Rules


Rules of the 1990 Pétanque League.
 

The aim of the 1990 League is to encourage participation in petanque by being able to enjoy the game without unnecessary rules. 

The following is intended to allow for both serious and fun teams to co-exist.

 1 – Name.

The name of the League shall be “The 1990 Pétanque League” with the inclusion of a sponsor’s name if appropriate. (Hereinafter known as ‘The League’.)

 

2 - Administration of the League.

2.1 To be by its General Meetings and elected committee.

2.2 At each annual general meeting the Executive offices of Chairman, Vice Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary, Fixtures Secretary, and Competitions Secretary shall be available for any member to be nominated to.

2.3 The elected committee may co-opt a member if it deems necessary.

2.4 Permanent amendments to these rules can only be approved at an annual general meeting, or at an extraordinary general meeting which may be called by a majority of the elected committee, or at the request of four or more teams. Temporary amendments or changes to these rules may be made by the elected committee if it feels they are required for the smooth running of the League. Such changes shall always be reported to the following AGM for ratification or amendment.

2.5 The Secretary must receive motions in writing for inclusion at an AGM or EGM at least fourteen days before such meeting, and these will be circulated and/or published on the website seven days before the meeting. Amendments to motions shall be allowed on the night at the discretion of either the Executive Officer chairing the meeting or the meeting itself. A minimum of twenty-eight days’ notice of an AGM or EGM shall be sent to all teams. Such meetings are open to all registered players, but voting is restricted to one vote per team present. The AGM or an EGM shall be at a place, time and date determined by the elected committee. The AGM will normally be followed by the presentation or collection of trophies.

2.6 The final date for registrations each year to be determined by the elected committee.

2.7 A quorum of the committee shall consist of four elected officers. The chair of the meeting to have a casting vote. Dates and times of committee meetings shall be published on the web site. Members of teams registered to the League are welcome to attend and speak at committee meetings in a non-voting capacity. Please let the committee know if you intend to attend so that we can let you know of any changes and also ensure that we have enough room.

2.8 The elected committee shall endeavour to maintain a website which includes: these rules; details of fixtures; league tables; competition details; diary dates; contact details for the executive officers; general information for members.

2.9 No more than two elected members of the committee of the 1990 League shall have been members of a committee of any other league or region within three calendar years prior to the date of the last Annual General Meeting of the 1990 League.

2.10 Elected members of the committee to serve a three-year term, with two offices coming up for election each year, commencing in 2024. Nominations of candidates for available offices to be received by the secretary at least 14 days prior to the AGM. If no nominations are received then the existing officers would be considered to have been re-elected automatically.

 3 - Structure of the League.

3.1 The League shall consist of a premier division, and other divisions, as defined by rule 3.3.

3.2 Any promotion and relegation shall be determined by the elected committee before the start of the season once the numbers of teams applying to join is known.

3.3 Each division shall be made up of a sensible number of teams, at the discretion of the elected committee, dependent on the total number of teams registered

3.4 In all divisions each team shall normally play its opponents twice, home and away. The playing season may be adjusted as necessary to accommodate rule 3.3.

3.5 There will be team knockout cup and plate competitions involving all teams in the League.

3.6 There will be singles, pairs, ladies' pairs, mixed pairs, and triples competitions. The rules for these competitions are shown in rule 8 and entry fees determined by the Committee.

3.7 If any team withdraws from any division prior to (or during) the season then all games that that team was to have played (or has already played) shall be null and void.

4 - Eligibility.

4.1 Any team wishing to join the League shall apply to register with the Secretary at or before the registration date. New teams joining or re-joining the League will be placed in the lowest division. The League reserves the right to refuse any application for registration.

4.2 There will be an annual team membership fee to be approved at each AGM for the following season and payable on registration.

4.3 Each team shall maintain an accurate record of all its current playing members on the website.

4.4 Team captains are responsible for ensuring members of their team are aware of these rules and it is presumed that all members have been so informed.

4.5 The captain (or other nominated person) of each team shall be the contact for that team and shall provide the League with all the required contact details.

The proprietor or the establishment from which the team plays may not be used as the contact unless he or she is a regular member of that team and is prepared to act as the contact for that team only.

4.6 The name, address, and telephone number of the establishment shall be provided to the League as an emergency contact.

4.7 In the event of a split in team membership with a view to forming two teams, the elected committee shall decide which of the two teams (if any) retains the league status of the original team.

5 - General Rules.

5.1 Each team will consist of two triples who will play each of their opponents’ two triples. The winner of each leg being the first to thirteen points. The away team shall have the option whether to swap pistes for the second game.

