HAN i The BUCS Handball Championships shall be conducted in accordance with the following BUCS sport specific regulations, the BUCS general regulations, and the International Handball Federation (IHF) Technical Regulations and Rules of the Game for Indoor Handball. Further event specific requirements, rules, and regulations will be contained within the entry and pre-event information for each Championships.
HAN ii In the event that these regulations contradict the BUCS general regulations, these BUCS sport specific regulations will supersede, unless specifically stated otherwise.
HAN iii In the event that these regulations contradict the International Handball Federation (IHF) Technical Regulations and Rules of the Game for Indoor Handball, these BUCS sport specific regulations will supersede, unless specifically stated otherwise.
HAN iv The gender eligibility criteria for the BUCS Handball Championships will be determined as per REG 4.3.
HAN 1 Championships England Handball, on behalf of BUCS, will host annually a Handball Championships as listed in Appendix 1 (‘BUCS Competition Offer and Associated BUCS Points’), subject to entry numbers. All competition specific event information will be available in the event entry information and pre-event information.
HAN 2 Organisation
HAN 2.1 There shall be separate Men’s and Women’s Championships, each consisting of two levels of competition, Championship and Trophy. The Championship will be the higher level, and the Trophy the lower, each consisting of the following stages:
- Stage 1: Regional Rounds
- Stage 2: Playoffs
- Stage 3: National Finals
HAN 2.2 Teams from Scottish institutions/Playing Entities will not participate in the Regional Rounds or the Playoffs and will instead be able to qualify for the National Finals of the Championship and Trophy through the Scottish Student Sport (SSS) Handball competitions, with one place in each allocated to a team from a Scottish institution/Playing Entity.
HAN 2.3 Teams from England, Northern Ireland and Wales will only be able to participate in the Championships through entering the Regional Rounds.
HAN 2.4 Institutions/Playing Entities may enter multiple teams, however, if a Championships is oversubscribed, acceptance of all 1st teams will be prioritised before any 2nd teams are accepted and so on. Any entries not initially accepted will be placed on a reserve list and may be called up should a space later become available because of a team withdrawing prior to the Regional Rounds commencing.
HAN 2.5 Except where HAN 2.6 applies, teams will be allocated to either the Championship or Trophy prior to the Regional Rounds commencing, with allocations made in accordance with the following:
HAN 2.5.1 Only 1st teams will be permitted to compete in the Championship.
HAN 2.5.2 Teams that took part in the previous season’s Championships will be allocated based on their finishing positions in that Championships. Typically, the teams which finished in last place at Championship level in each of the regional competitions will be allocated to Trophy, and the highest finishing 1st team at Trophy level in each of the regional competitions will be allocated to the Championship.
HAN 2.5.3 Teams that did not take part in the previous season’s Championships will be allocated to the Trophy.
HAN 2.5.4 Notwithstanding HAN 2.5.2 and HAN 2.5.3, teams can request to be allocated to the other level if they feel that the standard of their players means that it would be more appropriate to compete at this level. The process for this will be outlined in the entry information. Requests will be considered by BUCS and England Handball and are not guaranteed to be requested.
HAN 2.6 If there are fewer than six teams entered in a region, the regional competition will be a combined Championship/Trophy level competition. If there more than six teams entered in a region, but fewer than three teams that would be allocated to a level based on HAN 2.5.1–HAN 2.5.4, England Handball and BUCS reserve the right to either run a combined Championship/Trophy level competition, or to allocate a team a different level.
HAN 2.7 Regional Rounds
HAN 2.7.1 There shall be Midlands, North, and South regional competitions, with each consisting of two rounds, each round being played over one or two days. Teams will be allocated to regional competitions by England Handball and BUCS, primarily based on geographic location.
HAN 2.7.2 Within each regional competition, at each level all the teams will be placed within a single league in which each team will play against every other team in the league either once or twice across the two rounds, depending on the number of teams.
HAN 2.7.3 The two highest finishing teams at both Championship and Trophy level in each regional competition will progress to the Playoffs.
HAN 2.7.3.1 Where, under HAN 2.6 a combined Championship/Trophy level competition takes place, the two highest finishing 1st teams in the combined competition will progress to the Championship Playoffs. Of the remaining teams, the two highest finishing teams will progress to the Trophy Playoffs.
