ii) Players
that have served their suspension, but not paid the associated fine are
eligible to play in VMSL competitions. Use of a player that has served their
player suspension but has not paid the associated player suspension fine shall
result in an additional $25 fine accruing per game eligible to play while fine
outstanding
(iii)
Team Staff sanctions related to the fielding of an ineligible player, including
fines and suspensions, may be applied at the discretion of the league.
8.c.i
Forgery of Player’s Signature on Registration Confirmation form
This applies (i) when a player enters the league for
the first time and is required to sign the registration confirmation form, and
(ii) when a player re-registers for a new season online.
In the context of the re-registration of players in
an online registration system who have already been accepted into the league
(and are not required to provide a signed registration confirmation each
season), this penalty and fine also applies to the re-registering of a player
in the VMSL without the player’s consent. (The VMSL strongly recommends that
players maintain their own login versus delegating this to team staff)
Penalty: Minimum $250
fine.
8.c.ii Entry of incorrect name or date of birth
during annual player registration and/or duplicate registration
This applies when a player enters the league for the
first time and registers his full name and date of birth and confirms that the
data is correct and signs the registration confirmation form.
Penalty: Minimum $250
fine.
8.c.iii Entry of team staff name not matching player
name during team staff profile creation and maintaining separate player and
team staff logins
VMSL members who are players and team staff must
have single user ID and must advise VMSL administration to merge their player
and team staff profiles in a timely manner
Penalty: Minimum $100
fine.
8.d.
Team fails to commence a game or withdraws from the game after it has started
unless so directed by the Referee
Penalty:
Minimum $150 fine, plus cost of game official(s) and Field cost. 3-0 result will be given to the opponent.
(Note: $300 minimum fine for a forfeit in the VMSL Premier division and
Imperial Cup.). Fines escalate with repeat offences.
8.e.
Defaulting, forfeiting or cancelling a game
Penalty: Minimum $150
fine, plus cost of game official(s) and Field cost . 3-0 result will be given to the opponent.
(Note: $300 minimum fine for a forfeit in the VMSL Premier division and
Imperial Cup). Fines escalate with repeat offences.
8.f.
Delay of start of game
Penalty:
Minimum $25 fine.
8.g.
Failure to pay referee(s) before start of second half
Penalty:
Minimum $25 fine.
8.h.i. Insufficient or unacceptable uniforms
Penalty:
Minimum $25 fine.
8.h.ii Jersey and Roster mismatch
Player
failing to wear number as identified on game sheet. A Team is responsible to
ensure that the referee is given a roster listing the correct jersey numbers,
ideally by having numbers populated in advance of the check in and ideally
computer printed.
Penalty:
Minimum $25 fine.
8.i. Team
fails to,
1)
Mark field properly; Penalty: Minimum $25 fine.
2)
Supply appropriate goal nets; Penalty: Minimum $75 fine.
3)
Supply appropriate corner flags; Penalty: Minimum $25 fine.
4)
Supply match ball and/or spare match ball; Penalty: Minimum $25 fine.
5)
Provide team lists before kickoff; Penalty: Minimum $50 fine
6)
Provide VMSL digital identification (ID) cards before kickoff; Penalty:
Minimum $50 fine
7)
Supply substitution slips; Penalty: Minimum $50 fine
8.j.i Team
held to be at fault for abandonment of a game
Penalty: Minimum $150 fine plus game officials fees and Field cost
- 3-0 result will be given to the opponent.
8.j.ii Both teams held to be at fault for abandonment of a game
Penalty: Minimum $150 fine per team. Game will be deemed played
and no points awarded.
8.k. Lack of
spectator control by team official(s) including failure to address spectators if
requested by referee
Penalty: Minimum $50 fine
and may be suspended from further participation in the competition.
8.l. Harassment
of referee, persistent criticism of the referee or disputing calls of the
referee by team officials and/or players,
Penalty: Minimum $50 fine
and may be suspended from further participation in the competition.
8.m. If requested by
referee – failure to identify spectator(s) responsible for misconduct towards a
referee or assistant referee;
Penalty: Minimum $50 fine
and may be suspended from further participation in the competition.
