1              The Association shall be known as the “Schoolboys Football Association of Ireland” under the jurisdiction of the Football Association of Ireland.

2              The objects of the Association shall be:

(a)           The general improvement of schoolboys/schoolgirls through the medium of association football.

(b)          The organizing of national competitions for clubs and Leagues, rules for such competitions to be determined by and subject to annual review by the SFAI Executive Committee.

(c)           The fostering of international relationships with other nations and the cultivation of friendship between the boys/girls of all nations.

3              Affiliation to the Association shall be open to schoolboy/girl’s football Leagues operating in any part of the Republic of Ireland which have been approved and sanctioned by the Association’s Council and who shall affiliate themselves and each team in membership of such League at a fee to be decided on by Council each year.

4(a)        The Schoolboys Football Association of Ireland, having jurisdiction over its currently affiliated Leagues, their clubs and players, within the 26 Counties comprising the Republic of Ireland shall be governed by a Council consisting of representatives from its currently affiliated Leagues according to the following schedule:

Teams affiliated

0 to 45 inclusive 0
46 to 140 inclusive 1
141 to 250 inclusive 2
251 to 360 inclusive 3
361 to 470 inclusive 4
471 to 580 inclusive 5
581 to 690 inclusive 6

Leagues which operate girls only divisions and which are currently not integrated into a boys or mixed boys/girls League shall, from 01/09/2021, be eligible to affiliate independently to the SFAI and in line with the relevant FAI seven-point plan, must have integrated with a boys’ League by 31/08/2024 at which time their affiliation to the SFAI shall cease unless such integration has taken place.

Girls Leagues which do not, independently, affiliate team numbers in accordance with the schedule above shall be entitled to affiliate on an observer status basis which shall entitle such League(s) to attend SFAI Council, AGM and EGM meetings without voting rights.

The Football Association of Ireland is represented on the SFAI Council by three persons nominated by the FAI.

(b)          For the purposes of representation on the SFAI Council, Leagues which affiliate small-sided games teams to the SFAI shall have those teams counted on the basis of two such teams being equal to one 11-a-side team, small-sided teams are taken to mean those consisting of less than 11 players per team. Each team registered to each affiliated League must in turn be affiliated by way of payment of the relevant fee, to the SFAI. No team/s shall be deemed to be affiliated to the SFAI unless the relevant fee has been paid in respect of that team/s Each SFAI affiliated League is responsible for the payment of all such fees to the SFAI. Representation on the SFAI Council in any season is based on total affiliation fees paid in respect of the previous season.

(c)           An Hon. Secretary who shall deal with all correspondence, rules, appeals/protests and any other related matters, he/she shall be a member of the Executive Committee and Council and any sub-committees or commissions established by the Executive Committee or Council.

(d)      The Hon. Secretary shall serve a three consecutive season term beginning from the season of his/her first election, he/she shall be eligible to seek reelection for one further term only.

(e)           The election of the Hon. Secretary shall take place at the 2021 EGM, where the election requires a ballot, that shall be carried out by way of a secret ballot. Any ballot involving more than two candidates shall require a run-off election between the two candidates who gained the most votes in the initial ballot, the chairman of the relevant meeting shall have a casting ballot, if required, in all ballots.

(f)           Following the 2021 election of the Hon. Secretary, all future elections to that role, following the expiry of the term(s), shall be based on nomination(s) being submitted to the SFAI no later than 30^th April in the relevant season, any election required shall be carried out as per the terms of the balloting rules in 4(e) above.

(g)           During the Hon. Secretary’s term(s) any temporary vacancy in the role shall be filled by the Executive Committee appointing a temporary replacement. If a permanent vacancy arises, the Executive Committee shall appoint one of its members to carry out those duties for the remainder of that current season following which the nomination and election process as contained in rule 4(f) above will take effect.

(h)          An Honorary Treasurer who shall be elected at the AGM of the Association for a term of three seasons. Nominations for the position of Honorary Treasurer must be forwarded in writing, not later than 30th April of the third year of the term, to the Hon. Secretary of the Association. Where the election requires a ballot, that shall be carried out by way of a secret ballot. Any ballot involving more than two candidates shall require a run-off election between the two candidates who gained the most votes in the initial ballot, the chairman of the relevant meeting shall have a casting ballot, if required, in all ballots.

