REGULATIONS FOR THE NATIONAL AMATEUR WOMEN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP

OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF F.F.B. COMPETITIONS

REGULATIONS

FOR

THE NATIONAL AMATEUR WOMEN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP

PREAMBLE

The National Amateur Women
League ( NAWL) Championship, the Top Flight of Womens
Football in Belize, is sanctioned by the Football Federation of Belize and serves
as the showcase event for top
female footballers of the country for national selection callus as well as
a qualifying competition for the
UNCAF football club championship.

The Competition shall consist of an
Opening Season and a Closing Season. Each Season shall consist of a Qualifying
Phase and a Final Phase

Any rights in the present
regulations not ceded to a
participating Club in the Qualifying or Final Phases shall belong to
the League.

On entering the Competition,
the participating Clubs, players
and officials shall automatically undertake to:

Observe the regulations,
decisions, guidelines and circular issued by the FIFA, CONCACAF, UNCAF,
FFB, NAWL as well as the applicable national laws

Accept that all the
administrative, disciplinary and refereeing matters concerned with the
Competition will be settled by the FFB in compliance with these regulations
or the decisions of the Organizing Committee (OC) for the competition

Observe the Principle of Fair
Play

The Organizing Committee for the NAWL
Championship Cup shall have the
power to decide on matters not provided for in these regulations.

The inaugural competition shall
consist of one season only. The participating clubs shall compete in zonal
league format from which the winners will compete in a inter-zonal home and away knockout series
until a champion club emerges. This champion club shall represent Belize
in the UNCAF female interclub
tournament to held on a date to be announced

I.
TITLE – THE NATIONAL AMATEUR WOMEN FOOTBALL LEAGUE (NAWL)
CHAMPIONSHIP

The National Amateur Women
Football League Championship is the Division One amateur competition
for adult women in the FFB. It shall be contested by women football clubs or clubs with
women football teams with demonstrated capability to successfully
participate in a nationwide football competition. The administration of
this competition has been delegated to the FFB functionary responsible for
administration of all Youth and
Women Football Competitions in Belize, The National Youth & Women
Football League ( NY&WFL)

It will be played twice each
year between the months of August and May. The Apertura or Opening
Season is staged from August to January. The Clausura or Closing Season is
staged from January to May. Every participating club is expected to field
its strongest eligible set of players available in every match.

The Champion shall retain the
replica trophy awarded during official presentation ceremony on the last
match day of the season. The NAWL will retain the original trophy on which
all Championship Cup winners will be recorded. All other trophies shall be the property
of the NAWlL or Sponsor of the Competition.

The CHAMPION shall receive 25
gold medals and the SECOND PLACE will receive up to 25 silver medals.

If applicable, the clubs
placing last and second-to-last in the Championship Competition shall
enter into two relegation/promotion playoff series with the champion and
sub-champion of the next highest women’s national league competition
during the months between May and August of the same year. The two clubs
which emerge as winners from the two series shall then be required to
demonstrate their economic capacity to compete successfully for two
seasons at the next highest amateur level. If both clubs are new to the top
flight league, failure of any or both clubs to meet the economic criteria
to successfully compete in next higher league shall result in the club(s)
not being promoted. Subsequently, an invitation shall be sent to the recently relegated
clubs(s) to register for the imminent opening season. If there is no interdistrict female league, the two last placed teams
shall be invited back to participate in the imminent season

The members of the NAWL Championship Cup Awards Committee shall be
appointed by the Commissioner of the NAWL. The committee shall prepare the
guideline for choosing these awards. The guidelines must be presented to
the clubs at least two months before awards ceremony. Other awards that
will be given( in accordance with established criteria) include:

Most goal scored(Golden Boot)
Most valuable player(Golden
Ball)
Most Entertaining Team
Fair Play
Best Goalkeeper(Golden Glove)
Best Defender
Best Midfielder
Best Young Player
Best Coach
Best Manager

II.
ENTRIES

Women Football Clubs and
Football Clubs with adult female teams within Belize are invited to participate
in The National Amateur Women Football League Championship Cup
Competition. The NAWL Executive shall formulate the criteria that the
District Association Competition Director Executive must use to determine
the eligibility of applicants for the competition. Only the most viable clubs
shall be allowed to
participate in the NAWL Championship .
All amateur female football
clubs or amateur clubs with female club team must be in possession of a FFB Amateur
football Club license in order for the clubs’ first teams to be registered
to participate in competitions sanctioned by the Football Federation of
Belize. Provisional FFB Club licensing for the clubs participating in the NAWL Championship
is in effect. All provisional licenses shall expire on the last day of the
Closing Season. Presentation of the following shall constitute the
baseline for the attainment of a full FFB Amateur Football Club license:

(1) a business name registration certificate,

(2) letter declaring ownership of the business name

(3) a list of names of club officials,

(4) a proposed budget for football operations for
both opening and closing seasons of current competition

(5) list containing at least seventeen (17) names
of female club team players, coach, and manager ,

(6) copy of Club statutes or by-laws
, and

(7), if club team will be registered by a person
other than the owner, a club registration authorization letter from the club
owner(s).

The application for a club license must be
accompanied by a payment of $100.00. On receipt of required documents and fee,
the FFB Club Licensing Office shall conduct a thorough review of the
documents for the subsequent issuance of a letter of issuance of FFB Club License by
the Club Licensing First Instance Body. For the current NAWL Competition, this
process must be completed before the 2017 female football club champion has
been declared..

All players, nationals or
foreign, must be in possession of a FFB player license in order to be registered with
the first team of a FFB licensed football club. Female Football Clubs
shall submit a list with names, copy of picture ID, and signatures. This
list shall serve as the club team registration document for the NAWL
Championship and will qualify players listed for provisional player
licenses for the duration of the NAWL Championship. These expire on
the day that the NAWL Champion is declared. To be
granted a FFB player license for the Competition, the player with Belizean
nationality shall
submit the following before the established deadline:

(1) football resume detailing player football history from
age 12 to present

(2) completed player registration form with two recent
passport size photographs

(3) a fee of $30.00 to the FFB Secretariat, and

(4) attain a score of at least 50% on a test of knowledge of
the Laws of the Game.

