EQC2024 – Gameplay Policies

Gameplay Policies for EQC 2024 in Salou, Catalonia, Spain on March 16th and 17th, 2024.

The gameplay policies for EQC 2024 consist of multiple individual policies. This document therefore contains all policies and is split into different sections, with each individual policy being a separate section.

Table of Contents

Player Equipment

Player equipment is regulated by the applicable rulebook.

Shoes with metal studs/spikes are NOT allowed.

Any player found to be in violation of the rules regarding equipment will be put on the no-play list.

Jewelry and Piercings

Special attention will be brought to jewelry and piercings for this policy.

EQC will see a strict “zero-tolerance” application of the rules with regard to jewelry and piercings. All players are required to abide by the rules regarding equipment.

For piercings, special attention will be brought to the “flush with the skin” requirement for any retainers.

A possible alternative is to remove the piercing and tape over the pierced skin. This is at the person’s own risk!

In the case of suspicion by a referee or an event committee member, the suspected person is required to provide evidence that they are in accordance with the rules.

Equipment Checks and Special Equipment

Any player or team staffer found to be in violation of the rules, is subject to the full penalty according to the applicable rulebook regardless of whether or not an equipment check has been done before the game.

Permission/Clearance of equipment by a referee does not carry over to the next game.

There is no obligation for referees to do an equipment check before any game of the event. Should a referee do an equipment check before a game, then this is to be considered a service from the referee to the team. Any equipment check is only valid for the respective game.

Any equipment that has been specifically allowed/cleared by a referee is only considered as allowed/cleared for the respective game. If players or team staffers want to make sure that their equipment is allowed they should consult the head referee of the respective game.

Event Committee Rulings on Equipment

Referees are free to refer decisions regarding disallowing special player equipment to the event committee.

The committee’s decision will be one of the following two:

  1. The equipment is not allowed.
    • The decision applies for the entire remainder of the event, it especially carries over to the next game and also the next day.
  1. The equipment is not disallowed (please take note of the double negation).
    • The question of whether the equipment is allowed in a specific game remains with the head referee. The head referee may still disallow the equipment in a game.

No Play List

Any person on the no-play list is not allowed to participate in a game as an active player.

For the purpose of this policy, “active player” means any player participating in active play in any of the positions according to 1.2.2. of the rulebook (i.e. keeper, chaser, beater or seeker).

Any person on the no-play list is still allowed to be inside the team bench and act as non-playing team staffer unless the person has been specifically barred by the event committee from being inside the player area.

Any person on the no-play list is still allowed to take on the role of a pitch volunteer to aid their team in filling these roles unless the person has been specifically barred by the event committee from taking on such roles at the event.

In the case of a person on the no-play list acting as non-playing team staffer, that team is allowed to exceed any roster restriction on the total number of team staffers.

Participating as an Active Player While Being on the No-Play List

Any person found to participate in any game at the event as an active player while being on the no-play list will receive an event-ban.

Any team found to have a person with an event-ban as an active player in any game at the event will be disqualified from the event. The current game and all following games of this team will be declared forfeit.

Being Put on the No-Play List

People are added to the no-play list for the following reasons:

  • A person voluntarily asks to be put on the no-play list
  • Match-Bans
  • Event-Bans
  • Injuries that require attention by the on-site medical personnel
  • Injuries that require attention at a hospital
  • Injuries that prevent a person from playing
  • Reasonable suspicion by the event committee of an injury (e.g. concussions)
  • Not being able to fill a volunteering or officiating role due to injury, based off the rulings:
    • “If you can’t volunteer/officiate you can’t play”
    • “If you can play, you can volunteer/officiate”

Being Removed from the No-Play List

In order to be removed from the no-play list the person in question must discuss the matter with the event committee. A removal from the no-play list is only valid and completed once confirmation from the event committee has been given.

People are removed from the no-play list for the following reasons:

  • Upon request by the person
    • Provided that they were added because the person voluntarily asked to be put on the no-play list
  • After the Match-Ban has concluded
  • After the person has returned from the medical personnel/hospital and chooses to continue to play at their own free will.
    • This is at the person’s own risk!

The event committee may refuse the removal from the no-play list when there is evidence that this removal would affect the person’s safety.

Signing Scoresheets

The speaking captain of each team is required to check the correctness of the scoresheet for every game of their team and then sign it. With their signature, the speaking captain confirms that the contents of the scoresheet are correct.

Refusal of Signature

Refusal of the signature on a scoresheet is only permitted if the content of the scoresheet is incorrect.