During the Hon. Treasurer’s term(s) any temporary vacancy in the role shall be filled by the Executive Committee appointing a temporary replacement. If a permanent vacancy arises, the Executive Committee shall appoint one of its members to carry out those duties for the remainder of that current season following which the nomination and election process as contained in rule 4(f) above, but with reference to the position of Hon. Treasurer, will take effect.

(i)            The Honorary Treasurer’s term is three consecutive seasons, where he/she wishes to do so, an Honorary Treasurer shall be eligible to stand for re-election for a further three season term only.

(j)           Should a vacancy occur, for whatever reason, within any season, in the office of Honorary Treasurer, the SFAI Executive Committee shall appoint one of its members to carry on the duties of Honorary Treasurer for the remainder of that current season following which the same election process as that contained in rule 4(d) will be used to fill this position.

5(a)        The first meeting of the SFAI Council for the new season shall be held immediately after the conclusion of the A.G.M. and shall conduct the business of the Association as prescribed in Rule 9 of these rules.

(b)           In addition to the opening SFAI Council meeting following the AGM, one SFAI Council meeting shall be held in September, December and March of each season unless circumstances render this timeline inoperable.

(c)           The Chairman in consultation with the other officers, may convene additional Council meetings or a Special Council meeting if required provided that proper notice is given.

(d)          Members of the SFAI Council will normally receive at least seven calendar days notification of SFAI Council meetings unless circumstances render this timeline inoperable.

(e)           Members of sub-committees of Council to receive two days notice of meetings where possible.

(f)           All Hon. Secretaries of affiliated Leagues and current SFAI Council members, SFAI Executive Committee members and SFAI Officers to be issued with minutes of SFAI Council and SFAI Executive Committee meetings within ten days of such meetings taking place, for the purposes of this rule Saturday’s, Sunday’s and bank or public holidays shall be excluded.

6(a)        The Financial Year will be calendar year (Jan/Dec) and the Annual General Meeting shall be held not later than July 31st in the season. At the A.G.M. the accounts to December 31^st, in the previous year, shall be presented.

(b)          The Hon. Secretary shall give 14 calendar days notification of the SFAI AGM to all SFAI affiliated Leagues who shall be obliged to notify all their affiliated clubs, and the notice shall be accompanied by a copy of the proposed alterations to rules and also a copy of the accounts for the financial year duly audited, also a copy of the SFAI Administrator ’s report.

(c)           At the A.G.M. the voting power shall be vested in the Officers, Executive Committee and Council members only.

(d)          Current SFAI Officers, Executive Committee members and Council members wishing to attend the SFAI AGM must send notification in writing to the SFAI at least 10 calendar days in advance of the scheduled SFAI AGM date. Failure to do so will result in the loss of voting rights for the relevant Council member/s at that AGM. Notifications under this rule which do not meet the specified time restrictions shall be considered on their merits by the SFAI Officers.

(e)           Current SFAI Officers, Executive Committee members and Council members wishing to nominate a substitute to attend the SFAI AGM on their behalf must send notification in writing to the SFAI at least 10 calendar days in advance of the SFAI AGM date. Notifications under this rule which do not meet the specified time restrictions shall be considered on their merits by the SFAI Officers

(f)            Proposed alterations, and any amendments to those proposed alterations, to current SFAI rules (other than SFAI competition rules) must be notified to their member clubs by their respective affiliated League, along with the notice convening the SFAI AGM and no alteration shall be made to any rules unless carried by at least a two-thirds majority of those in attendance and, if entitled to do so, casting their vote.

(g)           For the transaction of the business of the SFAI AGM, 30 eligible persons in attendance, shall form a quorum, any matter requiring a vote at an SFAI AGM shall be decided by a two thirds majority of those in attendance and, if entitled to do so, casting their vote.