After successful review by the FFB Player Licensing Office,
the player shall be issued a player license for the current year.

For a non-national to obtain a
FFB-player license, she shall
submit

(1) a copy of the
identification pages of a valid passport showing national origin
,

(2) proof of legal residence in Belize,

(3) a copy of a valid work permit or letter from person
supporting her in Belize,

(4) completed player registration form with two recent
passport sized photographs, and

(5) registration fee of $30.00.

The eligibility of the player
to participate as
a club team member in any given amateur season shall be determined by the
club registration rules as set by the competition’s organizing committee.
A foreign non-amateur player
whose contract with her former club in her former association has
expired for more than thirty (30) days shall be allowed to register with
the FFB as an amateur after FFB TMS manager has determined that all
obligations with former association have been discharged.
Club registration for NAWL Championship shall consist the following

(1) submittal of a fee of $300.00 to the NAWL
,

(2) submittal of the list of all FFB-licensed players with
permanent jersey number assignments,

(3) copies of players’ licenses and

(4) a copy of the FFB Club License or licensing document.

Any club that fails to
completely fulfill any or all of the above club registration requirements
shall not be certified as a registered club for the competition in
question but may be granted provisional status until requirements are met.
The Organizing Committee for the
NAWL Championship shall submit completed club registration packets to the
General Secretariat for review and concurrence before publishing
competition match schedule.
No more than eight (8) and no less than three (3) club teams
will be allowed to participate in this competition
For domestic competitions,
FFB-licensed clubs are
allowed to register a maximum of fifty (50) FFB-licensed
players of which only five (5) or less may be non-Belizean nationals..
Each club’s team
registration roster shall differentiate between foreign and domestic
players. In general, every club shall submit to the FFB Secretariat a list of
eighteen (18) players it intends to use for a match by 12:01 pm on the
Friday before the scheduled match. The Secretariat shall conduct an eligibility
review of all club-nominated players and publish an official list of all
eligible players for the match on the FFB website before close of business
on Friday before match. Specifically, for any given match, a club is
allowed to present a maximum of (5)
foreign players on its match roster all of whom shall be permitted to participate on at
any given match date with the restriction that only three (3) foreign
players shall be on the pitch at the same time..

Each club shall register at
least five (5) U -20 players
who should each play at least 75% of the total minutes in every match of
the competition. The official rosters prepared by the FFB Secretariat for
any given match shall indicate which players are under the age of twenty
(20).

Each club must register, at a
minimum, a coach and a manager. If able, a club shall register a management
staff (manager, assistant-manager, and equipment manager) and coaching staff
(Head Coach, Assistant Coach, Physical Trainer, Goal-keeper Coach and
Physiotherapist) with the FFB. In order to be registered each member of
the management staff must be able to be licensed. If, applicable, the Head
Coach, Goalkeeper Coach, Assistant Coach, and physical trainer shall
obtain the pertinent license from the
FFB Technical Department after successfully completing a competency exam
administered by the FFB Technical Director. The Technical Director shall
then issue a letter certifying the coaching competency level of the
candidate. This letter of certification must be presented to the FFB
Secretariat along with all required documents in order to register as a
member of a club-team management staff. The registration fee per person on
the management staff shall be $40.00/year and shall be payable to FFB
Secretariat upon completing the required registration forms with
photographs. Each individual on the club management staff is encouraged to
submit a curriculum vitae detailing
training, work experience and education relevant to position on the
club-team management and shall, in turn,
receive a photo identification card to be used during match related
assignments. These officials will be eligible to receive training courses
in conjunction with the FFB / UNCAF
/ CONCACAF AND FIFA

Club-teams will not be allowed
to participate or continue to participate in the NAWL Championship Competition
without a coaching staff registered with the FFB.

The Commissioner of the NAWL will determine
the right of entry of any other clubs

The winner of the competition
is the club which emerges as champion in both opening and closing seasons.
In the event that there are different winners of the two seasons, the winner
with the highest accumulation of points over the opening and closing seasons
shall be used to determine the NAWL Champion.

III.
ORGANIZATION OF THE COMPETITION

A.
The
competition shall be played in two (2) phases:

a.
The Qualifying
Phase

b.
The
Final Phase

B.
The Qualifying
Phase

1.
The
teams taking part in the tournament will play the other teams twice. The OC will prepare the schedule of games whilst
taking sports, geographic and economic factors into consideration, as far as
possible

2.
The
system of play will be the League System. This means a home and away system until
every team has played each other twice.

3.
Three
points shall be awarded for a win, one point for a draw, and none for a defeat.

4.
The two
(2) top teams from each zone in the Qualifying
Phase shall advance to the Final Phase

5.
The
ranking of teams will be determined as follows:

a.
Greatest
number of points obtained in all group matches.

b.
Goal
difference in all group matches.

c.
Greatest
number of goals scored in all group matches.

d.
The
result of head to head competition between the two tied teams

e.
The
team that most exemplify Fair Play by having the lowest number of negative
points accrued from accumulated yellow and red cards. Three (3) negative points
accrue for each Red Card and
one (1) negative point for each Yellow Card.

C.
The
Final Phase

1.
The
Final Phase of the competition shall be played among between two pairs of teams
from the two zones. The OC shall publish the seeding order of the competing
teams in the Final Phase. This seeding order shall determine which team will be
designated as the home team in the first leg of all the series in the Final
Phase.

2.
The
Final Phase shall consist of two (2) rounds:

a.
Semi-Finals

i. The Semi-Finals shall consist of two series, A and B, which
shall each consist of two matches.

ii. Series A and B shall be contested by two teams with seeding
designations that were determined at the conclusion of the Qualifying Phase of
the season.

iii. In each series, the lower seeded team shall be listed first
as the home team in the first leg of the series.

b.
Finals

i. The Finals shall consist of a single series between the two
teams that advance from the Semi-Final Round

ii. The lower seeded team shall be designated as the home team
in the first leg of the two-game series.

3.
The
matches of the Final Phase of the competition shall be played using a HOME and
AWAY KNOCKOUT SYSTEM

4.
The
OC shall use the criteria of Article III.B.5. above to determine the seeding
order among the zone qualificants to the Final Phase . The team with the best record shall be Seed #1 and
so forths.