Refusal of the signature for any other reason than incorrect content of the scoresheet is considered a post-game forfeit by the team that refuses to sign. Especially, refusal of the signature on the scoresheet to circumvent the appeals and suspension policy is not allowed.

Incorrect Contents of the Scoresheet

In the case of incorrect content on the scoresheet, the error is to be corrected as soon as possible.

If there is a dispute about the error, the event committee will try to resolve the situation by consulting the speaking captains of both teams and the head referee of the game. Any ruling on the contents of the scoresheet by the event committee after the consultation is final.

Forfeits

This policy distinguishes between three types of forfeits: “pre-game”, “mid-game” and “post-game” forfeits:

  • any forfeit according to 3.6.1.A. of the rulebook is considered a “mid-game forfeit”.
  • any forfeit that occurs after the respective game has ended according to the applicable rulebook and that is not the result of a forfeit penalty being adjudicated towards a team is considered a “post-game forfeit”.
  • all other forfeits are considered “pre-game forfeits”.

Pre-Game Forfeits

Pre-Game forfeits are allowed.

If a team wishes to forfeit a game, the forfeiting team must send a representative (usually the speaking caption of the team) to discuss the matter with the event committee. The event committee will then fill out a scoresheet for the respective game with the “pre-game forfeit score”, a final game time of 0 hours 0 minutes and 0 seconds, and all required team information. The event committee will inform the non-forfeiting (i.e. winning) team afterward.

The pre-game forfeit score is 0-90*.

Pre-Game Double Forfeits

Pre-game double forfeits are generally not allowed.

The only exception to this ruling is in the special case of a final rank-deciding game being played between two teams of the same NGB. Please see the policy for shared final ranks for further details on this exception.

Mid-Game Forfeits

In the case of a referee declaring a forfeit in a game, the game will end with a “mid-game forfeit score”. The final game-time of the game is the game-time at the moment of the forfeit being declared by the referee.

The mid-game forfeit score is determined as follows:

  • The catch is awarded to the non-forfeiting team regardless of whether a good catch has already occurred in the game and regardless of which team had a good catch in the game.
  • If the forfeiting team has fewer points than the non-forfeiting team, the final score of the game is the score at the moment of the forfeit being declared by the referee.
  • If the forfeiting team has more points than the non-forfeiting team, the winning team is awarded additional points according to the following procedure:
    1. The total point difference (including the catch) is determined, this is the PD of the game.
      • If the PD is less than or equal to the PD cap (if applicable) the PD remains unchanged.
      • If the PD is more than the PD cap (if applicable) the PD is set to the capped PD.
    2. The non-forfeiting team is awarded points until a tie in the score is achieved
    3. The non-forfeiting team is awarded an additional PD amount of points.

This way the non-forfeiting team, wins with the actual PD of the respective game and with the catch for the purpose of tie-breakers.

Mid-Game Double Forfeits

In the case of a referee declaring a double forfeit in a game, the game will end with a final score of 0-0. The final game-time of the game is the game-time at the moment of the forfeit being declared by the referee.

For the purpose of a head-to-head tie-breaker and bracket progression, the team with the lower “weighted penalty total” will be declared the “winner”.

The weighted penalty total is calculated as the sum of the following terms for each team:

  • 0.5 x total number of blue cards in the game before the forfeit
  • 1     x total number of yellow cards in the game before the forfeit
  • 2    x total number of red cards in the game before the forfeit
  • 2    x total number of ejections in the game before the forfeit
    • Ejections after a second yellow card are ignored

Only penalties recorded on the scoresheet and only penalties adjudicated towards the respective team must be used to determine the weighted penalty total for each team.

Should both teams have the same weighted penalty total, a coin toss will be used to determine the “winner” for the purpose of a head-to-head tie-breaker and bracket progression.

Post-Game Forfeits

In the case of a post-game forfeit, the final game-time of the game will be the final game-time as it would have been without the forfeit.

The final score of the game is the “mid-game forfeit score” (see mid-game forfeits for how to determine this score) with the following PD:  If the PD is capped for the event, the capped PD is used. If the PD is uncapped, the PD of a pre-game forfeit score is used.

Post-Game Double Forfeits

In the case of a post-game double forfeit, the final game time is determined in the same way as for a post-game forfeit.

The final score is determined in the same way as for a mid-game double-forfeit, which includes the determination of the “winner” for the purpose of a head-to-head tie-breaker and bracket progression.

