League Rules, Disciplinary Rules & Constitution
League rules 2023
1. Wales Walking Football Federation (WWFF) shall operate a series of national and regional leagues, open to any walking football club that is based in Wales or that is affiliated to the Football Association of Wales (FAW).
2. The WWFF national and regional leagues shall be under the supervision of a WWFF league management committee. Such WWFF management committee shall be elected each year at a meeting at which at least one member from each club that is a member of WWFF shall be invited. The WWFF management committee shall be responsible for all matters relating to operation of the WWFF leagues, including officers, meetings, affiliation, dates, venues, finances, games, discipline, player eligibility, disputes etc. The WWFF management committee may co-opt further members, appoint sub-committees and officers with specific responsibilities, as the WWFF management committee sees fit.
3. The WWFF national and regional leagues are to be in the following categories:
(a) over 50s (open to men and women);
(b) over 60s (open to men and women);
(c) over 70s (open to men)
(d) women’s (open to women over 40).
4. The 50s and 60s WWFF leagues are to be run in three divisions, one covering North and Mid Wales, one covering South West Wales and one covering South East Wales.
The WWFF management committee shall allot teams to the respective division with the aim of producing similar numbers in each division. The over 70s league and the women’s league will each be played in one division.
5. There shall be a designated officer of the WWFF management Committee in overall charge of any WWFF league day, such designated officer being known as “Tournament Director”.
6. All WWFF national or regional league games are to be played under Football Association (FA) or FAW Laws of the Game as in force at the date of the relevant game, subject to any modifications that may be agreed by the WWFF Management Committee, provided that such modifications are communicated to all participating teams.
7. WWFF national or regional league games are to consist of one period of at least 10 minutes (subject to the number of teams and at the discretion of the WWFF Management Committee).
8. The referee’s decisions on any walking football game matters will be final.
9. The referee shall record final scores and details of any player disciplined with blue or red cards at the end of each game; the referee will sign and date the score sheet and hand it to the Tournament Director or an official of the league nominated by the Tournament Director. The details of such blue or red cards shall include the team, the player’s squad number and if possible the player’s name. If a red card is issued, the referee shall give a verbal report as soon as practicable after the end of the game to Tournament Director or an official of the league nominated by the Tournament Director.
10. Teams will be awarded 3 points for a win; 1 point for a draw and 0 point for a lost game. Zero points will be awarded for a “No show”. Games are to be played so that all teams will have played all others in the same category equally by the end of the season.
11. The winners of each division will be the team with the most points at the end of the season. If the top teams have the same number of points, the following criteria will be used, in this order - goal difference, most goals scored, “head to head” games, and finally (if necessary) a play off.
12. In any category where there is more than one division, then playoffs shall be organised at which at least the winners and runners-up of those divisions will play one another at a neutral venue to determine the All-Wales winner. The WWFF management committee shall have discretion to include in the playoffs a team that finished third or fourth if there are special circumstances justifying that discretion. (Examples of such special circumstances could be if not all winners and runners up are able to take part, or if at least one club finishes with the same number of points as the runner up in its division.)
13. Clubs are permitted to register as many players as they wish for a season. New players are permitted at any time throughout the season, subject to Rules 14 and 16. It is however expected that players for the playoffs will have played for the club during the WWFF league season; if clubs have insufficient players to comply with that requirement, they shall be permitted to play any other bona fide club member.
14. Once a player has played for one team (over 50s, over 60s or over 70s) in a WWFF national league, that player will not be allowed to play for another team, except in the circumstances set out in paragraph 16, or otherwise at the discretion of the league management committee.
15. Players qualify for the WWFF over 50s leagues if they wore born in 1973 or earlier; players qualify for the WWFF over 60s national league if they were born in 1963 or earlier; players qualify for the WWFF over 70s national league if they were born in 1953 or earlier. An over 70s player may also play in the WWFF over 60s or over 50s league, and an over 60s player may also play in the WWFF over 50s league. In addition, a woman born in 1983 or earlier may play in the over 50s league and a woman born in 1973 or earlier may play in the over 60s league.
16. If a player belongs to a club that does not have a team entered in the WWFF league at the most relevant category, then that player shall be permitted to play for another club that does have a team entered in the WWFF league at that category. For example, if a woman player shall play for an over 50s team in a club that does not have a women’s team in the WWFF national league, then that player shall be permitted to play in the WWFF national league for another club that does have a women’s team. Games cannot be arranged to accommodate players registered for two age groups on the same day. (Teams may therefore run the risk of not having enough players for some games.)
17. Teams are allowed a maximum of 10 players in any squad list for a league day (including any playoff day) and all such squad lists (team sheets) are to be submitted to the Tournament Director at least 5 days before each such league day. For each squad list, a registration fee of £50 is to be paid to the league treasurer at least 5 days before each such league day.
18. It is the responsibility of each club to collect any fees from players and to pay any registration fee to the league treasurer in good time.
League Disciplinary
Wales Walking Football Federation Disciplinary Procedure 2023
Wales Walking Football Federation (WWFF) is committed to ensuring that games played under its jurisdiction are physically safe for all players. In addition, players, coaching staff, WWFF officials and Referees have the right to take part in games without fear of physical or verbal abuse. It is expected that all those who attend WWFF fixtures and events will treat everyone present at those fixtures or events with respect.