8.n. Player/team
official, while under suspension and attending a game as a spectator, behaves
in a manner that brings the game into disrepute,
Penalty: Minimum $100
fine and suspended from attendance at the game sites.
8.o. Team fails
to send a representative to the VMSL Annual General Meeting and/or a
pre-competition meeting,
Penalty: Minimum $25 fine.
8.p. Team fails
to fulfill Provincial and/or Club National commitment,
Penalty: Minimum $100,
plus the BC Soccer and Canada Soccer fines that are assessed to the VMSL.
Section 9 – Players
9.1.
All players to be eligible to take part in VMSL games must be
registered in a form approved by BC Soccer, and filed by the VMSL with the BC
Soccer Registrar.
For
clarity, this includes following the applicable FIFA / Canada Soccer / BC Soccer
rules with respect to international and provincial transfer certificates. A
player who fails to process an ITC / PTC when required to play in BC is deemed
to be an ineligible player.
The
VMSL player registration fee (independent of any ICT/PCT transfer fees) is
currently set at $50 for returning players (with a current VMSL login) and $65 for
new players to the league.
9.2. (a)
A player shall be eligible to take part in VMSL game play from the date of
registration completion with the VMSL / BC Soccer providing he has a valid VMSL
digital ID card or special permit issued by the VMSL.
(b)
A player will not be given a VMSL digital ID card unless they have met all the
requirements of registration which include completing the online registration,
uploading a headshot, completing payment of the player registration fee,
completing any necessary international, provincial or local transfer or amateur
reinstatement and providing proof of identity and date of birth and signing the
registration confirmation form.
(c)
Notwithstanding subsections (a) and (b), a player is only eligible to play
provided he is not suspended and has completed all necessary BC Soccer
paperwork.
9.3.
A player or team staff under suspension by the VMSL or BC Soccer is an
ineligible player or team staff and cannot participate in a VMSL game either as
a player or a team staff. (See Section 11 for more detail.)
9.4.
It is the team’s responsibility to present the game-specific VMSL digital ID
card at each game that the player intends to play in. A player who fails
to produce a valid VMSL digital ID card or a special permit issued by the VMSL
is deemed to be an ineligible player. A team attempting to check in a player
under someone else’s player ID will be sanctioned under Rule 8.b whether the
ineligible player plays or not.
9.5.
Players transferring from one team to another within BC are subject to BC
Soccer Rule 7 - Transfer of Players.
All
player transfers must be filed with and approved by the VMSL.
- When transferring to
another team, a BC Soccer transfer form must be completed and releasing
and accepting clubs signatures obtained before being submitted to the VMSL
(in digital or hard copy) along with the current transfer fee.
- A player is
entitled to a transfer provided he has complied with all the provincial,
district or league rules and regulations and is not indebted to the
current team, district or league.
- A player is
entitled to a transfer as hereinafter provided, by January 15th of the
current year for the coastal/winter-playing season, except as provided
below, and by June 30th of the current year for the
interior/summer-playing season, except as provided below.
- A player
shall not be allowed to transfer during the team’s playing season
without the consent of the team for which the player is registered.
Such consent must not to be unreasonably withheld if the player is not
indebted to the current team.
- A player
currently under suspension and seeking a transfer is not eligible to play
until the suspension has been served with his current team. For clarity, the
transfer of a player who is suspended will not be fully processed until the suspension
is served with the releasing team. (Note: A suspended player can still transfer
by the January 15 deadline even if still suspended but the player will not
be eligible to play until the suspension is served with the releasing team. If
transferring from outside the VMSL, the player must be registered in the VMSL
system and the transfer fee paid by January 15.)
- Once a team
plays its first league game in the current playing season any
player movement thereafter would be subject to the transfer
regulations.
9.6. Any
player playing under more than one name, and/or for more than one BC Soccer
affiliated team, shall be immediately suspended for the balance of the season
at a minimum.
In
addition, his club will be liable for a minimum two hundred and fifty dollar ($250) fine.
Any subsequent infringement of this regulation by the club will render the club
liable to expulsion from the VMSL.
9.7.