Shared Final Ranks

EQC will see a full final ranking with all ranks being played out according to the gameplay system in effect at the event. Therefore, shared final ranks are not possible.

The reason for this ruling is that the final rank determines the number of performance points, which are awarded to the NGB of each team.

The only exception to this ruling is in the special case of when the final rank-deciding game is played between two teams of the same NGB.

In this case, both teams need to send a representative (usually the speaking captain of the team) to discuss the matter with the event committee. The event committee may then grant the two teams the possibility to both forfeit the game. Should both teams agree, the event committee will then declare the game a double forfeit and the two teams will share a final rank. If one of the two teams refuses the option to forfeit, a shared final rank is not possible.

This shared final rank will not affect the allocation of performance points to NGBs, as both teams are from the same NGB.

The final decision on whether a shared rank is possible and whether the option for a double forfeit is possible lies solely with the event committee.

Volunteer-/Officials Scheduling

Volunteers and officials for all games at the event are scheduled by the event committee. The scheduled slots for all relevant positions can be found in the official schedule for the event. The links to the schedules are distributed by the event committee beforehand to all participants.

Changing Scheduled Slots

Any scheduled slots by the event committee are binding to the scheduled person. The scheduled person is not allowed to change slots with a different person or to a different position unless permission has been given by the event committee.

The reason for this is that conflicts of interest need to be considered when scheduling volunteers and officials for games and changing slots can cause issues with these conflicts of interest.

Any change in the schedule must be communicated to the event committee and can only happen once the event committee has given permission that the change is okay.

Conflict of Interest for Volunteers and Officials

All volunteers and officials provide the event committee with their conflicts of interest upon sign-up.

These conflicts of interest are separated into “major” and “minor” conflicts of interest (COI), with the following consequence:

  • For minor COI the person is not permitted to officiate any game of the respective team of the minor COI
  • For major COI the same ruling as for a minor COI applies and additionally the person is also not permitted to officiate any game of the same group, flight or other applicable collection of teams for a given event stage/phase as the respective team of the major COI.
    • Bracket games are excluded from this ruling and a major COI is equivalent to a minor COI for bracket games.

Should the situation arise that a volunteer/official failed to provide a relevant COI to the event committee, the COI for this person will be updated once the COI is brought to the event committee’s attention.

The only ruling for pitch volunteer positions (i.e. scorekeeper, timekeeper, goal judge, etc.) is that a person is not permitted to fill any pitch volunteer positions for games in which their own team is playing. Besides this ruling, all volunteer positions are unaffected and therefore unrestricted by COI.

NGB Conflict of Interest

Volunteers and especially officials are allowed to volunteer and/or officiate in all games as long as the relevant COI is considered.

This especially includes being scheduled in games where either one or both teams from the same NGB as the one the volunteer/official is affiliated with are playing.

Scoretable and Goal Judge Assignment:

Following each game, each team must leave two designated players/staff members at the pitch to serve as time/scorekeepers or goal judges for the subsequent match.

Failure to do so will result in a yellow card for the speaking captain at the beginning of the next match for the team.

Failure to provide Volunteers/Officials

Should a team fail to provide volunteers in any scheduled slot the following penalties apply:

  • If an individual person can be identified (e.g. being scheduled by name), that person receives a yellow card at the beginning of the next game played at the event.
    • The person MUST be part of the starting lineup of the team, unless they are a non-playing team staffer.
      • If the person is a non-playing team staffer the procedure for penalties to substitutes and team staffers (9.4.5.) must be followed
    • The penalized person and if applicable the player serving the penalty time start the game in the penalty box with the applicable penalty time
    • They can start in the position of either chaser or beater.
  • If no individual person can be identified (e.g. the team was scheduled), the speaking captain of the team receives a yellow card at the beginning of the next game played at the event.
    • The speaking captain MUST be part of the starting lineup of the team, unless they are a non-playing team staffer.
      • If the speaking captain is a non-playing team staffer the procedure for penalties to substitutes and team staffers (9.4.5.) must be followed
    • The speaking captain and if applicable the player serving the penalty time start the game in the penalty box with the applicable penalty time
    • They can start in the position of either chaser or beater.

Failure to fulfill quota

Should a team fail to fulfill any officials or volunteer quota for the event, the speaking captain of the team will receive a yellow card at the beginning of EVERY game played at the event until the team manages to fulfill the aforementioned quota.

Teams are given the explicit chance to fulfill the quota during the event.

When adjudicating the penalty to the speaking captain the same procedure applies as for failing to provide volunteers in any scheduled slot at the event.