Zone 1 Seed #2 vs Zone 2 Seed #1 = A

                                   Zone 2 Seed
# 1              vs           Zone 2 Seed #2       =
        B

At the
conclusion of 90 minutes of regulation time in the second leg of any

series, the
team with greater accumulated point total determined in accordance

with Article
III.B.3. above, shall advance to the finals. If both teams have equal

point totals, the team with the greater number
of goals scored away from its

designated home
venue shall advance to the finals. If both teams have the

same number
of away goals, the team with the better goal difference shall

advance to
the finals.

5.
If,
at the conclusion of 90 minutes of the second match of a given series, both teams have the same goal difference, an
extra time thirty (30) minutes consisting of two 15-minute periods shall be
played. If the scored is level after extra time, kicks from the penalty mark
will be taken to determine the winner. The penalty kick formula shall be 5 vs
5; 1 vs 1 until a winner is determined.

6.
The
winners of the two Series in the Semi-Finals shall advance to the Finals and
will contest as follows:

Winner A Vs Winner
B

At the
conclusion of 90 minutes of regulation time in the second leg of any

series, the
team with greater accumulated point total determined in accordance

with Article III.B.3.
above, shall be declared winner. If both teams have equal

point
totals, the team with the greater number of goals scored away from its

designated
home venue shall be declared winner . If both teams
have the

same number
of away goals, the team with the better goal difference shall

be declared
the winner.

7.
If,
at the conclusion of 90 minutes of the second match of a given series, both teams
have the same goal difference, an extra time of thirty (30) minutes consisting
of two 15-minute periods shall be played. If the score is level after extra
time, kicks from the penalty mark will be taken to determine the winner. The
penalty kick formula shall be 5 vs 5; 1 vs 1 until a winner is determined. The
winner of the finals series shall be declared champion of the season.

IV.
WITHDRAWALS

A.
Clubs
that have entered the competition are obligated to play all their matches until they are eliminated.
After entering the competition, a club that fails to participate shall be
penalized as specified below, except in circumstances of force majeure as
determined by the Commissioner.

B.
If a
withdrawal takes place:

1.
After
registering for any given season of the competition but on or before the day of
the draw for the Qualifying Phase, a fine of $100.00 plus forfeit of the registration
fee shall be levied

2.
After
the draw but on or before the date of the first match of the Qualifying Phase
of any season of the Competition a fine of $200.00 in addition to forfeiting
the registration fee shall be levied.

3.
Anytime
during the Qualifying Phase of a given season of the competition a fine of $1000.00
shall be levied in addition to the forfeit of the registration fee

4.
After
the Qualifying Phase of a given season but before the start of the Final Phase
of the competition a fine of $5000.00 shall be levied in addition to the
forfeit of the registration fee

5.
Anytime
during the Final Phase of the of any given season of the competition a fine of
$7000.00 shall be levied in addition to the forfeit of the registration fee.

C.
Clubs
that withdraw prior to or clubs which are excluded from playing in the Qualifying
Phase of the Opening Season may be replaced by another Club

D.
If a
team does not report for a match – except in cases of force majeure recognized
by the NAWL Championship Organizing Committee or refuses to continue to play or
leaves the stadium before the end of the match, the team shall forfeit the
match and can be disqualified from the competition. The guilty team shall be
disqualified from participating in the next two NAWL Competitions.

E.
The FFB
Secretariat shall be responsible for ensuring that specified sanctions are
carried out and are fully complied with.

V.
THE NATIONAL AMATEUR
WOMEN FOOTBALL LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP COMPETITION ORGANIZING COMMITTEE

1.
The Organizing Committee (OC)
for the NAWL Championship shall be responsible for the organization of this
competition. The chief executive of the OC shall be appointed by the
Commissioner of the NAWL. The Chief Executive Officer of the NAWL Championship
OC shall appoint such persons with the
requisite competencies to assist him with the smooth administration of the
competition. Such individuals shall not be affiliated to any club listed as
members of the NAWL nor shall they, in any way, be current executive
functionaries of the NAWL.

2.
The
Organizing Committee shall, amongst other matters, be responsible for:

i. Disseminating the
competition regulations as approved and ratified by the FFB

ii. Judging Protest validity

iii. Replacing Clubs that have withdrawn and to recommend new
clubs

iv. Dispatching Match Commissioners, Referee Assessors, Security
Officers and other officials

v. Deciding which laboratory will carry out the Doping test
analysis

vi. Deciding at which match doping test will be conducted

vii. Fixing the venues and dates and approving the stadiums

viii.
Choosing
the official football and the stipulated technical material

ix. Determining kick-off times

x. Dealing with any matter that should arise and is out of the
responsibility of another body under the terms of these regulations.

xi. Contracting match officiating services through the FFB
Referee Department

xii. Convening seminars to
familiarize clubs with specific provisions of competition regulations

xiii.
Resolving
cases of force majeure

xiv. Submit such reports as directed by the NAWL Commissioner

VI.
PROTEST AND DEPOSITS

1.
Protests
are objections to
infringements of the governing regulations of a competition (state and markings
of the pitch, non- enforcement of the Laws of the Game by referees, eligibility
of players, stadium installations, footballs etc.)

2.
Unless
otherwise mentioned in these regulations, protests shall first be submitted in
writing to the Match Commissioner or Coordinator within two (2) hours of the
match and followed up
with a full written report within forty eight (48) hours,
including copy of the original protest, to be sent in writing to the FFB
Secretariat.

3.
Protest
against the eligibility of players shall be submitted in writing to the Match
Commissioner or General Coordinator at conclusion of the match. It shall be
followed up with a written report with details of the grounds for the protest
not later than forty-eight (48) hours after the end of the match in question

4.
Protest
against any incidents involving non-enforcement of the Laws of the Game by the
referee that occur during the course of a match shall be made to the referee by
the Captain immediately after the disputed incident and before the play has
restarted. The protest shall be confirmed in writing to the Match Commissioner
or Coordinator by the head of the team no later than forty eight (48) hours
after the match. If the protest can be resolved at venue by the regulations,
the match Commissioner shall apply the remedies specified by the regulations.