(h)          The current Patrons of the SFAI shall be elected at each SFAI AGM without any prior notification. Nominations of new Patrons must be forwarded to the SFAI by 30th April in the relevant season and new patron/s must be proposed and seconded by the Hon. Secretaries of two SFAI affiliated Leagues.

7(a)        The SFAI Council or the SFAI Executive Committee shall have the power at any time to convene an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) of the Association.

(b)          Fourteen calendar days notification of the date and agenda of the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) shall be given to the current SFAI Officers, Executive Committee and Council. Only the stated agenda shall be eligible for discussion and or decisions(s) made at any SFAI Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM).

(c)           Current SFAI Officers, Executive Committee and Council. Members wishing to attend an SFAI Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) must send notification in writing to the SFAI Administrator at least 10 calendar days in advance of the scheduled SFAI Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) date. Failure to do so will result in the loss of voting rights for the relevant person(s) at that Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM).

(d)          Current SFAI Officers, Executive Committee and Council. Members wishing to nominate a substitute to attend the SFAI Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) on their behalf must send notification in writing to the SFAI Administrator at least 10 calendar days in advance of the SFAI Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) date.

(e)           For the transaction of the business of the SFAI Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM), 30 eligible persons in attendance, shall form a quorum.

(f)           Any matter requiring a vote at an SFAI Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) shall be decided by a two thirds majority of those in attendance and casting their vote. The voting power shall be vested in the SFAI Officers, current SFAI Executive Committee members and current SFAI Council members only.

8              For the transaction of the business of the SFAI Council, twenty members form a quorum. Should a vacancy occur on the SFAI Council during the year, it shall be filled by the component section in which the vacancy occurs. In the absence of the Chairman, the Vice-Chairman shall preside, and in the absence of both, the Council shall appoint a member to conduct the meeting.

9(a)        At its opening meeting of each season the SFAI Council shall elect from its members national cup regional coordinators and a child officer. The League from which the Chairman comes shall be allowed to nominate a substitute to represent that League on the SFAI Council in place of the Chairman for the duration of the Chairman’s term/s of office.

(b)          The Chairman’s term is two consecutive seasons, where he/she wishes to do so, a Chairman shall be eligible to stand for re-election for a further two season term only. All candidates for election to the office of Chairman must forward their name/s in writing to the SFAI no later than 30th April in the season leading to the conclusion of the current Chairman’s term/s.

(c)           The Vice Chairman’s term is two consecutive seasons, where he/she wishes to do so, a Vice Chairman shall be eligible to stand for re-election for a further two season term only. All candidates for election to the office of Vice Chairman must forward their name/s in writing to the SFAI no later than 30th April in the season leading to the conclusion of the current Vice Chairman’s term/s.

(d)          The Executive Committee may meet every two weeks between Council meetings and at other times if necessary.

(e)           Establish an Executive Committee consisting of Chairman Vice-Chairman, SFAI Administrator, Hon. Treasurer, the most recent past Chairman, one FAI council representative, and nine other representatives.

(f)           These nine other representatives shall consist of one representative from each of the five largest SFAI affiliated Leagues based on the number of teams affiliated to the SFAI in the previous season, plus one representative from each Province. Provincial representatives can only come from those Leagues which do not have a seat on the Executive Committee by virtue of numbers of team affiliated.

(g)           The Provincial representatives to the SFAI Executive Committee shall serve a two-season term of office, or part thereof, beginning with the first season of election. At the conclusion of a representative’s term and where no new candidate is proposed, the current incumbent shall, if he/she desires, retain his/her position as the representative for the relevant Province.

(h)          All SFAI Executive Committee Provincial representation is based on the geographical location of any particular League notwithstanding where any such League is regionalised in for SFAI competitions.

(i)            Candidates for election as a Provincial representative to the SFAI Executive Committee must forward their name in writing to the SFAI no later than 30th April of the season in which any current representative’s two season term is to conclude.

(j)           All elections of Provincial representative to the SFAI Executive Committee shall be convened and administered by the SFAI.

(k)          All SFAI nominations to the FAI Assembly and Board Committees will be selected by the SFAI Executive Committee

10(a)      The Executive Committee shall have power to appoint any commission it may deem necessary to investigate any matter, complaint or otherwise brought to its notice.

