Please note: REG 14 applies to the Team Championships conducted as part of the National, Premier and Conference League/Knockout programme.
REG 14.1 Postponed matches
REG 14.1.1 Postponed matches are matches called off up to and including the day of the match, due to the following:
- Bad weather
- Ground conditions
- Bad light
- Unforeseeable facility issues
- Force Majeure Events preventing a team from hosting or travelling to a match. (Force Majeure Events include Acts of God; flood, drought, earthquake, or other natural disaster; epidemic or pandemic; acts of terrorism or acts of war; any law or any action taken by a government or public authority; fire, explosion, or accident; and other similar events beyond the reasonable control of the impacted institution/Playing Entity.)
- Any national, regional, or local Public Health guidance in place at the time which advises against a team’s involvement in the fixture.
- A team being delayed by a factor, or factors, that are wholly out of the team's control (for example a flight being cancelled or a privately hired coach breaking down on the day of the fixture) to such a degree that it would not be possible for the match to be completed either in full or reduced in any way permitted by BUCS's general or sport specific regulations, subject to this being backed up by professional and independent evidence (for example written confirmation of a flight cancellation from the airline or of a breakdown from a coach hire company).
- A team's departure location being in an area which the Met Office has issued a red weather warning for.
REG 14.1.1.1 For fixtures where match officials are required, if, when both teams and any match official(s) (appropriate for the match as per REG 10) are present at a fixture, there is disagreement between the teams as to whether a match should proceed on the grounds of safety, the match official(s) shall (taking into account the advice of any grounds/facility staff as appropriate) determine whether the match should proceed or should be postponed. Where it is determined that a match should proceed, if a team declines to participate, their opposition shall be entitled to claim a walkover. If a walkover is claimed, the institution/Playing Entity conceding the walkover shall have the opportunity to request that it is deemed involuntary using the process detailed in REG 13.7.3.
REG 14.1.2 It would be expected that if an institution/Playing Entity has any concerns that a match may be postponed (for example where there has been bad weather affecting a pitch, there is further bad weather forecast, and so there are concerns that the pitch may be pronounced unfit for play) that they would contact the other institution/Playing Entity involved in the fixture as early as possible to inform them of these concerns and to provide the opportunity for the two institutions/Playing Entities to agree when a decision will be made on if the match will be postponed for these reasons.
REG 14.1.3 Where a postponement is required, the institution/Playing Entity requiring the postponement must notify, in writing, the main Athletic Union (or equivalent) contact of the other institution/Playing Entity involved in the fixture. It would be expected, especially in cases of a late postponement (within 48 hours, outside of weekends and bank holidays, of the fixture start time), that the institution/Playing Entity requiring the postponement would also make efforts to contact the other institution/Playing Entity involved in the fixture by telephone to confirm that the notification of the postponement has been received. The first named (home) institution/Playing Entity shall also be responsible for notifying any match official(s).
REG 14.1.4 Should a match have to be postponed, this match shall be rearranged at the venue of the first named (home) team, except in cases where the notification of postponement has not been sent until after the opposition (away) team's intended departure time - subject to this having been communicated as per REG 9.5. In such cases the fixture shall be replayed at the venue of the opposition (away) institution/Playing Entity.
REG 14.2 Abandoned matches
REG 14.2.1 Abandoned matches are matches called off, for whatever reason, by the match official(s) once play has begun.
REG 14.2.2 When a match has been abandoned, the fixture shall be replayed at the venue of the opposition (away) institution/Playing Entity unless covered under REG 9.3.4.3–REG 9.3.4.7.
REG 14.2.3 Notwithstanding REG 14.2.2, if it is reported to the BUCS Executive that a match has been abandoned due to alleged misconduct of anyone covered under REG 5.1, of either or both institutions/Playing Entities, a charge of misconduct may be raised under REG 5 and a BUCS Judiciary Panel hearing such a charge shall be entitled to award the match as a walkover or declare it a void fixture should they deem this appropriate.
REG 14.3 Rearrangement of postponed and abandoned league matches
REG 14.3.1 When rearranging a postponed, late postponed or abandoned league match, the host institution/Playing Entity (as determined by REG 14.1/REG 14.2) must offer two dates in writing for the match to take place, in accordance with the relevant league deadline date as per Appendix 2 (‘BUCS Leagues and Knockouts – Dates and Deadlines’), no later than 48 hours (allowing for weekends and Bank Holidays) after the scheduled start time of the match. These dates must avoid any prescheduled BUCS fixtures for either team. If the opposition institution/Playing Entity can show that their team have a prescheduled BUCS fixture on BUCS Play on a date offered, an alternative date must be provided by the host institution/Playing Entity for each instance before progressing to REG 14.3.2. Where the host institution/Playing Entity has failed to adhere to this regulation, the opposition institution/Playing Entity shall be entitled to claim a walkover.
