BY-LAWS
Contents
Amateur Laws
Regulations Dealing with Conduct of Players
Reporting an Official
Lodging a Protest
Referees
Penalties for Technical Fouls
Fixtured Games
Premiership Points
Captain’s or Team Manager’s Duty
Scorer
Uniforms
Registration
Regrading
Finals
General
Alterations to By-Laws
Transfer/Clearances
1. AMATEUR LAWS
1.01 Except where herein provided the amateur laws of the Active Basketball Association shall be those adopted by the International Basketball Federation (F.I.B.A) or as modified by the Australian Basketball Federation or Basketball Victoria, as amended from time to time.
2. REGULATIONS DEALING WITH CONDUCT OF PLAYERS
2.01 The following regulations all come under the covering of the ABA’s ‘Code of Conduct’. All Referee game penalties and ABA tribunal decisions will be fore-mostly influenced by how the player and spectator gave demonstrable consideration to the ‘Code of Conduct’ requirements. Prior attitudes and behaviour will be also taken into consideration when ABA referee’s, tribunal officials, or ABA officials are responding to perceived violations of the ‘Code of Conduct’.
Code of Conduct - Respect
• Respect all players and all spectators
• Respect Referees and their decisions
• Respect the healthy family environment of the ABA
• Respect facilities and equipment
Respect is defined as: “Having a regard, consideration, or showing politeness towards others – to avoid harming, degrading, insulting, or injuring others.” - The Australian Concise Oxford Dictionary
Abuse is defined as: “Using to bad effect or bad purpose, insulting verbally, insulting language, emotional maltreatment of another.” – The Australian Concise Oxford Dictionary
3. REPORTING AN OFFICIAL
3.01 A player or team (through its captain or team manager) may report any official for any misconduct such as listed in clause 4.34.3 (reportable offences) of V.B.A tribunal by-laws.
3.02 A letter or report form giving details of the conduct of the officials signed by this person shall be lodged with the association secretary within 48 hours. The secretary shall forward such complaints to the appropriate Officer of Basketball Victoria if the Active Basketball Association board feels it warrants further attention.
4. LODGING A PROTEST
4.01 The official protest must be lodged, in writing, to the secretary of the ABA within 48 hours of the game. The board shall then deal with the protest at their earliest convenience.
5. REFEREES
5.01 The referee’s decision is deemed as final.
5.02 Only the team captain may question the referee’s decision. This is to be done respectfully during halftime or at the completion of play.
5.03 Disputing the referee’s decision disrespectfully by a player will result in a technical foul. If a substitute player, coach, team follower, team scorer/s or anyone sitting on the bench disputes the referee’s decision, a bench technical foul (a team foul) will be awarded against that team.
5.04 If swearing is detected by an official but is deemed not to be directed toward another player or official then the ref will warn the player. Failure of the player to stop swearing after a warning will result in a tech-foul. In the case aggressive language (including swearing) is deemed to be directed toward another player or official then a tech foul will be called without a warning. On-going aggressive language after a tech foul may result in ejection from the stadium.
6. PENALTIES FOR TECHNICAL FOULS
6.01 If a player commits an offence arising from a negative reaction towards a referee/and or their decisions, they will be removed from the court without replacement for 5:00 minutes of playing time.
6.02 The time will be recorded against the time clock so that instances where the clock is stopped do not count. The player or a replacement can be ‘subbed’ back in at the next ‘side ball’ after the five minutes has elapsed.
6.03 If a player commits a second offence resulting in a technical foul, the player will be ejected from the venue.
7. FIXTURED GAMES
7.01 If a team does not have a minimum of four players on the court by the scheduled starting time a penalty of 2pts per minute will apply after ten minutes has elapsed from the scheduled starting time, that team will forfeit 20-0. A scratch match may then be played for the balance of the time. However, the funds paid will not be refunded to the forfeiting team. These funds will be deducted from the walkover fee. {see 7.03}
7.02 In the case of a mixed grade game there can be no more than 3 players of any gender on the court at one time. Teams must have at least 4 players to commence the game, with both genders represented.
7.03 Notified walkovers: Any team that gives the association more than 24 hours notice of a walkover prior to a fixed game will pay a fine equivalent to half the relevant game sheet fee.
7.04 Un-notified Walkovers: Any team that gives the association less than 24 hours notice is liable to pay both their own game sheet as well as the opposing team’s game sheet. All fines must be paid prior to taking the court for the next fixtured game. The board has the right to disqualify any team having forfeited 3 times within one season with or without giving notice for the remainder of the season.