5.
Protest
against the state of the pitch, the field markings, the accessory equipment
(goals, etc) or the footballs, shall be made in
writing to the referee BEFORE the start of the match by the official
responsible for the team lodging the protest.

6.
Protest
for reasons outlined in paragraph 3, 4 and 5 above, must be accompanied by a
check in the amount of BZE$25.00 payable to the NAWL.

7.
Clubs
may not bring disputes with the NAWL before a Court of Justice and they shall
undertake to submit any such disputes without reservation to the jurisdiction
of the competent authority of FFB.

8.
No
protest may be made against the referee’s decision regarding facts connected
with play; such decisions are final. Protests against referees’ violations of
the provisions in the regulations, and misapplication of the Laws of the Game,
and poor match management are encouraged by affected parties. The referee
assessors report shall be made available to the OC for reference. The Match
Commissioner’s report shall render a ‘ poor, fair, good, excellent’”
qualification on each of the three
dimensions of referee performance i.e match
management, adherence to competition regulations, and strict adherence to
application of the Laws of the Game.

9.
All
Protests shall be initially be examined by the Match Commissioner who shall
determine if the Regulations are clear on the associated remedies or punitive measures. If
regulations are unclear, the protest shall be heard by a Protest Task Group selected by the
Chairman from the among the membership of the FFB Disciplinary Committee. The
Protest Task Group shall be convened to adjudicate on a protest submission
within three (3) days. It shall then submit its recommendations to the Chairman
of the Disciplinary Committee in writing. The Chairman shall then convene a
meeting of the Disciplinary Committee to review the recommendations and render a decision
in writing within three (3) days via
letter signed by the Chairman. An unsupported Disciplinary Committee decision
document (no signed Protest Task Group recommendation letter attached) shall not be considered by
the OC as an official conveyance of a Disciplinary Committee decision. The
decision letter shall give the grounds for the decision.

10.
The
expenses, which arise from a protest, shall be charged by NAWL, either wholly
or in part, to the losing party.

11.
Appeals
against Disciplinary Committee decisions shall be lodged with the FFB Appeals
Committee in writing within 7 days of notification of the decision.

12.
Outstanding
protests lodged during qualifying phase of a given season and the appeals
arising therefrom shall be dealt with conclusively before the final phase of
that season.

13.
Applicable
disciplinary measures arising from findings during protest committee
proceedings shall not be subject to time limitations.

VII.
THE FFB DISCIPLINARY
COMMITTEE

1.
The
FFB Disciplinary Committees shall have responsibility to take disciplinary action
against any natural or legal person involved in any transgression related to the
NAWL Championship Cup Competition

2.
The
scope of application of the disciplinary measures of the Disciplinary Committee shall include the
following natural and legal persons ;

a) football clubs;

b) officials;

c) players;

d) licensed match and players’ agents;

e) anyone with an authorization from FFB, in particular with
regard to a match, competition or other event organized by NAWL;

f) spectators .In cases of infringement of these
regulations, unsporting behavior, or instances of violations specified in the
FIFA Disciplinary Code on the part of the entities listed above, The Disciplinary Committee shall be empowered to
admonish, sanction, fine, suspend or disqualify players, teams, team officials,
spectators or coaches.

3.
The
FFB Disciplinary Committee shall review recommendations from NAWL protest task
group proceedings relating to referee misconduct. The Chairman shall then
submit recommendations for punitive action against referees to the FFB Referees
Committee which shall convene and take action, if warranted, against offending
referees. The course of action adopted by The FFB Referees Committee shall be
conveyed to the FFB Referees Department for information purposes so that the
Department may determine the impacts on current referee assignments. The
Referee Committee’s decision shall be sent in writing to the Organizing
Committee’s point of contact, the CEO of the NAWL Championship OC, within 24
hours of conclusion or meeting in which the decision was taken. The time taken
to adjudicate a protest submission against referee misconduct in a match shall
not exceed eight (8) days. Failure of the FFB Referees Committee to act within
the 8-day time frame shall serve as summons to the FFB Disciplinary Committee
to initiate proceedings against the referee(s) and take a decision as a result.
This decision shall be sent immediately to the referee, Chairmen of the FFB Referees
Committee and FFB Referees Department, The FFB General Secretary and the NAWL OC CEO.

4.
Both
natural persons (flesh-and-blood) and legal persons ( clubs, associations,
leagues) are punishable by the following disciplinary measures:

a) warning;

b) reprimand;

c) fine;

d) return of awards.

5.
The
following disciplinary measures are applicable only to people:

a) caution;

b) expulsion;

c) match suspension;

d) ban from dressing rooms and/or substitutes’ bench;

e) ban from entering a stadium;

f) ban on taking part in any football-related activity.

6.
The
following disciplinary measures are applicable only to legal persons ( clubs,
associations, leagues ) :

a) transfer ban;

b) playing a match without spectators;

c) playing a match on neutral territory;

d) ban on playing in a particular stadium;

e) annulment of the result of a match ;

f) expulsion;

g) forfeit;

h) deduction of points;

i) relegation to a lower division.

j) take action, in accordance with FFB’s Disciplinary Code
and/or FIFA Disciplinary Code, against any person or club which may violate the
competition regulations, the Laws of the Game or the rules of Fair Play.

7.
An
expulsion, whether of a player or a team official, automatically incurs
suspension from the subsequent match, even if imposed in a match that is later
abandoned, annulled and/or forfeited. The Disciplinary Committee may extend the
duration of the suspension.

8.
A
player shall be cautioned if she commits any of the following offences during a match (cf. Law 12 of the Laws of the
Game and art. 17 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code):

i. unsporting behavior;

ii. dissent by word or action;

iii. persistent
infringement of the Laws of the Game;

iv. delaying the restart of play;

v. failure to retreat the required distance when play is
restarted with a corner kick, free kick or throw-in;

vi. entering or re-entering the field of play without the
referee’s permission;

vii. deliberately leaving the field of play without the referee’s
permission.