VMSL digital ID cards for all players on the current team list must be
presented to the referee, together with the team list, before the commencement
of the game. In the VMSL, it is the referees right to demand only uniformed and
checked in players and checked in team staff be present within the technical
area and team bench
9.8.
To be current and acceptable, every VMSL digital ID card must indicate:
(a)
Name in full.
(b)
Current team playing for.
(c)
A passport size photograph of true likeness of player.
(d)
Annual authentication by the VMSL.
9.9.
A youth player playing in the VMSL on permit must show the referee a valid VMSL
digital identification card as part of the team’s game specific digital ID card
deck. This requires all youth permit players to register with the VMSL as a youth
to senior permit player. For each game, a youth player must complete the BC
Soccer youth to senior permitting process including approval from the youth
team, youth district, the VMSL and BC Soccer. A BC Soccer parental liability
acknowledgment form must be completed once per season per player and registered
with the VMSL. No team within a club can permit youth players (nor sign, CAT or
ICP underage players) unless all their team staff have registered a current
criminal record check with the VMSL. A team can only use four youth permits per
game (except in U21 where a team can use up to 8 youth permits). When a U21
team uses more than four youth permits in a game, there is a charge of $10 per
youth permit for the permits beyond the fourth. These limits apply to both the
number of youth permits that can be used in a game as well as the number that
can be applied for.
9.10.
An eligible player who is late for the kick-off may participate in the game
upon presentation of his VMSL digital ID card to the referee, together with a
substitution slip if required.
9.11. The
referee will check the VMSL digital ID cards prior to the commencement of the
game to verify the identity of each player. Any discrepancies must be
reported to both teams prior to the commencement of the game and a detailed
report submitted to the VMSL president within 24 hours.
9.12.
Should the manager or coach insist on fielding a player without a valid VMSL
digital ID card (or special permit issued by the VMSL), the referee must inform
the opposing manager or coach and report the infraction to the VMSL within 24
hours. (A player without a valid VMSL digital ID card or special permit is an
ineligible player. See VMSL Rule 8.b. for the ramifications of playing an
ineligible player.)
9.13. Managers
are responsible for ensuring that all VMSL digital ID card information is
correct. Any discrepancies must be reported to the VMSL Board of Directors
immediately.
9.14. Any
player ejected from the game by the referee shall be reported to the Player
Discipline Committee, within 48 hours.
9.15. The
digital player identify card and the roster will be marked “suspended” until
the player’s suspension has been served. If the associated fine ($25 per game
minimum) has not been paid by the time the suspension is served, late fees
accrue at $25 per game.
9.16. Confirmation
that the requisite number of games have been “sat out” by the player must be established
prior to the player resuming playing.
9.17
All team staff intending to be present in the technical and/or team bench area
during any league or cup game must be registered with the VMSL. The team staff
registration process requires that team staff provide their full name, email
address, phone number, headshot, birthdate. All team staff must agree to the
team staff code of conduct each season.
Section 10 – Substitutes
10.1. In
all Premier, Division 1 and Imperial Cup matches under the jurisdiction of the
VMSL each team is allowed to make a maximum of five substitutions during a total
entire game, which includes extra time when played. In Premier, Division 1 and
Imperial Cup, all substitutions including those made at half time or extra time
game breaks require substitution slips and are counted toward the maximum. A
substitute player must present to the referee a valid substitution slip upon
entering the field of play.
10.2. Players
substituted shall be permitted to take further part in a game, each change to
be counted as a substitution.
10.3.
In all Division 2, U21, Division 2 Cup and U21 Cup matches under the
jurisdiction of the VMSL, each team is allowed to make a maximum of five game-time
substitutions during a total entire game, which includes extra time when played
but unlimited substitutions will be allowed at half time and extra time breaks.
In all Division 2, U21, Division 2 Cup and U21 Cup matches under the
jurisdiction of the VMSL, substitutes entering at half time and extra time
breaks must not provide substitution slips. In Division 2 and U21 League and
Cup play, only the game-time substitutes should present to the referee a valid
substitution slip upon entering the field of play.
10.4. In
the Masters Divisions, unlimited substitutions will be allowed during the
entire game in League and League Cup Play.