REG 14.3.1.1 If it is not possible to offer two dates, due to there being no two dates remaining before the deadline on which neither team has a prescheduled BUCS fixture, but it is still possible to offer one such date, then an institution/Playing Entity offering one such date and otherwise in compliance with the requirements of REG 14.3.1 shall be deemed to have adhered to the regulation.
REG 14.3.1.2 If it is not possible to offer any dates, due to there being no dates remaining before the deadline on which neither team has a prescheduled BUCS fixture, the fixture shall be declared void with no points being awarded to either side.
REG 14.3.1.3 If the host offers more than two dates, the first two of these they have written shall be taken as their dates offered.
REG 14.3.2 If the opposition institution/Playing Entity’s team cannot fulfil the date(s) offered by the host institution/Playing Entity under REG 14.3.1, they must offer two alternative dates in writing for the match to take place, in accordance with the relevant league deadline date as per Appendix 2 (‘BUCS Leagues and Knockouts – Dates and Deadlines’), no later than 48 hours (allowing for weekends and Bank Holidays) following receipt of the date(s) from the host institution/Playing Entity. These dates must avoid any prescheduled BUCS fixtures for either team. If the host institution/Playing Entity can show that their team have a prescheduled BUCS fixture on BUCS Play on a date offered, an alternative date must be provided by the opposition institution/Playing Entity for each instance before progressing to REG 14.3.3. Where the opposition institution/Playing Entity has failed to adhere to this regulation, the host institution/Playing Entity shall be entitled to claim a walkover.
REG 14.3.2.1 If it is not possible to offer two dates, due to there being no such dates remaining before the deadline on which neither team has a prescheduled BUCS fixture, but it is still possible to offer one such date, then an institution/Playing Entity offering one such date and otherwise in compliance with the requirements of REG 14.3.2 shall be deemed to have adhered to the regulation.
REG 14.3.2.2 If it is not possible to offer any dates, due to there being no such dates remaining before the deadline on which neither team has a prescheduled BUCS fixture, the fixture shall be declared void with no points being awarded to either side.
REG 14.3.2.3 If the opposition offers more than two dates, the first two of these they have written shall be taken as their dates offered.
REG 14.3.3 The host institution/Playing Entity must either accept a/the date offered under REG 14.3.2, or decline the date(s) offered if their team cannot fulfil the date(s), no later than 48 hours (allowing for weekends and Bank Holidays) following receipt of the date(s) from the opposition institution/Playing Entity. Where the host institution/Playing Entity has failed to adhere to this regulation, the opposition institution/Playing Entity shall be entitled to claim a walkover.
REG 14.3.4 If neither institution/Playing Entity can fulfil the dates offered as per REG 14.3.1 – REG 14.3.2 then they must notify the BUCS Executive and independently submit their one preferred date (not previously offered and avoiding other BUCS fixtures as per REG 14.3.1 – REG 14.3.2) via e-mail to [email protected], at which point the BUCS Executive will toss a coin to determine which of the submitted preferred dates the fixture shall take place on.
REG 14.3.5 Should the institutions/Playing Entities agree there are substantiated reasons why no rearrangement of a fixture can be made (such as no free dates remain in calendar), they may apply to the BUCS Executive to have the match declared a void fixture. Consideration will be on a case-by-case basis.
REG 14.3.6 Once a date has been chosen the host institution/Playing Entity must update this on BUCS Play.
REG 14.3.7 Reasonable efforts must be made by both institutions/Playing Entities to agree on a rearrangement date by following the process outlined in REG 14.3. Institutions/Playing Entities found to be purposefully avoiding rearrangements (for example in the hope of a fixture being declared void) will face disciplinary action.
REG 14.4 Rearrangement of postponed and abandoned knockout competition matches (except for finals)
REG 14.4.1 When rearranging a postponed, late postponed or abandoned knockout competition match, the host institution/Playing Entity (as determined by REG 14.1/REG 14.2) must offer two dates in writing for the match to take place, in accordance with REG 9.2.2.1, no later than 36 hours (allowing for weekends and Bank Holidays) after the scheduled start time of the match. These dates must avoid any prescheduled BUCS fixtures for either team. If the opposition institution/Playing Entity can show that their team have a prescheduled BUCS fixture on BUCS Play on a date offered, an alternative date must be provided by the host institution/Playing Entity for each instance before progressing to REG 14.4.2. Where the host institution/Playing Entity has failed to adhere to this regulation, the opposition institution/Playing Entity shall be entitled to claim a walkover.
REG 14.4.1.1 If it is not possible to offer two dates, due to there being no two dates remaining before the deadline on which neither team has a prescheduled BUCS fixture, but it is still possible to offer one such date, then an institution/Playing Entity offering one such date and otherwise in compliance with the requirements of REG 14.4.1 shall be deemed to have adhered to the regulation.