5.2 When a team has only five players the two playing as a pair shall use five boules. No player shall play three consecutive boules. A team shall be allowed to substitute up to two players during a league, cup, or plate match under one of the following circumstances:

1. If the team captain has advised his opposite number before the match begins exactly which players are to be changed after the first game.

2. Due to a sudden illness or other unforeseen circumstances. Should a player be unable to continue a match at any time, and no substitute players are available, the remaining two players in the triple affected shall play with five boules. The names of all players including substitutes must be recorded when entering a result.

5.3 Members of any other Wednesday League shall not take part in the League’s Wednesday league matches or cup/plate competitions. Players shall play for ONE TEAM ONLY in all league and cup/plate matches. Transfer to another team is allowed but, if effected, this will be binding for the remainder of the season and the player transferring shall not play for any other team that season.

5.4 League positions will be determined by awarding one point for each leg won. If leg points are equal, then the difference in match points scored for and against will be taken into account. If still level the total number of points scored will determine the position.

5.5 Starting times for matches is to be 7:30pm unless both team captains have previously agreed another starting time.

5.6 If one team is merely late then any first legs not commenced within thirty minutes of the agreed starting time will be forfeit with a score recorded of 7-13.  A leg may be started with two players using two boules each, with the third joining at the start of an end. No team may commence a match with less than four players. Matches not played at all due to a team’s failure to turn up to start the match within one hour of the scheduled start time shall be scored minus 2 points to the offending team and 4 points to the innocent team. No match points shall be awarded. Mitigation may be considered by the elected committee but would need to be both exceptional and compelling.

5.7 Exceptional match night incidents may necessitate a postponement, and these must be reported to the Fixtures Secretary within forty-eight hours of the scheduled match time. It will be the elected committee’s decision as to whether to allow the match to be rescheduled, or whether it should be voided or forfeit.

5.8 Teams having requested a postponement shall not be allowed to request another postponement until after the first rescheduled match has been played.

5.9 Subject to rule 5.7 any outstanding match not played by the date of the last free week of the season will be declared void and cannot be claimed in any form or score.

5.10 ‘Claimed’ or ‘arranged’ matches may disadvantage other teams and are explicitly banned. The elected committee may choose (or be requested) to examine the circumstances and will rule as it deems appropriate including the possible loss of points to both teams.

5.11 Results of league and cup/plate matches are to be entered on the website, but both captains must still complete and countersign a results card in order that any subsequent disputes may be settled.

5.12 It is the responsibility of the captain of the home team to ensure that match results are entered on the website by 5:00pm on the Monday following the scheduled date of the match, even if the away team captain has agreed to enter the result.

5.13 If a result is not entered as in 5.12 the result shall stand, and the home team will be deducted 2 points.

5.14 The notes in the Captains’ Handbook on the page entitled Captain’s Checklist shall form part of the formal rules and shall take precedence in the event of any conflict.

 

6 - General Playing Rules.

6.1 The League acknowledges the need for the International Rules for Tournament play. Most of these rules however are not necessary for normal 1990 matches and merely confuse most members who are unaware of their existence so they will therefore not apply. The 1990 rules are deemed to cover the vast majority of needs and over-ride all of the International Rules. Any matter not covered in these rules should be resolved on the night by the captains in a friendly manner and referred to the elected committee for later consideration and clarification.

6.2 Entirely at the discretion of the home team captain shall be:

#  The use of throwing circles.

#  Raking of the piste, either before the match or between legs, though the away team shall be given adequate time to practice on the finished surface.

6.3 Before the start of play the captains will agree:

# the extent of the boundaries.

# whether a boule or coche has to cross a boundary, or simply touch it to be declared dead.

6.4 The size of the piste is to be as large as possible under local conditions. The home team is to mark the EXACT boundaries of each playing area before the commencement of each match.

6.5 The coche shall be thrown to a distance of between 6m and 10m from the front of the circle at the commencement of each end, and shall be at least 0.5m from any boundary.

6.6 A team may have up to three attempts to complete a valid throw of the coche. If they are not successful, the opposing team will attempt the throw likewise. In either case the team that threw the coche first must play the first boule.

6.7 In the event that the coche leaves the playing area the end is dead and boule in hand does not apply. Play is restarted by the same team but from the opposite end.

6.8 The circle can be drawn/placed at the discretion of the thrower provided the minimum distance can be achieved.

6.9 In the event of inclement weather conditions play may be temporarily suspended by agreement of both captains. Matches cannot be abandoned once started unless:

#  there is a danger to players (eg lightning or trees falling).

#  the piste floods sufficiently for the coche to float.

6.10 The repairing of multiple divots/pitch marks is allowed and entirely at the discretion of the team who is about to throw.