10.5
In Divisions 3 and 4 and in the Division 3 Cup, unlimited substitutions will be
allowed during the entire game.
10.6
In no case do any of the aforementioned unlimited substitution rules allow for
substitutions to be made once the final whistle has been blown before penalty
kicks (whether that be at the 90 or 120 minute mark depending on the particular
cup format.)
10.7. In
Premier, Division 1, Division 2 and the U21 Division, with the exception of half
time and extra time breaks in Division 2, U21, Division 2 Cup and U21 Cup, a
team found to have made more than five (5) substitutions in a game shall be considered
to have played an ineligible player. The provisions of Article 6.5 of the
By-Laws and Section 8.b of the Rules and Regulations shall apply.
Section 11 – Discipline Committees
11.1. The
Board of Directors shall form a Player Discipline Committee. Such committee
shall consist of three (3) members, including a member of the VMSL Board
of Directors who shall act as chairman of the committee.
(a)
The chairman shall only have a tie-breaking vote.
(b)
Attendance by any other person at committee meetings shall be by invitation
only.
(c)
Player Discipline Meetings shall be held at a time and place as designated by
the Board of Directors.
11.2.
The Board of Directors shall form a Club Discipline Committee. Such committee
shall consist of all members of the Board of Directors, including a member who
shall act as Chairman of the committee.
(a)
The Club Discipline Committee Chairman shall only have a tie-breaking vote.
(b)
Attendance by any other person at committee meetings shall be by invitation
only.
(c)
Club Discipline meetings shall be held at a time and place as designated by the
Board of Directors.
11.3. Decisions
made by the Player and Club Discipline Committees shall be based on the
guidelines regarding discipline as declared in the Constitutions of BC Soccer
and Canada Soccer respectively. A suspended player or team staff whose
suspension remains posted as "to be determined" must attend a
Discipline Hearing. A suspended member who does not appear before the
Discipline Committee during the next three available Discipline Hearings after
being suspended will be subject to the maximum suspension under BC Soccer
Guidelines (and the associated fine). Clubs are responsible for outstanding
fine payments and ensuring that members attend Discipline Hearings.
11.4.
Any player or team staff who is ejected from a game either via a straight red
card or a second caution is ineligible to play or coach in VMSL League or
League Cup play until their suspension is served.
11.5. A
player or team staff suspended for the accumulation of yellows over multiple
League games is not barred from playing or coaching in League Cup games.
11.6. A
player or team staff suspended for the accumulation of yellows over multiple League
Cup games, is not barred from playing or coaching in League games.
11.7.
A player or team staff who accumulates four yellow cards in league play will be
suspended and ineligible to play or coach for one game. A player or team staff who
accumulates two more (six total) yellow cards in league play will be suspended
for another game and is ineligible to play or coach. A player or team staff who
accumulates one more (seven total) yellow cards in league play will be
suspended and is ineligible to play or coach until they appear before the
Discipline Committee. A player or team staff who accumulates more than seven total
yellow cards in league play will be suspended and ineligible to play or coach until
they appear before the Discipline Committee each time they get another yellow
card in league play.
11.8.
A player or team staff who accumulates three yellow cards in league cup play
will be suspended and ineligible to play or coach for one cup game.
11.9.
A player or team staff who is under suspension for a game that is defaulted,
will be deemed to have served a suspension for that game, regardless of which team
forfeited the game.
11.10.
League yellow accumulation suspensions (but not Cup yellow accumulation suspensions)
will apply to all VMSL playoff games related to relegation, promotion,
divisional and sectional championship and league placement. Yellow accumulation
suspensions will not apply to playoffs with the sole purpose to determine Provincial
Cup qualification.
11.11.
Four game League yellow accumulation suspensions and Cup yellow accumulation suspensions
will not be carried over from season to season but the associated fines must be
paid. All other suspensions will carry over from season to season. A player
must be registered in the VMSL to serve games. Carryover suspensions are thus not
decremented unless and until a player is registered in a following season
except in exceptional circumstances at the discretion of the VMSL based on a
formal written request.
11.12
When a referee ejects a member of the team staff or reports team staff
misbehaviour, the VMSL will determine the length of any suspension and
associated fine. A suspended team staff member is suspended from playing and
coaching in the VMSL while serving their team staff suspension.