9.
Players
accumulating two cautions (yellow cards) will be suspended from the subsequent
match. An economic sanction of $25.00 shall be levied against a player who
receives a caution in a match. If she receives a subsequent caution in the same
match, an additional
caution fine of $25.00
shall be levied on her. The $50.00 fine payable for the expulsion then supercedes the cumulative fines for two the yellow cards

10.
A
player shall receive a direct red card
if she commits any of the following offences (cf. Law 12 of the Laws of
the Game and art. 18 of FIFA
Disciplinary Code):

i. serious foul play;

ii. violent conduct; spitting at an opponent or any other
person;

iii. denying the opposing team a goal or an obvious goal-scoring
opportunity by deliberately handling the ball (this does not apply to a
goalkeeper within her own penalty area);

iv. denying an obvious goal-scoring opportunity to an opponent
moving towards the player’s goal by an offence punishable by a free kick or a
penalty kick;

v. using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or
gestures;

11.
A player
who receives a direct red card due to misconduct against opponents or persons
other than match officials shall be suspended, in addition to the automatic
suspension incurred in accordance with art. 18 par. 4, of the FIFA Disciplinary Code, as follows:

i. one match for denying the opposing team a clear goal-scoring
opportunity (particularly by deliberately handling the ball);

ii. two (2) matches for serious foul play (particularly in the
case of excessive or brute force);

iii. two (2) matches for
unsporting conduct towards an opponent or a person other than a match official
;

iv. three (3)matches for assaulting (elbowing, punching, kicking
etc.) an opponent or a person other than a match official;

v. six (6) matches for
spitting at an opponent or a person other than a match official.

12.
Players
receiving three expulsions (red cards) in any given season shall be suspended
from participation in the rest of that season.. Any
player who receives a direct red card shall be subjected to a fine of $50.00.
This amount shall be added to any other fines she may have incurred
as a result of Disciplinary
Committee decision.

13.
Any
player who has received a caution in a match and subsequently receives a direct
red card shall, in addition to being expelled from the match, carry the caution
through to a subsequent match.

14.
At
the end of the preliminary round, any CLUB which has failed to comply with the
regulations governing the deployment of U–20 players during matches may be
subjected to a deduction of 6 points
from their total score or a fine of $100.00
if it cannot provide justification for its non-compliance to the NAWL
Executive. This may affect the club’s chances of advancing to the next round or
staying above the relegation zone in the Championship Cup standings.

15.
When
making a decision, the cognizant Disciplinary Committee shall refer to the
reports made by the referee, assistant referees and fourth official. Match
commissioner, referee assessor, general coordinator, technical delegate,
security officers and other FFB officials present. It may also refer to
television and video recordings. They may be used as evidence but only as far
as the disciplinary aspects of the case being dealt with are concerned and
shall not affect a referee’s decision regarding facts connected with play.
Decisions taken by the Disciplinary Committee shall be communicated in writing
to the FFB Secretariat stating grounds for the decision and bearing the
signatures of all members present at meeting. Dissenting members shall write
the letter (d) alongside their signatures. Records of decisions that do not
meet the requirements stated herein shall be null and void.

16.
Any
club team with at five (5) players with an accumulated caution and expulsion
tally of at least five (5) shall be
guilty of team misconduct which shall result in a fine of $500.00 being levied
on the club. The club shall forfeit the match with a score of 3:0 if the score
at the time is worse than 3:0 ( i.e. 4:2, 5:3 etc) and
by the score at the time of forfeit if it is equal or better than 3:0 ( i.e.
4:0, 5:0, 6:0 )

17.
A player engaged in misconduct against match
officials resulting in a direct red card shall be, in addition to the automatic
suspension incurred in accordance with art. 18 par. 4 of the FIFA Disciplinary
Code, suspended for

i. at least four matches
for unsporting conduct towards a match official (subject to art. 53, 54 and
57-60);b)

ii. Six (6) months for assaulting (elbowing, punching, kicking
etc.) a match official;

iii. at least 12 months
for spitting at a match official. Involvement in a brawl is sanctioned with a
suspension for at least six matches. Anyone who has tried merely to prevent a
fight, shield others or separate those involved in a brawl is not
subject to punishment.

18.
If a
team does not report for a match, except in cases of force majeure recognized
by the OC, the team shall forfeit the match with three points awarded to
opponent with a scoreline of 3-0. Force majeure
notwithstanding, the absenting team shall notify the match commissioner of the
conditions preventing team transit to match venue.

19.
If a
team refuses to continue to play or leaves the stadium before the end of the
match, the team shall forfeit the match and three points shall be
awarded to its opponent with a score of 3-0. If the persisting team had already reached a higher net
score at the time the guilty team left the field, the higher score shall be
regarded as the official score. .

20.
If
the suspension of a match is the result of negligence on the part of the host
team or the stadium authorities, the stadium where the match was interrupted will
remain suspended until the factors leading to match interruptions are remedied.
The host team shall be fined a sum of $500.00, shall forfeit the match by a
score of 3-0, and shall reimburse all expenses incurred by the visiting team in
travelling to match venue.

21.
All
economic sanctions levied against clubs must be fully settled no later than
seven (7) days after notification. Unless otherwise specified, the total amount
of all fines will accrue to NY&WFL. Failure to pay fines accruing from cautions and
expulsions before the next scheduled match shall cause the affected player to
become ineligible for match duty. The FFB General Secretariat shall reserve the
right to publish a list of all players and clubs with outstanding fines on the
FFB website.

VIII.
FFB APPEALS COMMITTEE

1.
The
FFB Appeals Committee shall hear appeals against decisions passed by the FFB Disciplinary Committee

2.
The
procedure to be applied by the Appeal Committee is defined in the (art) FIFA
Disciplinary Code and the (art) FFB Statutes.

3.
The
Appeal Committee shall reach its decisions on the basis of the documents and
other means of evidence contained in the Disciplinary Committee’s file.
However, the Appeal Committee may, if necessary, resort to further evidence
which it considers relevant.

4.
Decisions
pronounced by the Appeal Committee are final. The decision shall be conveyed in
writing by the Chairman of the Appeals Committee stating the grounds for the
decision and bearing the signatures of all members present. Records of decisions
in non-conformity with these requirements shall be null and void.

IX.
MATCHES PLAYED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE GAME

1.
All
matches will be played under the Laws of the Game as approved by the
International Football Association Board (IFAB) and published by FIFA.