6.11 The occasional removal of erratic stones and/or other detritus (gardening) is similarly allowed providing no boule or coche is moved.

6.12 If the two closest boules are equidistant from the coche and are from opposing teams, the teams shall throw alternately starting with the team who threw the last boule. This shall continue until one boule is now closer or one team have run out of boule. If all boule have been played and there are still two opposing boules equidistant from the coche the end shall be void and restarted as in 6.7.

6.13 If the first boule played goes dead the other team plays the next boule. If that also goes dead then play is alternate until there is a live boule. If the first boule is fired out and both boules go dead the first team to throw plays again.

 

7 - Cup and Plate Matches.

7.1 Matches to be played to the League rules.

7.2 Each match to consist of four triples. If a match finishes level at two legs each then the difference in the total number of points scored shall determine the winners. If total points are equal then a deciding end is to be played by the last match to finish.

7.3 A cup or plate match may not be postponed to a date beyond the designated date. It may be rearranged to a date prior to the designated date by the agreement of both teams and the Fixtures Secretary must be advised accordingly.

7.4 Any team not arriving to play in a cup or plate match will be eliminated from the competition. Any team not arriving to play in the cup or plate final will be eliminated from both competitions for the following season.

7.5 The Committee shall decide the date and venue for the finals.

 

8 - Competitions.

8.1 To be administered by the Competitions Secretary and played to League rules.

8.2 Matches may be played on any day by agreement of both teams but cannot be postponed beyond the designated final date without specific approval from the Competitions Secretary.

8.3 Results are to be notified to the Competitions Secretary within seventy-two hours of the playing of the match, by email to 1990compresults@gmail.com

8.4 All matches are to be the best of three legs.

8.5 Only the players named on the registration form for these competitions may play in them. However, the registered players may be changed by notification to the Competitions Secretary as long as this takes place before any matches have been played by that team. The new player or players then become the registered player or players and no further changes or substitutions may be made.

8.6 Any player or team failing to arrive to play a scheduled match will incur the same penalties as detailed in rule 7.4.

8.7 The elected committee shall decide the venue for the finals.

8.8 Contact telephone numbers for each entry shall be recorded on the entry form.

 

9 - Trophies and Mementos.

9.1 For division and cup and plate winners there are trophies that are held by the team for the following season. Winners and runners up will receive six medals, or other mementos, for team members. Additional mementos may be purchased if required.

9.2 Trophies for the winners of the individual competitions will be held by the winners for the following year. Winners and runners up will receive medals, or other mementos.

9.3 It is the responsibility of all winners to return any trophies held before the finals night, and to collect any trophies won at the presentation night. Any trophies not collected may be forfeit.

9.4 All league, cup, plate and competition trophies not collected within one calendar month following the defined presentation night shall be forfeit and result in that team and/or individuals not being awarded trophies on the next occasion they would be due to receive them. The Committee may overturn this on appeal but will only do so in exceptional circumstances. The Committee will take reasonable steps to make the captain of any team, or any individuals, in danger of this aware of the situation and will provide a location and time from where they can be collected.

 

10 – Penalties.

10.1 In the event of the breach of a rule that carries a fixed penalty the elected committee shall decide fault. No alteration to the penalty shall be made.

10.2 In the event of the breach of a rule that carries no fixed penalty the elected committee shall decide fault and, if appropriate, any penalty.

 

11 - Complaints, Grievances and Appeals.

11.1 In the event of a team or player having a grievance against another team or player, or having evidence of rule breaking, this must be notified in writing to the Secretary. Such notifications will be dealt with at the discretion of the elected committee.

11.2 Any specific complaint, grievance and/or appeal will be heard and decided upon by the elected committee or, if urgent, by Executive Officers. In the latter event it will be confirmed at the next elected committee meeting.

 

12 - Code of Behaviour for Players.

Players are expected to observe reasonable dress and behaviour standards and shall abide by these rules and accept without argument the decision of the organising Committee or umpire of the day.

 

13 - Monday Pairs League.

During its initial years the elected committee shall administer the Monday League as it sees fit. The above rules shall still apply to the 1990 Monday Pairs League, except that:

#  It shall be pairs based instead of triples.

#  Players may play for more than one team during the season.

#  Members (and teams) from other Leagues are welcome.

 

Approved at the Annual General Meeting 2023

Amended at the Committee Meeting of 5th December 2023.