Causing Delays in the Schedule

If a team causes a delay in the start of a game by more than 5 minutes due to e.g. late arrival at the pitch or any other reason that can be attributed be the team’s fault, the speaking captain receives a yellow card at the beginning of the game.

The application/issue of this penalty is at the discretion of the pitch manager.

The following exemptions apply explicitly:

  • Active games taking longer than scheduled are not a cause for penalty.
    • This includes playing/volunteering/officiating at another pitch that is running late
  • If a team is playing in two consecutive slots at different pitches leniency (e.g. extending the window to more than 5 minutes) is advised before issuing any delay penalty to the team.

Secondary Kits

In the event of both teams wearing matching/clashing/similar kits the following applies:

  1. If one team possesses an alternate kit and the other does not, the team with the alternate kit must switch to their alternate kit or wear bibs.
  2. If both teams possess an alternate kit, one team must change into their alternate kit
  3. If neither team has an alternate kit, one team must wear bibs.

To settle any dispute in case of 1 or 2 the following applies:

  1. If a consensus between the two teams is reached, the met consensus will be followed.
  2. If no consensus is reached, a second coin toss will occur during the captains/referee meeting.

During the secondary coin toss, the team that did not call the first one is granted the opportunity to make the call.

The decision on whether team kits are matching/clashing is at the discretion of the head referee

Appeals and Suspensions/Bans

This policy will cover in-game appeals and suspension review following red cards, straight ejections or forfeit offenses under 9.1.6. of the rulebook.

Appeals

  • What will the In-Game Appeals Policy cover?

The appeals policy will cover in-game cases of misinterpretation or incorrect implementation of the rulebook on an incident which will have a severe impact on the match.

  • What will the In-Games Appeals Policy not cover?

It does not cover situations not mentioned in the above point, explicitly it will not cover arguments over a version of events. Neither will it cover misinterpretation or incorrect implementation of the rulebook on an incident which does not have a severe impact on a match

  • Video Evidence

Regardless of any substance of video or photographic evidence, it will NOT be taken into consideration for the appeal.

  • What is a “severe impact”?

A severe impact is a straight red card, straight ejection (i.e. all ejections not due to a double yellow) or a flag catch.

  • How does the appeal work?

The speaking captain or team coach, must approach the Head Referee and notify them that they are appealing the decision in cases where they believe the decision for a straight red card, straight ejection or flag catch has been made erroneously due to the referee crew incorrectly implementing the rules, and NOT the version of events differing between the appealing party and the referee crew.

The appeal must occur by the end of the stoppage in which the rule was misapplied.

In the event of a possible flag catch that is denied on field, the speaking captain may call to appeal the decision without a stoppage of play. The flag referee must then call a stoppage for a possibly valid flag catch to grant the potential appeal.

The Head Referee will inform the pitch manager who will then inform the committee of the nature of the appeal for investigation. The relevant committee members will immediately make their way to the pitch to investigate the appeal. The game remains paused until the appeal is completed.

  • Who will investigate the appeal?

The appeal investigation team will be made up of Committee Gameplay members, any relevant tournament committee members attending without conflict of interest and the relevant referee of the match.

  • How many appeals does a team get?

A team can have as many appeals as they feel necessary throughout the event, but each unsuccessful appeal will be subject to greater penalties. This may include multiple, and therefore stacking, penalties.

  • How will the game resume after the appeal?

The game resumes or ends in accordance with the outcome of the appeal.

  • What are the outcomes of the appeal?

There are 4 outcomes of an appeal;

  1. Call on the field is overturned (the official was clearly incorrect in their application of the rules).
  2. The call on the field stands (The official’s application of the rules falls within a reasonable grey area that the rulebook and casebook do not clearly show to be incorrect).
  3. The call on the field is confirmed (The official was clearly correct in their application of the rules from the rulebook and casebook)
  4. The appeal is rejected (The appeal only questioned matters of fact on the field, not the application of the rules to those facts).
  • Penalties for Rejected Appeals

The first incorrect appeal under C and D will not carry any penalty, but subsequent appeals which fall under C and D will carry escalating penalties. Scenarios A and B will not carry a penalty for the appealing speaking captain. Scenarios C and D will carry escalating penalties for the appealing speaking captain.

  • Escalating Penalties

The first penalty, which is for the second failed appeal, under scenario C or D, will be a one match suspension for the speaking captain which is for the next match to be played.

The second penalty will be a two match suspension for the speaking captain which will commence from the next game to be played.