HAN 2.8 Playoffs
HAN 2.8.1 Each playoff competition will be a one-day tournament, consisting of a group stage followed by a knockout stage and placing matches.
HAN 2.8.2 For the group stage, the six teams will be divided into two groups of three, in which each team will play against the other two teams in their group once.
HAN 2.8.3 At the end of the group stage, the teams which finished third in each group will play a 5th/6th placement match and the top two teams in each group will progress to semi-final matches, in which the first placed team in Group 1 will face the second placed team in Group 2, and vice versa. The winners of the semi-final matches will play a final, the winner of which will progress to the National Finals. The losing teams from the semi-final matches will play a 3rd/4th placement match.
HAN 2.9 National Finals
HAN 2.9.1 The National Finals will be a one-day tournament, consisting of semi-finals, a final, and a 3rd/4th placement match.
HAN 2.9.2 The draw for the semi-finals will be random.
HAN 3 Squad and team selection
HAN 3.1 Following teams being entered on BUCS Play, players who wish to be eligible for selection for a team must apply to join, and be accepted into, the team’s squad on BUCS Play by the deadline listed in the entry information.
HAN 3.2 When registering at each event (Regional Round 1/Regional Round 2/Playoffs/National Finals), each team will be required to complete an event team sheet listing their chosen players for the event from those listed in the squad declaration on BUCS Play, along with a maximum of four team officials. Individuals who are not in the squad on BUCS Play will not be eligible to compete. Student IDs will be checked on the day at registration.
HAN 3.3 There is no limit to the number of players that can be named on an event team sheet, but only up to a maximum of 16 players may be selected for each fixture.
HAN 3.4 Individuals are not permitted to be named, or play, for more than one team at the same event.
HAN 3.5 Where an institution/Playing Entity has entered more than one team, the first team should always be the strongest team available to represent that institution/Playing Entity, followed by the second team, third team and so on.
HAN 3.6 An individual is not permitted to play for one institution/Playing Entity and be a team official for another institution/Playing Entity at the same event.
HAN 3.7 The minimum number of players per team required for a fixture to start will be five.
HAN 3.8 Where an institution/Playing Entity has entered more than one team: Between Regional Round 1 and Regional Round 2, players who have been named for their institution/Playing Entity's 1st team at Regional Round 1, can move down to play for their institution/Playing Entity's 2nd team at Regional Round 2. At the end of the Regional Rounds, player's will no longer be permitted to move down for the remainder of the Championships. For example, if a player's last selection in the Regional Rounds was for their institution's 1st team, then they will not be permitted to compete for their institution/Playing Entity's 2nd team in the Playoffs or the National Finals.
HAN 4 Playing kit As well as having a primary team kit which meets the requirements of the IHF Rules of the Game for Indoor Handball, each team should have a second set of matching playing shirts or bibs which are clearly numbered and can be used in the case of a clash of colours. If there is a clash of colours the second named team will change kit.
HAN 5 Match Officials
HAN 5.1 Match officials will be appointed by England Handball; however, teams may be required to provide table officials to perform time keeping and score keeping duties during the competitions. Table officials provided by teams will not have to hold a formal qualification.
HAN 5.2 The decisions of referees shall be final.
HAN 6 Courts The IHF Floor Regulations will not apply. The dimensions and safety zone for each court will be as determined by England Handball, but the minimum court size shall be 30 metres in length and 18 metres in width. The type(s) of playing surfaces to be used and any footwear restrictions shall be confirmed in the pre-event information. It is the responsibility of teams and individual players to ensure that they have the appropriate footwear for any playing surfaces they will be required to play on.
HAN 7 Duration of play
HAN 7.1 Regional Rounds and Playoffs Matches will consist of two period of 15 minutes and a half-time interval of no more than two minutes, played within a 40-minute window. Each team shall be permitted a one-minute team time-out per match.
HAN 7.2 National Finals Matches will consist of two period of 20 minutes and a half-time interval of no more than two minutes, played within a 60-minute window. Each team shall be permitted a one-minute team time-out per match.