11.13
A suspended player or team official cannot be involved in any match-related
activities, including warm-up, pre-game talks, dressing room access, player
check in, referee payment, or half time talks. The suspended player or team
official may attend the match as a spectator, but must stay well away from the
field of play and the team benches from one hour before and 30 minutes after
the game. A suspension prohibits interference in the match, or participation as
a player or team official or communicating in any way with players, team
officials or game officials.
11.14
Anyone suspended as a player or coach may be barred by the League from
refereeing in the VMSL until their suspension is served, depending on the
nature of the associated offence.
Section 12 – Club Affiliated Team (CAT)
System
12.1. Clubs
fielding more than one team in the VMSL may operate one or more Club Affiliated
Team (CAT) systems within their club.
A
CAT system is a collection of teams within a club with no more than one team
from each age group – Under 21, Open, Over 35, Over 45 and Over 55 that allows
for unlimited player sharing subject to age restrictions.
12.2. Clubs
may run more than one CAT system within their club but each must be a distinct CAT
system with distinct name that cannot share any players with the other CAT
system(s), except potentially though an Intra Club Permit per Section 13.
A
club must declare, prior to the commencement of the VMSL season, which of its
teams is to be part of their CAT system(s). Teams in a CAT system must all have
the same name other than the A, U21, M-A or M-B designation depending on the
age group the team is in. The only exception to this rule is that a unique
extension can be added following the A, U21, M, M-A, M-B or M-C designation
(Note, clubs can have B and C teams in the open divisions but these teams
cannot be CAT’d. B and C teams only participate in the Intra-Club Permit (call
up) system detailed below). If two or more clubs merge in order to form a CAT
system, this must be declared prior to the commencement of the VMSL season.
The
use of CAT players requires that the receiving team manager add, prior to the
game via the league website, the required CAT players from their CAT system and
to have these CAT players appear on the game-specific system-generated roster
sheet and game-specific Digital Player ID cards. The system will only permit
valid CAT players to be added to a roster.
12.3. Players
registered on teams designated by a club to be within one of their CAT systems
are eligible to play (in League games only) on certain applicable other teams
designated to be part of that particular CAT system without a transfer. Players
registered on teams not designated by a club to be within one of their CAT
systems are not eligible to play on any other team in the league without a
transfer or an intra-club permit (ICP).
12.4. Players
are only eligible to compete in Cup competition for the team with which they
are registered.
12.5.
Players in the CAT system will serve any suspensions with the team with which
they are registered. While they are serving a suspension with the team with
which they are registered, they are not eligible to play for any other team in
their CAT system.
Section 13 – Intra-Club Permits (ICP) –
Call Ups
13.1. All
clubs with more than one team in the VMSL may use the Intra-Club Permit (ICP)
system to call up players. ICPs are only used when a CAT relationship between
the teams is not in place or is not allowed (such as with teams in the same age
category).
An
ICP allows a limited number of players from a lower level team within a club to
play up with a higher level team within a club subject to age restrictions. For
the purposes of an ICP, the hierarchy of levels is Premier, Division 1,
Division 2, Division 3, Division 4, Over 35 Premier, Over 35 Division 1, Over 35
Division 2, Over 45 Premier, Over 45 Division 1, Over 45 Division 2, Over 55
Division, Under 21.
Age
restrictions apply to Over 35, Over 45 and Over 55 divisions as follows. An Over
35 underage player cannot ICP except into open. An Over 45 underage player cannot
ICP except into Over 35 or open. An Over 55 underage player cannot ICP except
into Over 45, Over 35 or open. Underage Over 35 and Over 45 players cannot ICP
to a team in a division within the same age group.
13.2.
No declaration other than to which club a team is affiliated prior to the
commencement of the VMSL season is needed to use the ICP system within a club.
Teams affiliated as a club must use the same core club name in their team name.
The
use of ICP players (or Call Ups) requires that the receiving team manager add,
prior to the game via the league website, the required ICP players and to have
these ICP players appear on the game-specific system-generated roster sheet and
game-specific Digital Player ID cards. The system will only permit valid call
ups to be added to a roster.