The third and final penalty will be the team forfeits its remaining games at the event, including the game in which the appeal occurred.

  • Appealing a non-severe impact event

If a team is appealing against a non-severe impact event, such as a goal or yellow card. This will be denied by the pitch manager and head referee. There will be no penalty for this as the appeals process was never triggered.

Examples of In-Game appeals process:

  1. Green beater has committed a foul for which they will be yellow carded. The green seeker catches the flag otherwise legally before the penalty against the green beater is adjudicated. At the stoppage, the Head Referee believes the catch should be good as it did not affect the seeker game. Purple speaking captain appeals. This appeal will be upheld under result scenario A. The catch will be disallowed and the game will continue as normal.
  2. Green beater has committed a foul for which the bludger is to be turned over with no further player penalty. Green seeker catches the flag otherwise legally. The referee crew deemed the turnover penalty to not have interfered with the flag/seeker play. The Head Referee will call the catch good. Purple speaking captain appeals on the basis that they believe the turnover call should automatically decline the flag catch whether it affected play or not. This appeal will be declined under scenario C since they believe the head referee to be incorrect in application of ruling regarding what declines a flag catch.
  3. Green beater has committed a foul for which the bludger is to be turned over with no further player penalty. Green seeker catches the flag otherwise legally. The referee crew deemed the turnover penalty to not have interfered with the flag/seeker play. The Head Referee will call the catch good. Purple speaking captain appeals on the basis that they believed the turnover foul affected the game. This appeal will be declined under scenario C and D since this is disputing the version of events rather than the interpretation of the ruling on the events themself and they are also incorrect in the ruling of this.
  4. Green seeker seemingly legally catches the flag. Purple speaking captain appeals because they believe the seeker was off-broom at the time of the catch This appeal will be declined under scenario D since this is disputing the version of events rather than the interpretation of the ruling on the events themself.
  5. Green keeper scores a goal whilst off-broom. Purple speaking captain believes this should be disallowed because they are off broom so appeal the decision. The appeals process is not triggered due to a goal not being classified as a serious impact event.
  6. Green chaser commits interpositional interference against purple beater. The Head referee had ruled “back to hoops”, despite ruling that the foul had significantly impacted the overall play. Prior to the next change in quaffle possession or lull in play, green seeker otherwise legally catches the flag. The head referee assesses the catch as good. Purple speaking captain appeals the flag catch decision. This appeal will be granted under Scenario A. The incorrect application of the rules means that the yellow card that should have been given for this offense, would then also decline the flag catch automatically. If a lull in play, change in possession or stoppage has already occurred between the offense and the catch, the appeal would be not triggered as the yellow card would be too disconnected from when the offense occurred. The yellow card, had it properly been given, would have been assessed in a stoppage prior to the catch occurring.

Suspensions/Bans

  • What does the suspension review policy cover?

It covers potential match or event bans of individuals or teams after receiving a straight red card, straight ejection, any forfeit offenses under the applicable rulebook, or reports that an individual or team committed an offense that should have resulted in such a penalty during our outside of a game at the event.

  • Standard Suspension

Every red card, straight ejection and forfeit offense under 9.1.6. will be investigated by the relevant tournament committee members and any suspension will be adjudicated as soon as the decision has been made. The standard suspension for any straight red card, straight ejection or forfeit offense under 9.1.6 will be a one match suspension, but this is subject to change as the investigation seems fit, whether this is confirmed as a one match suspension, upgraded to more or downgraded to none.

  • Suspensions outside of games at the event

The event committee may issue a match or event ban to individuals or teams if they participate in offensive or egregious behavior during the event. Such behaviors include but are not limited to:

  • Offensive behavior or altercation towards any person at the event. This especially includes volunteers, officials, other players and spectators.
  • Being under the influence of intoxicating, behavior-altering or performance-altering substances
  • Concealing or attempting to conceal another person being under the influence of intoxicating, behavior-altering or performance-altering substances
  • Concealing or attempting to conceal another person suffering from an injury
  • Who will investigate and decide on the suspension?

The investigation team will be made up of Gameplay members of the event committee without conflict of interest and the relevant referees of the match. The decision on the suspension will be made by the event committee

  • Considerations

When adjudicating a suspension following an appropriate offense, several things will be taken into consideration. These include but are not limited to;

  • Referee account of events
  • Player account of events
  • Other involved event officials’ account of events
  • The offense itself
  • Apparent danger to other players, spectators or other attendants at the event.