HAN 8 Ties in knockout and placement matches In the event of a tie after normal time, the winner shall be decided using the 7-metre throwing procedures of the IHF Rules.
HAN 9 Throw-off Teams must be ready to play each fixture at the allotted throw-off time. Failure of a team to be present at the allotted throw-off time will result in forfeiture of the match, with a walkover given to the opposition. The initial throw-off shall be taken by the first named team for each fixture.
HAN 10 Match abandonment If a team wilfully abandons a match in progress, they will forfeit the match, and it shall be recorded as a walkover their opposition. If the referees abandon a match, BUCS and/or England Handball shall determine the appropriate course of action.
HAN 11 Resin Use of resin is not permitted. In the event of an individual or team being found to be using resin in a match, referees will swap the match ball and report its usage to the Event Manager.
HAN 12 League/Group stage points
HAN 12.1 Three points will be awarded for a win, two points for a draw and one point for a loss.
HAN 12.2 Where a walkover has been awarded/conceded, three points shall be given to the non-offending team and the result shall be recorded as a 5-0 win to the non-offending team.
HAN 12.3 No points will be awarded to either team in the case of a void fixture.
HAN 13 Calculating final group/league positions Final positions will be primarily based on points accumulated. However, should there be any ties on points within a group/league, they shall be split by the following sequential systems:
HAN 13.1 A team tied on points in a group/league who has conceded any walkovers shall automatically be placed below other tied teams who have conceded fewer walkovers.
HAN 13.2 Tie between two teams
HAN 13.2.1 The result between the teams will be the determining factor in placing one team above the other. Where teams have played each other twice, the aggregate score of the two matches will determine the higher placed team. If this does not determine the higher placed team;
HAN 13.2.2 The team with the higher goal difference shall be deemed the higher placed team. If a tie still exists;
HAN 13.2.3 The team with the higher number of goals scored shall be deemed the higher placed team. If a tie still exists;
HAN 13.2.4 If the higher placed team cannot be determined from the system above, then this shall be determined by the toss of a coin by England Handball or BUCS.
HAN 13.3 Tie between three or more teams
HAN 13.3.1 Where three or more teams are tied on points, a 'mini league' table shall be formed to calculate the higher placed team from the results between the relevant teams using the following sequential system:
HAN 13.3.2 Points accumulated. If a tie still exists;
HAN 13.3.3 The team with the higher goal difference shall be deemed the higher placed team. If a tie still exists;
HAN 13.3.4 The team with the higher number of goals scored shall be deemed the higher placed team.
HAN 13.3.5 If the higher placed team cannot be determined from the system above, then this shall be determined by the toss of a coin by England Handball or BUCS.
HAN 14 Discipline
HAN14.1 The disciplinary regulations and processes followed shall be those of England Handball, save for any exceptions outline in these regulations. Where an incident involving a team, or individual from a team, from a nation with a different National Governing Body (NGB), is deemed to require consideration of further action after the event, then the matter may be referred to this NGB.
HAN 14.2 Suspensions under IHF Rule 16.3 will be two minutes. If a knockout or placement match is tied at the end of normal time, any player serving a suspension at the end of normal time is not permitted to participate in the 7-metre throwing tie-breaker.
HAN 14.3 If a player receives a direct red card, they are not permitted to take any further part in that fixture. They may play fully in the next fixture.
HAN 14.4 If a player receives a blue card, they are not permitted to take any further part in that fixture. They are also not permitted to take any further part in fixtures that may take place on the same day/weekend. The case will also be reported to England Handball’s Competitions Disciplinary Committee (CDC) after the event which could result in a disciplinary hearing and further sanctions being imposed.
HAN 14.5 Any sanction issued against a player, coach, official, team or club as a result of a disciplinary matter in BUCS Handball shall only apply to BUCS Handball unless the sanction applied is advised to apply otherwise. A sanction issued against a player, coach, official, team or club as a result of a disciplinary matter outside of BUCS Handball shall not apply to BUCS Handball unless the sanction applied is advised by the relevant governing body to apply otherwise.
HAN 15 Disputes at events In line with REG 7.7, should a dispute occur at an event, the event appeal panel for Handball shall comprise of the Event Manager and/or a BUCS staff member and/or a referee.