7.05 Length of games: For a normal competition game, 45 minutes will be scheduled, but the Active Basketball Association board reserves the right to adjust this as necessary without prior notice. This allows for two eighteen-minute halves and a two-minute halftime break. During the last three minutes of each half, there will be no charged time-outs. During the last minute of each half, there will be no substitutions other than for injury or compulsory substitutions.
7.06 Complete game: If an official chooses to end a game prematurely for any reason, the game is considered complete if during the allocated time for that game, the full first half has been completed and the second half has commenced. The scores stand at that time and premiership points are awarded.
7.07 Incomplete game: A game is considered incomplete if, during the allocated time for that game, the second half has not commenced. The result is recorded as a ‘bye’ to both teams.
7.08 Unplayable court: If a court is unplayable due to circumstances, which make it not possible to play, or dangerous to play, the game can be delayed if it is possible to achieve a complete game in the allocated time as indicated in 7.06. The ABA representative may delay the commencement of all following games by up to 20 minutes if doing so will achieve a completed game. Otherwise, the game is cancelled and the result is determined according to 7.06 or 7.07.
7.09 Cancelled games: Any game that is cancelled will be recorded as a ‘bye’ to both teams.
7.10 Time-outs: One time-out per team per half is permitted for normal competition games. See section 14 regarding time-outs will for finals. Competitions Under 11 and below are permitted two 30 second timeouts per team per half.
7.11 Drawn games: In normal competition rounds, a drawn game will be recognised. There will be no extra periods of play.
8. PREMIERSHIP POINTS
8.01 Premiership points will be allocated as follows: Win-3 points. Loss-1 point. Draw-2 points. Forfeit-0 points. Bye-3 points.
8.02 Teams joining any competition after the commencement of a season are credited with the same number of premiership points as the bottom team and 0 points for and against
9. CAPTAIN’S or TEAM MANAGER’S DUTY
9.01 It is the captain’s or team manager’s responsibility to ensure all players’ names and numbers are on the score sheet and to check at the end of the game in case of a report.
9.02 Any protest regarding the score sheet or ladder details must be notified within seven days to the night coordinator of the Active Basketball Association.
10. SCORER
10.01 Each team is responsible for supplying a scorer or scoreboard operator for the duration of the game. Referees have been instructed to award 10 points to the opposing team if a scorer has not been arranged prior to the commencement of the game. The ABA will provide scorers and scoreboard operators for all grand final games.
11. UNIFORMS
11.01 Each player shall dress in a regulation uniform consisting of singlet and shorts. Singlets must have numbers of contrasting colours to the main colour chosen. The numbers must be clearly visible.
11.02 Acceptable numbers being 0, 00, 1-99. Taped numbers are not permitted.
11.03 The referees at their discretion can award 5 points to the opposing team for any breaches of the uniform code as stated in by-Laws 11.04 – 11.07.
11.04 All members of that same team shall wear singlets and shorts of the same colour. T-shirts may be worn under a singlet provided it is the same as the base colour of the singlet and the board has granted that permission for same.
11.05 Sports shorts without cuffs or buckles are permitted. Board and shorts with open pockets are not to be worn. Cycle or aerobic shorts are permitted provided they are black and worn under the team’s normal playing shorts.
11.06 Players are not permitted to play in singlets that do not match the rest of the team.
11.07 Five points will be awarded to the opposing team, for each player who is not dressed in appropriately coloured shorts.
11.08 Suitable basketball shoes are to be worn (non-marking).
11.09 Uniform colours are to be approved by the board.
11.10 Any team wishing to change its uniform colour is to inquire with the board for information on unused colours in the particular grading.
11.11 No jewellery is to be worn (with the exception of a plain wedding band – although the players wear this at their own risk). In the case of freshly pierced ears, studs may be worn if correctly taped (also at the players’ own risk). All other piercing rings are to be removed if they are visible. Wooden and plastic decorative hair clips are not permitted as they may cause injury to another player.
11.12 Fingernails must be cut so that they do not protrude over the edge of the finger; otherwise gloves approved by the ABA may be worn. Taped nails are not acceptable.
12. REGISTRATION
12.01 Registration forms accompanied by fees shall be forwarded to the ABA within the period as determined and published by the ABA.
12.02 If full registration fees and completed registration form have not been received by round three of each given season, two premiership points will be deducted each week until full fees and form have been received.