(b)          Sub-committees consisting of at least three current members of the SFAI Council to deal with appeals, disciplinary matters and any other areas deemed appropriate, will be established as required by the Executive Committee. In cases of appeals or disciplinary matters no person can sit on any such sub-committee where their League or one of their clubs has any involvement.

(c)           Decisions of the SFAI Executive Committee, or any of its sub-committees, shall be final.

11(a)      The SFAI Executive Committee shall have the power to impose sanctions including fines and or suspension on any affiliated League, its officers, committee members, club’s players, managers and mentors and or those clubs members or supporters which in its opinion is bringing the game into disrepute and or is negligent or acting in a manner detrimental to the promotion and good governance of under-age football and its administration. Any such sanction may only be imposed following an investigation carried out by the SFAI Executive Committee or any sub-committee set up for such an investigation.

(b)          The SFAI Executive Committee shall have the power to deal with, and impose sanctions arising from, any situation or circumstances not specifically covered in these rules regardless of how any such situation or circumstance is brought to its attention.

12           The Executive Committee shall have power to call on divisional League teams, officials or players to produce any books, documents, or other evidence that may be required at any time.

13           The Honorary Treasurer shall be the custodian of all the funds of the Association, he/she shall submit statements of accounts and balance sheet duly audited to the Annual General Meeting.

14           The Association shall appoint, at its A.G.M., auditors to examine the books submitted to them by the Hon. Treasurer.

15           Members of Council shall have access to all books and records of the Association at reasonable times and shall be entitled to an explanation of any matter they may raise in relation to them.

16           The Chairman, Vice Chairman, Hon. Treasurer and Past Chairman, for the time being, shall be the officers and trustees of the Association and custodians of all its property and monies and shall deal with such at the direction of Council.

17(a)      The SFAI Council, or the SFAI Executive Committee, or any SFAI affiliated League, shall have the right to submit proposals for alterations to any current SFAI rule/s, other than SFAI competitions rule/s.

(b)          Any club currently registered to an SFAI affiliated League shall have the right to submit proposed alteration/s to any current SFAI rule/s, other than SFAI competitions rules. Such proposed alteration(s) must be submitted in writing by the club to the Hon. Secretary of its SFAI affiliated League by 15th March prior to the relevant SFAI AGM. Non-compliance with this timeline shall invalidate any such proposal/s and those will not be put before the relevant SFAI AGM. The SFAI shall have the power to require any of its affiliated Leagues to produce written evidence of the date of its receipt of any such rules proposals submitted by way of this process.

(c)           All such proposed alterations must be forwarded, by the relevant affiliated League/s, to the SFAI no later than 31st March in the year of the relevant SFAI AGM.

(d)          Those proposed alteration/s to rule/s shall be circulated to the SFAI Council and SFAI affiliated Leagues not later than 15th April prior to the relevant AGM.

18. All monies shall be lodged with the approved bank in the name of the Schoolboys’ Football Association of Ireland and all cheques shall be signed by two of the Trustees. The Hon. Treasurer shall be the administrator of on-line banking and he/she shall transact all business in accordance with the rules and regulations currently in force.

19           Members of Council shall be entitled to receive expenses as agreed by Council at its first meeting of the season.

20           Officers and members of Council shall be indemnified by the Association against all costs, losses and expenses incurred by them in the discharge of their appointed duties, except such as are incurred by their own wilful acts or default.

21           Each member of the Council shall be entitled, on production of his membership card, to visit the grounds on which a match is being played under the jurisdiction of the Schoolboys’ Football Association of Ireland.

22           An officer or member of Council shall render himself/herself ineligible if:

(a)           He/she absents himself/herself from three consecutive meetings of the Council without forwarding an explanation to the SFAI Administrator.

(b)          Professional players or referees shall be ineligible to act as an officer, member of Council, or a representative of a League or a club.

23           All affiliated Leagues, clubs, officials and players and all other affiliates shall have the right of appeal to the Football Association of Ireland against any decision of the Council, Executive Committee or sub-committee of the Schoolboys’ Football Association of Ireland in accordance with the rules of that body.