13.3. ICPs
are only in effect for league games. Playoff games for Promotion, Relegation,
Division Championship (but not Provincial Cup Qualification) are considered
league games. Players are only eligible to compete in Cup competition for the
team with which they are registered.
13.4.
Open and Over 35 teams calling up players from one or more lower level teams
within their club are limited to a maximum total of 4 players per game. Over 45
teams calling up players from a lower Over 45 Division team or Over 55 Division
team within their club are limited to a maximum of 8 players per game. Under 21
teams calling up players from an Under 21B Division team within their club (if
an Under 21B Division is in place) are limited to a maximum of 8 players per
game. Under 21 teams cannot call up players from Open divisions even if the
players are under 21.
13.5.
Players will serve any suspensions with the team with which they are registered
regardless of whether the suspension was a result of playing in a game on an
ICP. While they are serving a suspension with the team with which they are
registered, they are not eligible to play for any other team in their club via
an ICP.
Section 14 – Premier Division
14.1
The Premier Division shall be limited to one team per club.
14.2 Any team seeking promotion to the Premier
Division from Division 1 cannot be affiliated with a Club that has a team in
the Premier Division in the season that they seek promotion.
14.3
Any team wishing to disassociate from a
club with a team in the Premier Division for the purposes of seeking promotion
in a given season must submit to the League (in writing no less than 14 days
before the commencement of play in the league season) a description of the
structural changes being made and the associated name change request for
review.
Section 15 – Masters’ Divisions
15.1. For
the 2024-25 season, players born
in 1989 or earlier will be
allowed to play in the Over 35 Divisions.
For
the 2024-25 season, players born
in 1979 or earlier will be
allowed to play in the Over 45 Divisions.
For
the 2024-25 season, players born in 1971 or earlier will be allowed to play in
the Over 55 Division under the interim age rules.
15.2. For
2024-25, each team in the Over 35 Divisions will be
allowed to register 3 underage players. These players must be born in 1990, 1991 or 1992. These players will
be allowed to participate in regular League play as well as Cup play. However,
they will not be allowed to participate in the Over 35 Provincial Cup
competition (or any Provincial Cup qualification playoff games).
For
2024-25, each team in the Over
45 Divisions will be allowed to register up to 3 underage players born in 1980,
1981 or 1982. These players will
be allowed to participate in regular League play as well as Cup play. However,
they will not be allowed to participate in the Over 45 Provincial Cup
competition (or any Provincial Cup qualification playoff games).
For
2024-25, each team in the Over 55 Division will be allowed to register up to 3
underage players. These players must be born in 1972, 1973 or 1974 under the interim
age rules.
If
a CATing team has not registered a player into one or more of its underage
spots in the Over 35, Over 45 or Over 55 Divisions, it can fill these open
underage spots on a game by game basis from its CAT system.
15.3. There
will be three Over 35 Divisions:
Premier Division, Division 1, Division 2, and three Over 45s Divisions, Premier Division, Division 1 and Division 2.
The following promotion/relegation system will be in effect for both Over 35 Divisions and Over 45 Divisions:
the two bottom teams from the Premier Division will be relegated to Division 1,
while the two top teams from Division 1 will be promoted to the Premier
Division. The two bottom teams from Division 1 will be relegated to Division 2
and the two top teams from Division 2 will be promoted to Division 1.
There
will be one Over 55 Division without relegation or promotion.
Teams
in Over 35 Premier and Division
1 are entitled to enter the Masters A Cup. Teams in Over 35 Division 2 and Over 45 Premier, and Division 1 are entitled to enter the Masters B Cup. Over 45 Division 2 as well Over 55
Division are entitled to enter the Masters C Cup.
Section 16 – Under 21 Division
16.1. For
the 2024-25 season, players born in 2004 and younger will be allowed to play in
the Under 21 Division.
16.2.
Each Under 21 team that is part of a CAT system will be allowed to use a
maximum of 2 overage players, belonging to the club’s CAT system, in League
games (as an exception to the general CAT rules).
16.3.
Each Under 21 team will be allowed to use an unlimited number of players who
are under 21 but registered with the open age team in their CAT system, in League
games.