REG 14.4.1.2 If it is not possible to offer any dates, due to there being no such dates remaining before the deadline on which neither team has a prescheduled BUCS fixture, the BUCS Executive will toss a coin to decide the outcome of the fixture.
REG 14.4.1.3 If the host offers more than two dates, the first two of these they have written shall be taken as their date(s) offered.
REG 14.4.2 If the opposition institution/Playing Entity’s team cannot fulfil the date(s) offered by the host institution/Playing Entity under REG 14.4.1, they must offer two alternative dates in writing for the match to take place, in accordance with REG 9.2.2.1, no later than 36 hours (allowing for weekends and Bank Holidays) following receipt of the date(s) from the host institution/Playing Entity. These dates must avoid any prescheduled BUCS fixtures for either team. If the host institution/Playing Entity can show that their team have a prescheduled BUCS fixture on BUCS Play on a date offered, an alternative date must be provided by the opposition institution/Playing Entity for each instance before progressing to REG 14.4.3. Where the opposition institution/Playing Entity has failed to adhere to this regulation, the host institution/Playing Entity shall be entitled to claim a walkover.
REG 14.4.2.1 If it is not possible to offer two dates, due to there being no such dates remaining before the deadline on which neither team has a prescheduled BUCS fixture, but it is still possible to offer one such date, then an institution/Playing Entity offering one such date and otherwise in compliance with the requirements of REG 14.4.2 shall be deemed to have adhered to the regulation.
REG 14.4.2.2 If it is not possible to offer any dates, due to there being no such dates remaining before the deadline on which neither team has a prescheduled BUCS fixture, the BUCS Executive will toss a coin to decide the outcome of the fixture.
REG 14.4.2.3 If the opposition offers more than two dates, the first of these they have written shall be taken as their date(s) offered.
REG 14.4.3 The host institution/Playing Entity must either accept a/the date offered under REG 14.4.2, or decline the date(s) offered if their team cannot fulfil the date(s), no later than 24 hours (allowing for weekends and Bank Holidays) following receipt of the date(s) from the opposition institution/Playing Entity. Where the host institution/Playing Entity has failed to adhere to this regulation, the opposition institution/Playing Entity shall be entitled to claim a walkover.
REG 14.4.4 If neither institution/Playing Entity can fulfil the dates offered as per REG 14.4.1 – REG 14.4.2 then they must notify the BUCS Executive and independently submit their one preferred date (not previously offered and avoiding other BUCS fixtures as per REG 14.4.1 – REG 14.4.2) via e-mail to [email protected], at which point the BUCS Executive will toss a coin to determine which of the submitted preferred dates the fixture shall take place on.
REG 14.4.5 In the event of a fixture not being played before the Monday (or the Wednesday in the case of knockout competitions scheduled on weekends) prior to the following knockout round (or any later date agreed under REG 9.2.2.1.1.1), the BUCS Executive will toss a coin to decide the outcome of a fixture.
REG 14.4.6 Once a date has been chosen the host institution/Playing Entity must update this on BUCS Play.
REG 14.4.7 In exceptional circumstances the BUCS Executive may instruct institutions/Playing Entities of the replay date and venue.
REG 14.4.8 Reasonable efforts must be made by both institutions/Playing Entities to agree on a rearrangement date by following the process outlined in REG 14.4. Institutions/Playing Entities found to be purposefully avoiding rearrangements (for example in the hope of a fixture being decided via coin toss) will face disciplinary action.
REG 14.5 Rearrangement of postponed and abandoned knockout competition finals
REG 14.5.1 Should a National Championship/Vase/Trophy final be postponed or abandoned it shall be rearranged/replayed on a date and at a venue determined by the BUCS Executive (or an appointed Third Party). The BUCS Executive (or appointed Third Party) shall be responsible for all hosting requirements (including appointment of officials) which would usually sit with the first named (home) team as per REG 8.4.5.1.5/REG 8.4.5.2.6/REG 8.4.5.3.4.
REG 14.5.2 Should a Conference Cup/Trophy/Shield final be postponed or abandoned it shall be rearranged/replayed by a deadline of the second Wednesday in May of the respective season, with the exact date determined by following the process of REG 14.4. The host shall be determined as per REG 14.1 – REG 14.2, unless the final was scheduled to have been held at a central venue (note REG 8.4.5.4.6.1), in which case it shall be hosted by the first named (home) institution/Playing Entity.
REG 14.6 Rearrangement of postponed and abandoned playoff matches For ‘round robin’/’mini league’ format playoff matches, REG 14.3 shall apply with references to “the relevant league deadline date” replaced with “the relevant playoff deadline date”. For ‘knockout’ format playoff matches, REG 14.4 shall apply, with the addition that all matches must take place by the relevant playoff deadline date as per Appendix 2 (‘BUCS Leagues and Knockouts – Dates and Deadlines’).