24           All clubs, managers, coaches and players connected to an SFAI affiliated League shall be subject to the current FAI rules covering football trials, and related matters, whether such trials are to be held within or outside of the SFAI’s jurisdiction.

Rules related to the rights and duties of affiliated Leagues, clubs and players:

25           An affiliated League is one which satisfies the following requirements:

(a)           It shall promote the game of association football and be governed by the rules of the Schoolboys’ Football Association of Ireland.

(b)          All clubs in the prescribed area shall be eligible for membership and shall have the right to enter all competitions conducted by the League, provided they are properly qualified.

(c)           It shall be governed by regularly elected officers and a management committee – the election of such to take place at its Annual General Meeting.

(d)          A person when elected to the League committee, while retaining membership of his/her club, can no longer be deemed to be a delegate of that said club for the duration of meetings of that League.

(e)           Where during the course of any League meeting a clash of interest arises as between a League committee member’s club, another club in the League, or the League itself, then the said member must withdraw from the discussion taking place and from any decision making in regard to such a matter.

(f)           All committee members must be eighteen (18) years of age or over.

(g)           It shall have the sole right to dispose of its own funds, through its own management committee, all Academies run by Leagues shall be under the control of the elected League Committee and all Academy accounts are to be controlled through the League accounting system.

(h)          It shall not be liable to submit any report or disclose any of its business to any organization or body other than the, SFAI or the FAI which may at any time request the entire records of the SFAI affiliated League to be submitted for examination by whomever the SFAI Executive Committee shall deem to be most suited to carry out any such examination.

(i)            It shall cater for all boys and girls up to the age of sixteen years on the first day of January of the year in which the season concludes. A maximum of 3 girls can play on boys teams up to and including the U/16 age group, girls can also play one year below their nominal age group on boys’ teams, for example a girl eligible to play at U/14 can play on an U/13 boys team in addition to being eligible to play for her club’s girls team at her nominal, or higher, age group.

(j)           The findings of its committee shall be binding in all such matters as protests, reports of misconduct on the field, etc., subject to the right of appeal to the Schoolboys’ Football Association of Ireland.

(k)          A representative of a League shall not be entitled to more than actual out-of-pocket expenses when representing the League on any occasion.

(l)            Game formats for all age groups are to be organized as laid down in the current FAI Player Development Plan.

(m)         The minimum number of teams required to constitute a division in a League shall be eight (8) for 11-a-side teams, subject to permission from the SFAI Executive Committee to allow for fewer team numbers.

26(a)      All SFAI affiliated Leagues shall satisfy the SFAI Executive Committee that they are properly constituted in accordance with the rules of the SFAI. Where omissions or failures prevent that, the SFAI Executive Committee has the power to investigate those matters and to make and implement recommendations to achieve this. In all circumstances the SFAI will conduct business solely with the Hon Secretary of any club or League unless the club or League designates one of its officers as an alternative for correspondence purposes.

(b)          Each affiliated League, by the month of September in the standard season shall submit to the Administrator of the Association a return setting forth the number of clubs and teams in its membership, a list of its officers and committee and a list of its rules. For affiliated Leagues operating a calendar year season the month of March shall be appropriate for the purposes of this rule.

(c)           Prior to the AGM of the Association each affiliated League shall submit to the Administrator of the Association a copy of its balance sheet for the season and a list of the competitions competed for under its jurisdiction.

(d)          Council shall decide the area/s to be covered by an affiliated League.

(e)           No application for affiliation shall be accepted from a new divisional League covering the same area as that of a League already affiliated unless there is no objection from that area. Where there is no objection the said League may be affiliated to the Council.

(f)           Clubs must play in the affiliated League covering their area.

(g)           Established clubs may stay in the affiliated League holding their present affiliation until or unless they cease to exist.

(h)          A team or club desiring to transfer to a different league at the end of a season must obtain a transfer on an official form (supplied by the SFAI) and signed by the Club, the League from which they are departing and the League they propose to enter. Such a request must be made on or before 1st May for the standard season and on or before 1st November for the calendar year season.