2.
In
cases of any discrepancy in the interpretation of the Laws of the Game, the
English text shall be authoritative.

3.
A
maximum of fourteen (14) persons shall be allowed on the team bench; seven (7)
team officials and seven (7) substitutes. The names of these persons and their
respective functions must be indicated on the form provided by the match
officials prior to the commencement of the match

4.
The
Referee designated for a given match shall make a presentation at the
technical meeting to emphasize to club
representatives that his function is to arbitrate in strict conformance with
the laws of the game .

X.
DURATION, EXTRA TIME, PENALTY KICKS

1.
Each
match shall last for ninety (90) minutes, comprising two periods of forty five
(45) minutes with an interval of no more than fifteen (15) minutes between each
period.

2.
If,
in accordance with the provisions of these regulations, extra time must be
played as a result of the two teams being tied on total goals scored during the
Final Phase of the home and away knockout series, it shall consist of two
periods of fifteen minutes, with an interval of no more than five (5) minutes
at the end of regular playing time, but not between the two periods of extra
time.

3.
The
team that score more goals in extra time shall be declared the winner

4.
If
the tie persist at the end of extra time, kicks from the penalty mark shall be
taken until a winner is determine in accordance with the procedure laid out by
the IFAB and published by FIFA.

5.
If
applicable, clocks in the stadium showing the amount of time played may run
during the match, provided that they are stopped at the end of normal playing
time in each half, i.e. after forty five (45) and (90) minutes respectively.
This shall also apply in the event of extra time being played (15 minutes in
each extra time period)

6.
At
the end of each period (regular or extra time), the referee will indicate to
the fourth official, either orally or by gesturing with his hands, the minimum
number of minutes he has decided to allow for time lost. Allowance for lost
time in each period shall be communicated to the public by the fourth official
using the substitution cards or electronic display board and by the public
address announcer.

7.
If a
match is interrupted before the completion of normal playing time or extra time
due to reasons of force majeure, the OC shall review the causes and make its
decision on the outcome of the match in accordance with the following:

A. If the match is interrupted before the completion of the
first half, during the half-time interval or up to the seventy-fifth (75^th)
minute of play, the match shall be replayed in its entirety. The repeat match,
if possible and mutually agreeable, shall be arranged for the following day,
thus avoiding considerable extra expense for the visiting team. If the match still cannot be played on the
second day, the OC shall reschedule the match for another date.

B. If a match is interrupted after seventy-five (75) minutes of
play, the OC
shall consider the beneficiary of the
current score status, the visiting team willingness to wait another day to
finish match, and the mutuality of clubs position on completing the match
before ruling to record current score as
official score, This shall be dictated only by the case where competitive fair
play is served in the best manner.

C. In all cases where the OC is satisfied that a game has been
interrupted due to one or both clubs’ misconduct the OC shall declare a forfeit
against the offending club if only one club is responsible. If both clubs are
responsible, the game shall be replayed in its entirety and each club fined a
sum of $1000.00 and
may escalate proceedings to the Disciplinary Committee.

D.
In
case where a game is interrupted owing to the conduct of fans of both teams or
of spectators attending the match, the OC shall take such action as it deem
appropriate.

XI.
FIELD OF PLAY, STADIA, KICK-OFF TIME,BALLS

1.
Clubs
hosting competition matches shall ensure that the stadium facilities fulfill FIFA’s requirements and comply with
the standards of safety and security required for international matches. The
field of play and the accessory equipment shall comply with the provisions
stipulated in the Laws of the Game. The fields and the facilities shall be in
optimum condition.

2.
The
matches of the NAWL CHAMPIONSHIP
CUP may be played on natural or artificial surfaces. Where artificial surfaces
are used, it must meet the requirements of the FIFA Quality Concept for
artificial turf or the International Turf Standard, unless special dispensation
is provided by FIFA.

3.
Clubs
shall guarantee that field of play chosen meet the requirements of the Laws of
the Game. They must pass inspection by the NAWL/FFB

4.
In
cases where games are played at night, stadium must possess lighting suitable
for the playing of night matches. Lighting must pass inspection by the FFB. The
average luminosity at an elevation of 5 feet within playing area shall be between
600 and 800 lux

5.
All
matches shall be administered and controlled in addition to the regulations
contained herein as well as in accordance with the Match Day Procedures, which
shall be published by the League office at least 24 hours before the scheduled
match. Every instance of deviation, as noted by match commissioner, from the
published match day procedures by clubs or match officials shall incur a fine
of $100,00.

6.
The
kick-off times shall be fixed by the OC after clubs’ submission of best. Any
club failing to commence at the schedule kick-off time, except under conditions of force
majeure, shall be fined a sum of $100.00.

7.
Referees,
during the technical meeting, must emphasize the need for matches to commence
at the appointed time, if possible. He shall state the reason/s for all late
starts in his match report and advise the Coach of the offending team/s of the
consequences of his reporting such irregularities.

8.
Clubs MUST use balls bearing any one of the following
designations:

A.
“FIFA APPROVED” logo

B.
“FIFA INSPECTED” logo

C.
“INTERNATIONAL MATCHBALL STANDARD”

Such a
designation on a football indicates that it has been tested officially and

found
to be in compliance with specific technical requirements.

9.
Host
club must provide balls that are fit for play throughout the match and the
referee must state in his Match Report the unsuitability of the match balls , if applicable, and must also notify the club team
officials of his intention to do so.

