or Team shall be ignored, and it shall be treated as a relegated team.
38. A playing shirt, shorts or skirt shall be mainly of a uniform colour other than white.
39. The League Clubs shall be guarantors of the League.
40. Any Club changing its Secretary, Headquarters or home match night during the season, must immediately notify each Club affected by the alterations, and must also inform the League Secretary of the change.
    

    OPEN AND CLOSED CHAMPIONSHIPS

41. An Open Tournament may, at the discretion of the Management Committee, be organised each season.
42. Closed Championships, and such other events as the Management Committee shall decide, shall be organised each season by the Management Committee. To be eligible to play in these Championships, a player must have played in at least 50% of scheduled matches before the closing date of entries, or be accepted at the discretion of the Management Committee.
    

    Players are not eligible to play lower than the divisions for which they were originally registered.

43. A Tournament Handicapping Committee shall be elected at the first Management Committee Meeting of the season who shall handicap individual players for handicap events and supervise the draw.
    

    "W.G. CLEMENT" , "MONTAGUE BURTON" and "D.G. FOWLES" CHALLENGE CUPS

44. The W.G. Clement's, Montague Burton and D.G. Fowles Challenge Cups to be awarded for tournaments played within the Cardiff and District League and organised at the discretion of the the Management Committee. (Note: Where a player is a member of more than one Club, they may play in this tournament only for the Club for which they are registered in the League at the time of the tournament,) If a Club has two or more teams in one division, those teams must be reckoned as Clubs. Reserves must be registered for the team in which they may be chosen to play. A player whose name has been submitted for a team and later transfers to another Club, shall automatically be withdrawn from the names submitted and shall be entitled to play for their new Club provided that they have not played for their former Club.
45. Teams first drawn have choice of venue, except in the Semi-Finals and Finals, which shall be played on neutral tables at such place as the Management Committee may direct.
46. Each competing team must submit a list of players and shall be handicapped as Rule 43. Names may be added to or deleted from the list submitted prior to the "draw" being made for a particular round. Such amendments shall not be effective for any particular round unless received by first post on the Monday following the date fixed fro the competition of the previous round. A player cannot play for more than one team in any one season.
47. In Cup competitions where games are counted towards the result should a match be drawn then a countback will take place and the team winning the greater number of events will be declared the winner.
    

    There will be no doubles played in the W.G. Clement Cup and the Montague Burton Cup.

    In a Cup competition where points are counted and not games, the result is decided after adding points scored and using the handicap awarded.
    

    Score Cards must be posted to the Cup Competition Secretary within three days of the match being played. Any Club failing to do so will be fined 2.00.

48. In Semi-Finals and Finals, the toss of a coin will decide who is A,B,C or X,Y,Z.
49. The Tournament Committee will make the "draw" for all events.
50. Umpires shall be appointed as for league matches and a representative to attend the Semi-Finals and Finals will be appointed by the Management Committee.
51. In the event of a Club not fulfilling and engagement, it's opposition will be awarded the match.
52. All matches must start not later than 7.15pm.
53. A Club playing other than registered players shall be fined 10.00 for each offense, and the opposing team shall be awarded the match.
54. The League shall present Silver Cups known as the "W.G. Clement Challenge Cup", the "Montague Burton Challenge Cup" and the "D.G. Challenge Cup" (to be held for twelve months), and Medals or Awards to the winners and runners-up. All Cups are to be returned to the General Secretary by 1^st March.
55. All protests must be sent to the Cup Competition Secretary within three days of the match for submission to the Tournament Committee and their decision shall be final.
56. Seven days before the last match date of each round, the Clubs shall notify the Cup Competitions Secretary of the agreed date, or of their inability to agree a date. In the latter event, the Cup Competition Secretary shall fix a date which shall be adhered to. Once a date for any game has been agreed or fixed, no cancellation will be permitted.
57. That all league officers must be affiliated to the T.T.A.W.
58. No time out will be allowed in Cardiff and District league matches
59. A senior player from a higher division can play for a team in division 5 as a chaperon providing the team consists of 2 cadets of 14 years of age or under. However the senior player must play all his matches using his handicap. The senior player would also be allowed to play for another team in a higher division.