(i)            It is a matter for each League to determine if an application to transfer from the League or to the League will be approved based on the circumstances.

(j)           Clubs and teams shall have the right to appeal a refusal by a League to grant a transfer out of their League, in accordance with the SFAI’s rules governing appeals.

(k)          No player can be registered to play with a club whose main home pitch, as registered to their respective affiliated League, is greater than 80 kilometres from that player’s usual place of residence.

27(a)      All fees covering League registration and team affiliations to the SFAI from affiliated Leagues shall be decided on by the SFAI Council at its opening meeting each season. Such fees shall be payable through the respective affiliated Leagues relevant to the seasons set out in rule 30 and forwarded to the SFAI.

(b)          For Leagues operating under the standard season, one half of the fees due must be paid on or before 31st October in the relevant season, the remainder of those fees must be paid on or before 31st December in the same season.

(c)           For Leagues operating under a calendar year season, one half of the fees must be paid on or before 31st March, the remainder of those fees must be paid by on or before 31st May in the same season.

(d)          League/s which fail to pay by the specified date will be fined €200 per month or part thereof while the fees are outstanding for payment.

(f)           All fines imposed by the SFAI shall be payable to the Association within 14 days of notification of such fines. Failure to pay within the specified time may lead to further sanctions being taken.

28(a)      No team or player can be registered to more than one SFAI affiliated League at the same time.

(b)          No team or player, at the relevant age, from within the geographical jurisdiction of the SFAI and currently registered to a SFAI affiliated League can be simultaneously registered to any other football body outside the geographical jurisdiction of the SFAI.

29(a)      No SFAI affiliated League, registered club, or team, can play in any match, or participate in any tining sessions, outside the SFAI’s geographical jurisdiction without prior permission from the SFAI. Written application for any such permission must be forwarded to the SFAI Administrator at least 21 calendar days prior to the date of travel departure. Where a club is seeking such permission the application must be accompanied by written confirmation of permission having firstly been granted by the relevant SFAI affiliated League. All such requests to the SFAI must be sent through the relevant club Hon. Secretary, all such requests shall also then be subject to any FAI permission requirements.

(b)          In the case of a club requesting permission for one of its players to go on trial within or outside of the SFAI’s geographical jurisdiction, the criteria for granting such permission shall be those contained within the relevant section/s of the current FAI/UEFA/FIFA statutes/rule books, application for such permission shall be made to the divisional League Hon. Secretary. Any club contravening this rule during the current season shall be fined by the SFAI.

(c)           The formation of a team or a new entity specifically for the purposes of playing a game/s within or outside the SFAI’s geographical jurisdiction must be granted permission to do so by the SFAI Executive Committee, such permission must be requested in writing at least 60 day in advance of any game or travel departure date. Any group of players forming a team to partake in any such game/s, without the required SFAI permission, shall be deemed to have done so without complying with the terms of this rule and will not be deemed to be a team in the recognized sense of that word by the SFAI.

(d)          No SFAI affiliated League, club or team shall be entitled to be named as, or to act as, representing the SFAI or make use of its competitions naming rights, in any fashion without the prior permission of the SFAI Executive Committee.

(e)           Single games on a friendly basis between SFAI affiliated Leagues played within the SFAI’s jurisdiction do not require SFAI permission, however where more than two Leagues are involved in any type of event or tournament SFAI permission must be sought at least 28 days prior to the commencement of the event or tournament. Where teams from outside of the SFAI’s jurisdiction are invited to play in any such event or tournament, permission for those teams must be sought from the FAI in accordance with its current rules in that area.

(f)           Where any SFAI affiliated League, or any clubs within any such League, wishes to organize any type of event or tournament, within the SFAI’s jurisdiction, SFAI permission must be sought at least 28 days prior to the commencement of the event or tournament. Where teams from outside of the SFAI’s jurisdiction are invited to play in any such event or tournament, permission for those teams must be sought from the FAI in accordance with its current rules in that area. Before any permission is granted, the requesting League or club must provide the SFAI with a copy of their current public liability insurance certificate.