This disciplinary procedure is intended to formally deal with individuals or Clubs who do not, or appear not to, adhere to the values stated above. The rules are based on those in place in the 2022 season. They shall apply to any fixtures between Clubs and teams that are members of WWFF, and also to any fixtures that a team may take part in because of its membership of WWFF (such as tournaments under the jurisdiction of Walking Football Leagues Alliance (WFLA).
Players
Blue and Red cards will be used by referees during games, and whilst players are under the referee’s jurisdiction. The referees may, at their discretion, also use yellow cards.
Yellow Cards
A Yellow card (warning), if used, may be shown by the referee to any player who has been penalised on at least two occasions in a game. If used, the Yellow card may help to ensure that the player and the coaching staff are aware that the player may receive a Blue card for their next offence.
Blue Cards
A Blue card will be shown to players guilty of infringements traditionally regarded as cautionable offences.
A Blue card may also be issued when a player has penalised on at least three occasions in a game.
A Blue card will result in a player being temporarily suspended from the game (sin binned) for a period agreed before the game.
Red Cards (Players)
A Red card will be shown to players guilty of offences traditionally regarded as sending-off offences. A Red card will result in a player being excluded from the remainder of the game. There are two types of Red card, as follows:
1 As a result of one or more repeated offences such as running or foul play after a Blue Card (totting up), or
2 As a result of a more serious offence (straight Red card).
Offences which will result in a straight Red card are those detailed in the FAW document ‘Laws of the Game’. These offences are listed as follows;
S1. Serious foul play
S2. Violent conduct
S3. Spits at or bites someone
S4. Denies the opposing team a goal or an obvious goal-scoring opportunity by a handball offence
S5. Denies an obvious goal-scoring opportunity to an opponent moving towards the players goal by an offence punishable by a free kick or a penalty kick.
S6. Uses offensive, insulting or abusive language
S7. Receives a second blue card in the same game (totting up).
Suspension procedure (Players)
Any player who receives five (5) Blue cards in WWFF League games in any one season will be immediately suspended for two (2) WWFF League games.
A player receiving a Red card under the ‘totting up’ procedure (S7) will be immediately suspended for one (1) WWFF League game.
A player receiving a Red card for offences S4 and S5 will be immediately suspended for two (2) WWFF League games.
A player receiving a Red card for any of the other offences above (S1, S2, S3 and S6) will be immediately suspended for at least three (3) League games. This applies to players taking part in a game at the time of the offence, or taking part in a game that has just completed. This also applies to those on the touchline or elsewhere in the immediate vicinity of the match in progress or just completed. These suspensions will be (where appropriate) carried over to the next round of fixtures when the offence takes place in a League game.
If these Red Cards are issued during games not part of WWFF League, but still within the terms of this Disciplinary Procedure, the relevant suspensions apply to the next round of WWFF League games.
In addition, a formal Disciplinary hearing will be held by a disciplinary committee nominated by the Chair of WWFF for Red cards issued for S1, S2, S3 and S6 offences. If the offences committed by the player are considered to be of a particularly serious nature, or the player has received Red cards previously for similar offences, then further sanctions will be considered (see Further Sanctions below).
Suspension procedure (Club officials)
Club officials are those who are part of a Club (formally or informally) but who are not registered as players.
Club officials are subject to the same system of Blue/Red cards as the players. The exception is that a Blue card will be issued as a warning, and there will be no temporary suspension. Blue cards will be issued (mainly, but not exclusively) for S6 offences. These S6 offences may be directed at the Club official’s own players, opposing players, or match officials. A straight Red card can also be issued to Club officials guilty of any S2, S3 or S6 offences.
Appeals procedure
Appeals will only be considered for ‘Straight Red’ offences. Such appeals must be requested immediately after the relevant game jointly by a Club Official and the player involved to the most senior WWFF official present on the day of the game. The relevant WWFF official will discuss the appeal with the referee involved and another referee and those three individuals will reach a decision.
The decision may be reached by those three individuals shall be as follows:
1. The sanction is reduced, or (but only in the case of a “clear and obvious error”) rescinded;
2. The sanction is maintained with no further action; or
3. The sanction is maintained and in addition a disciplinary hearing shall be appointed as soon as practicable after the day of the offence.
Decisions 1 and 2 shall be final.
All ‘Straight Red’ cards for S1, S2, S3 or S6 offences for which a disciplinary hearing has not been appointed under Clause 3 above shall nevertheless be the subject of a disciplinary hearing. A disciplinary hearing shall also by appointed if requested by any officiating referee in any other circumstances.
Clubs who have a player or official who is the subject of a disciplinary hearing will be informed of this in writing (e-mail) sent to a designated club official. A club official will have 5 working days to submit a written statement on behalf of the club/player/official. This statement will be considered by the Disciplinary Committee at the hearing.
Clubs will be informed of the outcome in writing. No further appeals will be heard and the Disciplinary Committee’s findings shall be final.
Disciplinary hearing
A disciplinary hearing will be held by a Disciplinary Committee nominated by the Chair of WWFF (or in the chair’s absence by a Vice-Chair of WWFF). If the offences considered by the Disciplinary Committee are considered to be of a particularly serious nature, or the offender is a repeat offender for similar offences, then further sanctions will be considered.
Further sanctions
Further sanctions may be decided by the Disciplinary Committee. They may include;
1 A further suspension period.
2 The permanent removal or exclusion of a player from the League Registration system.
3 Points deduction for the club involved.
4 A fine for the club involved.
5 Any combination of the above.
Any club which refuses to co-operate with the findings of the Disciplinary Committee will be referred to the Chair of WWFF and may be excluded from WWFF or from WWFF events or games.