Declarations on Wheel Size/Equipment/Players on multiple teams.
Comments about this discussion:
Started
This is to discuss using declarations by teams to improve refereeing of more cumbersome rules; wheel size, equipment, players playing on multiple teams.
Brief summary:
- Team captains/communications officer must complete an online form prior to tournament declaring that everyone who plays in a tournament for them has a legal wheel, legal equipment and will play for ONLY that team in the tournament.
- These declarations will be put online in a google doc? so all teams are aware that everyone else has completed it. No team can take part without completing one.
- Any person in the hockey hall may request that a player has their equipment checked by referee/tournament director and the player must oblige.
- Harsh penalties will be put in place (to be discussed) for any team that is then found to have breached these rules and they will not be able to argue ignorance of the rules as they have already confirmed their knowledge.
Side Note: Details of legal equipment (including what is a legal hockey stick) and a box that is the correct size for measuring wheels would still be needed at tournaments. It reduces the need of referees to check these though as the other teams will do it instead and will ensure each team is aware of what the rule is before they get there.
My opinion:
This is not something for addition to the rulebook. I think we should start to use something like this for our tournaments like UNICON and European Championships (because I believe it will work) but I think it is not required for a rule book. If a tournament director has a better way to police it he can do that instead. I think this would work well for most of our serious tournaments though.
Comment
I would prefer a generic version as an appendix to the hockey chapter. A revised version should come out early enough prior international tournament. Maybe an advice or a link to this appendix should be made in Rolf´s preface.
Comment
I dont think we should be putting this in the rule book. Putting it in the rulebook means people MUST use it. A very well run competition may have 50 helpers who can check all equipment before every match meaning this method is not needed. In that case we may prefer to use the 50 helpers instead of this method.
Comment
... I have never seen more than 10 helpers on the last 4 Unicons. :-((( And if if if you know weeks in advance that you will have 50 helpers you are a lucky man.
Anyway the IUF rules are in first intention for international events. National leagues may use the IUF rules as a basic for their own national rules and may reduce some paragraphs, add or change something what is in national interest.
"Putting it in the rulebook means people MUST use it." More going for"ought to". This was the reason I mentioned a generic version which should be updated for the next event. Remember: " "These rules cannot cover every situation. Teams have to agree on a specific amount of elbowroom before playing. The different backgrounds of the players and the conditions of the location have to be considered."
And if a generic declaration is already part of the IUF rules nobody could complain that some was added just before the next UNICON. (A kind of a legal matter.)
Comment
Fair points.
I think ideally for the process to work it must be done online and transparent using Google Forms or something like that.
I worry that by having just the text in the Rule book it will end up as some half assed thing where team captains are emailing the coordinator and no one knows if everyone has actually filled it out.
For it to work well I think everyone needs to be able to see that everyone has completed it
Comment
14C.1 Hockey Director
The Hockey Director is the head organizer and administrator of hockey events. The
Hockey Director is responsible for the logistics and equipment for the hockey competition.
Prior to tournament the Hockey Director may asked all hockey players to complete an additional form (e.g. Declaring that everyone who plays in a tournament has a legal wheel, legal equipment and will play for ONLY that nominated team. Accept the prior published conditions of the location. Special local safety rules.)
The Hockey Director is in charge of keeping events running on schedule.
If we only add the possibility of a request for a declaration it is already part of the IUF rules and nobody could complain that some was added just before the next UNICON. (A kind of a legal matter.) This would give us time to create a generic declaration as a help for the next hockey director.
Comment
I think that we don't need a declaration in the actual rulebook however I tried to play around with the wording of your suggestion Herbert to make it read easier.
The last sentence "team is found to not follow the declaration." is not the best wording but I am struggling to work out what I should write there at the moment. It will come to me later and I will improve it.
14C.1 Hockey Director
The Hockey Director is the head organizer and administrator of hockey events. The Hockey Director is responsible for the logistics and equipment for the hockey competition. The hockey director in responsible for ensuring the most recent IUF rules are followed at the tournament or that all teams competing are aware of any rule alterations required based on conditions (small court size, beginner competition, etc). Prior to the tournament, the Hockey Director may ask each team to complete an additional declaration (e.g. that all team members have legal equipment; wheel/stick/frame and will play for ONLY that nominated team) with an agreed penalty if a team is found to not follow the declaration. The Hockey Director is in charge of keeping events running on schedule.
Comment
Sounds better.
It would be no declaration in the rulebook but a legal door opener for the hockey director. In later discussions we may create a generic one page declaration as a starter.