(g)           In all cases the event organizer/s carry sole responsibility and incur all liabilities, the granting of any such permission by the SFAI confers no responsibility or liability on the SFAI for the running of the event or tournament and the SFAI is absolved of any and all insurance liabilities.

30(a)      The standard playing season for the SFAI and its affiliated Leagues shall be from 1st August to 30th June.

(b)          For players registered to an SFAI affiliated League operating under the standard season the month of July shall be deemed a closed month, players are then free agents and can sign for any club registered to an SFAI affiliated League, no player may be registered with any League operating under the standard season until after 31st July.

(c)           The calendar playing season for the SFAI and its affiliated Leagues shall be from 1st February to 30th November in the same year. Players may only be registered to such Leagues from 1st January for their coming calendar year season.

(d)          For players registered to a League operating under the calendar year season the month of December shall be deemed a closed month, players are then free agents and can sign for any club registered to an SFAI affiliated League operating under the calendar year season. Such players cannot be registered to such clubs by the respective League until after 31st December.

(e)            For players registered to a League operating the standard season, transfers between schoolboy/girls’ clubs will be valid until 15^th November.

(f)            Players registered to a League operating the standard season shall be entitled to transfer to a club operating the calendar year season but only from 1^st to 31^st of January in the relevant year.

(g)           For players registered to a club in an SFAI affiliated League operating under a calendar year season, transfers will be valid until 15th May but only to any club registered to a League operating under a calendar year season. Calendar season players will be allowed to transfer to a club registered to an SFAI affiliated League operating under the standard season during the month of August to be eligible to play in the coming standard season.

(h)          At the conclusion of the standard season, affiliated Leagues wishing to play games during July must receive prior written sanction from the SFAI Executive Committee on or before 1st May in that season. At the conclusion of the calendar year season SFAI affiliated Leagues wishing to play games during December must receive prior written sanction from the SFAI Executive Committee on or before 1st October in that season.

(i)            When a player becomes a registered player with a club/team in any SFAI affiliated League it shall be an offence for any official, member or any other person on behalf of another club, to approach, encourage or influence that player, his/her parents/guardians or any other person, in order that the player transfer to or participate in any training, coaching or games for another club.

(j)           All complaints in regard to this rule concerning team/s or club/s from within the same SFAI affiliated League will be dealt with by the disciplinary procedures within the relevant League.

(k)          All complaints in regard to this rule concerning team/s or club/s from separate SFAI affiliated Leagues will be dealt with by the SFAI Executive Committee or its sub-committee.

(l)            All-weather playing surfaces can be used for competitive games provided they are in complete compliance with, and certified as such, the relevant and current FAI rules and codes for such pitches and provided that visiting team/s are notified of the possibility of use of such all-weather pitch facilities no later than the third day prior to the scheduled date of the game/s.

(m)         Players can only play representative games for the SFAI affiliated League to which they are currently registered.

(n)          Any player registered to a National League club cannot play in any SFAI competitions or any SFAI affiliated League’s competitions. In this context, teams originating from SFAI Leagues and registered to the National League, shall be deemed to be National League clubs and these restrictions on players shall apply.

(o)           In this context, teams representing Leagues, or other group teams, shall be deemed to be National League clubs only, and the restrictions on players in section (n) shall apply.

31           All players in membership of the Association must be amateur and no club may compete in any competition for which the trophies or prizes are money.

32           A player sent off/red carded shall have his/her case dealt with by the relevant committee.

33(a)      Notification of clubs or their members suspended for 12 months or more by a divisional League, must be sent to the Association for record purposes.

(b)          All suspensions of 12 months or more must be notified to the FAI.

34           Every club shall be responsible to the Council, through its affiliated League, for the action of its players, officials and spectators, and shall take all necessary precautions  to see that matches are conducted in a proper manner. Any act, statement, conduct or other matter which may harm a child or children, or poses or may pose a risk of harm to a child or children shall constitute behaviour which is improper and brings the game into disrepute. Breaches of this rule will be a disciplinary offence.