12.03 Registration forms must be completed in all aspects or shall not be accepted.
12.04 The board shall determine registration fees. The board has the power to adjust the dollar value of fees as required.
12.05 A player must be registered prior to taking the court in his/her first game.
12.06 All senior players must be 14 years of age or above. {Exemption see clause 12.07}
12.07 Any child under the age of 14 wanting to register for a senior team must submit a consent form signed by the child’s parent or guardian & must also receive approval from the ABA board prior to playing. The player will then be recognised as a senior player & subject to senior door fees & court payment
13. REGRADING
13.01 The board reserves the right to regrade teams as deemed necessary at the commencement of and throughout the season.
13.02 Teams re-graded during a season will carry through all previous results of the season to the new competition
14. FINALS
14.01 In semi and preliminary finals the clock will be stopped for:
Men and Women, every whistle in the last three minutes of the game.
Mixed and Family Mixed every whistle in the last minute of both halves.
14.02 In Grand finals the clock will be stopped for time-outs and Substitutions:
Men and Women, every whistle in the last minute of the first half and every whistle in the last three minutes of the last half.
Mixed and Family, every whistle in the last two minutes of each half.
14.03 In semi and preliminary finals, one timeout of 60 seconds is permitted per team per half. In competitions under 11 and below, two timeouts of 30 seconds per team per half is permitted.
14.04 In the grand finals, two timeouts of 60 seconds are permitted per team per half.
14.05 The top four teams are eligible to play in the finals series.
14.06 A referee will toss a coin prior to the start of each Mixed grade final to determine the direction each team is to score.
14.07 Where there is a combined grade the top four teams will play off in the higher grade and the Board shall determine which teams shall play in the lower grade finals.
14.08 In a case where the scores are tied at the end of any finals game, 5 minutes extra playing time will be added to the game until a result is reached.
14.09 If a tie occurs in a Mixed game, then two halves of two minutes and 30 seconds duration will be played. Teams will not change ends for the commencement of the first period of extra time, but they will at the half. Half time is an immediate changeover. 10 point rule positions will continue to apply.
14.10 To be eligible to play in a finals Series for a team, each player must have played at least one third and one game on either side of the mid-season break of the scheduled games to be eligible to play in the finals series. Where a team has a bye or receives a walkover, the player must be registered and play either the round before or after to have that game count.
14.11 If a regular player is injured for most of the season and is unable to meet qualification requirements, a letter must be written to the board seeking approval to play in the finals. The primary consideration of the board will be the number of qualified players in the team.
15. GENERAL
15.01 The Active Basketball Association board reserves the right to adjudicate, in the best interest of basketball and the competition, on any matters not specifically covered within these by-laws.
15.02 The Active Basketball Association board representative and/or referees have the power to banish any individual from the stadium and from future admission to the stadium as a suitable penalty for misconduct. Refusal by an individual to follow the direction of a board member or referee in the above matter will result in a game stoppage until that individual leaves the stadium. Should the individual still refuse to leave the stadium, the offending team will immediately forfeit the game.
15.03 The Active Basketball Association board has the power to refuse entry to teams or individual players for the next competition season if dissatisfied with the team or individual player’s overall response to the ‘Code of Conduct’ in the current season.
16. ALTERATIONS TO BY-LAWS
16.01 Alterations to by-Laws may be made at any general or special meeting of the board by a simple majority of those present.
16.02 A meeting requires a minimum of 1/3 of the active members present to achieve a quorum.
17. TRANSFER/CLEARANCES
17.01 Players wanting to transfer to another team must complete the appropriate form available from the ABA secretary, then submit it to the board for consideration.
17.02 Transfer shall not take place until the board provides a clearance verbally or in writing.
17.03 Unless players have a valid contract then they shall not be denied a clearance on request at the end of a season.
17.04 Transfer application will not be accepted following the completion of the sixth week of the commencement of any season. The only exception to this is where a team splits to form two or more teams.
17.05 Where a person plays in any team contrary to these by-laws, that player shall be deemed to be an unregistered player for that team. The team in which the unregistered player plays will be deemed to have forfeited those games in which that person played.
17.06 Every request for transfer received in accordance with these by-Laws will be considered by the board. Any exceptional circumstances should be recorded on the transfer form for the information of the board.
17.07 A clearance to play in any other competition/association is not required.
17.08 If a player plays two or more games for a team, they are considered part of that team and must obtain a clearance to play for another team in the same competition during that season
17.09 A player may not play in more than one team in the same competition on the same night.