10.
Competition
football supply support may be provided by the NAWL/FFB.

XII.
RESPONSIBILITY OF EACH ENTITY INVOLVED

Qualifying
and Final Phase

1.
Each
club that hosts a match shall be responsible for:

i. Guaranteeing law and order as well as safety in the stadium,
if necessary in collaboration with the relevant authorities. Specifically, the
law and order guarantee shall be in the form of the presence of at least two (2)
police officers during preliminary round matches, at least four (4) police
officers during semifinal matches of the playoff round, and at least five (5)
police officers in attendance of the matches of the finals.

ii. If applicable, undertake to arrange adequate liability
insurance cover in respect of the stadium in which the match is due to be held

iii. Comply with the guidelines and instructions issued by the NAWL
for Match Day

iv. Responsible for the payment of Match Officials, Match
Commissioners and Referee Assessor before commencement of the technical meeting.
In the event that the host club is unable to make the required payment before
the technical meeting and offers to make the payment at end of match, subject
to the concurrence of the match officials, a late payment fee of $50.00 shall
be imposed. If full payment is not made
at end of match, subject to Disciplinary Committee proceedings, the club management shall pay a minimum of $50 per day extra plus any amount that is
outstanding.

v. Assembling players listed on match roster at a designated
area for inspection by match officials at least 60 minutes before kick off time. Failure to comply with this match day
countdown requirement will result in the club being fined $50.00

vi. Designating the club representative to attend the technical
meeting scheduled for two (2) hours before kick off
time. Failure of a club to present itself at a technical meeting within ten
(10) minutes of its commencement shall incur a fine of $50.00

2.
Each
visiting club will be responsible:

i. Paying their own travel, accommodations and meal expenses to
and from the host club and any cost for their delegation

ii. Starting the scheduled game at the scheduled time

iii. Assembling players on match roster at a designated area for
the proper conduct of player inspection by the Match Officials at least 75
minutes before scheduled kick off time.

iv. Designating the club representative to attend the technical
meeting scheduled for two (2) hours before kick off
time. A tardiness of ten (10) minutes to the technical meeting shall result in
a fine of $50.00

3.
Each
participating club shall be responsible for:

i. The behavior of the members of its delegation (officials and
players). Club officials who are ejected from the technical area shall be fined
$50.00 in addition to additional disciplinary measures taken by the
Disciplinary Committee.

ii. If applicable, health, accident and travel insurance
coverage for its full delegation

iii. Returning any information requested by The NAWL by the dates
specified

iv. Attending press conferences and other official media
activities organized by the League in a timely manner.

4.
Commercial
Reference to Event and Advertising Provisions

i. Participating teams shall agree, as a condition of their
participation, that the terms “THE NAWL CHAMPIONSHIP CUP”, “THE NAWL CHAMPIONSHIP
CUP COMPETITION” , “THE DIVISION I AMATEUR WOMEN
LEAGUE”, commonly used to identify the competition and their equivalent,
abbreviated or as translated into other languages, may only be used by such
clubs in a sporting context with no commercial implications. FFB owns the
copyright for all these terms.

ii. Participating team shall also agree to abide by any
advertising provisions issued by the League

XIII.
ELIGIBILITY OF PLAYERS, LIST OF PLAYERS

1.
Clubs
will be permitted to register a maximum of fifty (50) FFB- licensed players. Of
these fifty players, a maximum of five (5) players can be non-nationals. The
five (5) non-nationals
can be used on the match roster for a given match day. Of these five (5)
non-nationals, only three (3) can be on the field at the same time. Only the
players listed on the game day match roster published by the FFB Secretariat
shall be eligible to participate in a given match. Any alteration to the game
day match roster shall result in a fine of $100.00 being levied on the guilty
club.

2.
At
least five (5) of the registered players
shall be nationals who are less than 20 years of age (U – 20)

3.
Players
registered on club team must be licensed with the FFB to make them eligible to
play in any League match for the current season.

4.
All
players presented for a club’s team competition registration shall be deemed
ineligible to play if the club has failed to complete all club registration requirements.
Offending clubs shall forfeit all matches played in invalid registration
status.

5.
Once
having appeared for a club in the Preliminary Phase of the Opening or Closing Season,
a player may not appear for any other club during the same season

6.
Players
must show a picture identification card/ FFB Player license/provisional FFB
licensed player list to the Match Commissioner/Fourth Official;(Driving
license, SSB Card, etc) otherwise they will not be
allowed to participate in a match.

7.
After
arrival at the venue, each club’s head of delegation shall, upon request,
submit to the Match Commissioner, the final roster of eighteen (18) players and
the identification card required in paragraph (6) above for verification.

8.
A
player is required to use the same number on their uniform throughout the competition.
Failure to comply with this requirement shall result in a fine of $25.00 being
levied on the club..

9.
Any
team found guilty of fielding an ineligible player shall forfeit the match. The
victory and the resultant three points will be awarded to the opposing team as
well as a score of 3-0.

10.
All
registered players must comply when called upon for National Team duty. Players
shall be notified of their call-up by mail delivered to the clubs’ and players’
registered addresses. Failure of a player to respond to the call to national
team duty without a medical report declaring him unfit for national team duty
shall result in player’s deregistration from the FFB. If the period between
deregistration and the next FFB registration window is less than six months,
the player shall not be allowed to register with the FFB until six (6) months
have lapsed. If player’s non-response is
due to adverse consequences caused by the club, the club shall be fined
$1000.00 and ordered to release player without prejudice to national team duty.
If club continues to defy the FFB’s order to release player, the club’s license
shall be revoked resulting in automatic deregistration from current
competition.

11.
The
fourth foreign player being fielded in addition to the three (3) foreign
players already fielded and currently active in a match shall be deemed
ineligible to participate in the match in question. The match shall be
forfeited the instant the fourth official allows that fourth foreign player to enter
the field of play. The consequences
shall be independent of whether the fielding was accidental or deliberate.

12.
Any
combination of three players from the five (5) listed foreign players for a
match shall be eligible to be fielded simultaneously

13.
Any
one (1) or both players from the
remaining two (2) foreign players on the game day match roster shall be
eligible to be used as a substitute for any one (1) or any two (2) of the three (3) currently fielded
foreign players.

XIV.
DOPING CONTROL

1.
Doping
is the use of certain substances or methods capable of artificially enhancing
the physical and / or mental condition of a player, with a view to improving
his athletic and mental performance. It is prohibited.

2.
Only
the OC is empowered to arrange doping tests and to decide at which laboratories
and who shall carry out the analysis. Every player in a team, including
substitute players, will be liable to undergo doping tests.

3.
The
OC reserves the right to arrange random doping tests at all the matches in the competition.

4.
Any
player or club that refuses to take a doping test or falsifies the result of a
test or attempts to do so or is found guilty of having taken prohibited
substances whether intentionally or not will be referred to the Disciplinary
Committee.

