On September 25, 2023, the International Quadball Association announced the following:
The IQA is thrilled to announce a historic change to the sport—the introduction of what has been known unofficially as the “3-Max” policy into the international level of the sport (…)
Excerpts from https://iqasport.org/news/3-max-gender-policy
The “3-Max” policy states that during portions of the game without a seeker (the first 20 minutes of the game, as well as any overtime played), each team may not have more than three players (of the six total players in play at the time) who identify as the same gender in play at the same time. This limit would increase to four players of the same gender when the seventh player (the seeker) is in play. (…)
Impact on Europe and EQC
On August 14th, 2023, before the IQA decision, 14 members of QE met to discuss the implementation of a 3-max gender rule policy for EQC2024.
The following motions were presented and approved*:
EQC2024 Division 1 shall be held under a 3-max gender rule, extended to 4-max while seekers are in play, without exemptions.
11 members voted for. 2 voted against. 1 abstained.
EQC2024 Division 2 shall be held under a 3-max gender rule, extended to 4-max while seekers are in play, with exemptions.
All exemptions shall be automatically granted. Teams need to indicate that they need an exemption when confirming their participation at the tournament and again when submitting their team roster.
12 members voted for. 0 voted against. 2 abstained.
*Multiple motions were presented, but we have limited the list to those who were eventually approved.
These decisions will overrule any IQA decision for EQC2024.
Wording of Modified Gender Rule
The following wording, where every separate section was voted upon, was approved by a minimum of 70% of quorum.
1.2.3 Gender maximum rule
- A. During seeker floor and overtime, a team may not have more than three players who identify as the same gender in play at the same time. From the end of the seeker floor until the flag is legally caught, a team may not have more than four players who identify as the same gender in play at the same time.
- i. A player serving penalty time is considered in play.
- ii. If a team violates the gender rule due to active substitutions for a short period of time and the substituting players have not interacted with play, no penalty shall be given. The head referee uses their discretion on what constitutes a short period of time.
- iii. Event directors, as well as the organisation in charge of the event, can approve an exemption for a team from the limit to three players during seeker floor and overtime.
- a. In the case at least one team has been granted an exemption, both teams may have up to four (4) players who identity as the same gender in play at the same time during the whole game
- iv. If a team – not violating the gender rule during the catch – would violate the gender rule as soon as the game goes to overtime, the team may resolve the situation during the stoppage with the least amount of substitutions possible.
To clarify 1.2.3.iii & 1.2.3.iii.a, the intention is the following: the organization in charge of the event can approve an exemption from “3-max” for a team. If they received the exemption, the team is allowed to play with a 4-max gender rule for the whole game. In case your opponent in the game has received the exemption, your team automatically also receives the exemption, but only for that game.
This wording will overrule the IQA Rulebook for EQC2024.