5.
Any
official who encourages or incites a player, either intentionally or through
negligence, to commit such an infringement as stated in paragraph (4) above,
will be referred to the Disciplinary Committee.

6.
In
addition, reference is made to the FIFA Doping Control Regulations, which
contain the list of prohibited substances and methods.

7.
If,
in accordance with the FIFA Doping Guidelines, a player is tested positive for
using banned substances, he shall be immediately declared ineligible from
further participation in the competition and shall be subject to further
sanctions from the FFB Disciplinary Committee.

XV.
REGULATIONS ON SPORTING EQUIPMENT

A
Club’s Equipment must comply with the FIFA Equipment Regulations with the
following modifications:

I.
Uniform
Color – Each Club must register its official colors (home and away) with the OC
of the NAWL Championship Cup. The home uniform shall be of a different design
and color than the away uniform. The host team shall have its alternate uniform
available in case of a conflict as determined by the referees. Each team shall
have at least two different uniforms for each goalkeeper.

II.
Where
there is a conflict in the colors worn by any two teams for any match, the HOME
team shall be required to change. However, should the visiting team not be
wearing its registered away colors thus causing the home team to change, the
visiting team shall be fined $250.00.

III.
Player’s
name – Players may be identified by means of their surname or an abbreviation
or nickname on the back of their shirts above the number. The player’s name
shall correspond with the name and number on the players’ list.

IV.
Sponsor
Advertising – Teams may only wear colors registered with the NAWL. However, the
advertising of tobacco or distilled spirits, as well as slogans of a political,
religious or racist nature or for other causes that offend common decency, is prohibited.

XVI.
REFEREES, ASSISTANT REFEREES AND FOURTH OFFICIALS

1.
The
referee chosen to officiate in the competition shall be Class I or Class II
National Referees from different district association than those of the competing teams. The officiating team shall
arrive at match venue at least two hours before kick-off time to attend the
technical meeting convened by the match commissioner. If referee team
anticipates a late arrival to technical meeting due to causes beyond its
control, the referee shall notify the match commissioner of the circumstances.

2.
Subject
to the conditions and quality factors specified in the applicable referee
service contract drawn up between the League and the Referees Department, the
FFB Referees Committee shall appoint the referees, two (2) assistant referees
and fourth official who can best provide the required quality of service for
each match. The committee shall also appoint referees assessors for all
matches.

3.
Where
one match official cannot perform his duties as appointed, the most senior official will
fill that vacancy.

4.
The
Referee Department shall prepare power point presentations aimed at
familiarizing players of the different clubs with the laws of the game. This
presentation should be sent to the FFB Secretariat for subsequent dissemination
to the clubs. The presentation should include sample questions that evaluate
the players’ knowledge and understanding of the Laws of the Game. Players must
attain a score of 50% on a test to be administered by the Player Licensing Office in connection
with the renewal of a FFB player license.

5.
After
each match the Match Commissioner, Referee Assessor and the referee shall
complete their designated official FFB report forms. They shall send their
reports immediately following the match to the FFB Secretariat, but at no time
later than twenty four (24) hours following the match.

XVII.
MEDIA, ADVERTISING AND MERCHANDISING, TICKETS

1.
Marketing,
Radio, Television, international Broadcasting rights for the Competition are
fully vested with the FFB.

2.
A
Club may not offer souvenir sales of NAWL CHAMPIONSHIP CUP identified
merchandise, without the written permission of the FFB.

3.
Technical
Film / Tapes – Permission to make technical films/tapes, exclusively reserved
for the use of a participating Club concerned, must be obtained from the
Secretariat of the FFB

4.
Tickets
for the Visiting Teams – The Host Club shall provide a least five (5) highest
category tickets and twenty (20) reserved seat tickets complimentary and make available
at least fifty (50) reserved seats for purchase for each match.

XVIII.
FINANCIAL REGULATIONS

1.
Qualifying
and Final Phase

A. Revenues

a.
All
revenues from gate receipts accrue to the home team

b.
All
revenues from Broadcasting rights, advertising and sponsorship will accrue to
the NAWL/FFB in the Qualifying Phase and
in the Final Phase, unless otherwise agreed by both

B. Expenses

a.
Travel
– Each team is responsible for its own travel expenses, accommodations and
meals.

b.
Allotments-
When deemed affordable by the OC,10% of gross gate receipts shall be paid to
the NAWL.

c.
The
Host team is responsible for:

i. All game related costs (Stadium, security, promotion,
tickets, etc.)

ii. All Game officials’ and Commissioner’s air or land
transportation, accommodation, meals and their per diems.

XIX.
PROTOCOL

1.
During
the competition the following flags should
be flown or displayed inside the stadium:

a.
Belize

b.
FFB

c.
Fair
Play

2.
The National
Anthem and the FFB Anthem , when available, will be
played during the parade of the teams unto the field of play.

3.
Each
player of the starting eleven (11) of each team accompanied by a child shall
travel no more than thirty (30) feet into the field and
fanned out. The Belize National Anthem shall be played immediately after the
presentation of teams. Failure to play the Belize National Anthem by the host
club shall incur a fine of $100.00

4.
The
teams shall shake hands with the match officials and each other and proceed
immediately to take a team photograph.

5.
The club
teams shall shake hands with the match officials and each other at the
conclusion of the match. A club team shall be awarded one (1) fair play point at conclusion
of a match if any player shakes the hands of at least one opposing player and
one official. The Match Commissioner shall take note of which players, if any,
make the effort to shake hands after the match

XX.
COPYRIGHT

The
copyright of the schedule of games and matches adopted by the NAWL Executive and drawn
up in accordance with provisions of these regulations are the property of the FFB.

XXI.
MATTERS NOT PROVIDED FOR IN THESE REGULATIONS

1.
The Commissioner,
in consultation with the Executive of
the National Amateur Women Football League, shall resolve any matter not provided for in
these regulations and such decisions shall be final

2.
In
the case of any discrepancy in the interpretation of the English or Spanish texts
of these regulations, the English text shall be authoritative.

These
regulations were adopted by the Executive Committee of the FFB and enter into
force at the instant of signature.

For
the Executive Committee of the Football Federation of Belize, on of

2019

_________________
___________________

Sergio
Chuc Earl Joes

President General Secretary