35           Each club, in membership of an SFAI affiliated League, shall have the right to submit alterations or recommendations to these rules. Such proposed alterations must be submitted to the Hon. Secretary of that club(s) League(s) no later than 31st March in the relevant year and be signed for and dated on behalf of the club(s), or League by that League(s) Hon. Secretary. All such proposals, which are compliant with this rule, must be forwarded by the relevant League(s) Hon. Secretary, to the SFAI no later than 15^th April in the same year.

36(a)      Notice of an appeal against any decision or sanction issued against any team/s, player/s, managers/coaches or member/s by its SFAI affiliated League must be lodged to the SFAI in the first instance and can only be lodged by a club currently registered to a SFAI affiliated League.

(b)          All notices of appeal must be lodged by the Hon. Secretary of a club directly involved in the dispute, no third-party notices will be considered.

(c)           Any such notice of an appeal must be lodged with the SFAI within 4 days following the issuing by the SFAI affiliated League of the written notification of its decision. The date of receipt of the notice of the League’s decision/s does not count as part of this time frame. For the purposes of this rule, Saturday. Sunday and bank or public holidays are excluded.

(d)          Notice of appeal must be sent by registered post to the office of the SFAI Administrator and be accompanied by the appropriate fee as set by the SFAI Council at its meeting following the most recent SFAI AGM in the form of bank draft or postal order only, made payable to the SFAI., any such fee paid by any other method will automatically invalidate and nullify that notice of appeal.

(e)           For the purposes of this rule the registered postal date shall be proof of submission and comply with the time requirements for lodging notice of an appeal to the SFAI.

(f)           At the same time an exact copy of the notice of appeal must be sent by registered post to the Honorary Secretary of the SFAI affiliated League which had issued the decision, all documentary evidence submitted to the SFAI in relation to any notice of appeal must at the same time be copied to the SFAI affiliated League concerned.

(g)           Where the SFAI appoints an appeal committee that committee shall have the right to vary any sanction imposed by an SFAI affiliated League, including the increase, reduction or dismissal of any sanction or suspension and or any fine/s.

(h)           In all circumstances the SFAI will conduct business solely with the Hon Secretary of any club or League unless the club or League designates one of its officers as an alternative for correspondence purposes.

37(a)      Matters outside of appeals, such as complaints, shall be dealt with on the basis of the matter being notified in writing to the SFAI within seven days of the occasion of the complaint and be accompanied by the fee as agreed by the SFAI Council in the form of a postal order or bank draft made payable to the SFAI. All correspondence sent to the SFAI regarding any such complaint must, at the same time, be sent as an exact copy to the person or body against whom the complaint is lodged. For the purposes of this rule, Saturday, Sunday and bank or public holidays are excluded.

(b)          Where deemed appropriate, such complaints will be dealt with by a sub-committee of three current neutral members of the SFAI Council whose decisions is final and only appealable onwards to the FAI.

(c)           It shall be at the sole discretion of the relevant sub-committee to retain or recommend the refund or partial refund of any appeal or complaint fee.

(d)          No complaint can supplant or override the protest procedures contained within any SFAI affiliated League’s rules on protest/s and or the processes for the lodging of any such matters.

(e)           Each club registered to an SFAI affiliated League is responsible for the good behavior of all of its players, managers, coaches, supporters and parents, breaches of this rule renders the offending club liable to disciplinary action by the SFAI the level of which will be determined by the investigating committee.

38(a)      All matches shall be governed by the current Fifa laws of the game subject to the current derogations relating to underage football granted by Fifa.

(b)          Duration of matches are those as laid down in the prevailing FAI Player Development Plan, extra time and FIFA penalties rule may be used where necessary in relevant competitions.

(c)           Sizes of footballs to be used are those as laid down in the prevailing FAI Player Development Plan.

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(d)          In all trophy based League type competitions, three points shall be awarded for a win, one point for a draw and no points for a loss.

39(a)      All players must sign a registration form for his/her club each season, club registration forms for players must show his/her full name, current address, date of birth and be signed by his/her parent/guardian.

(b)          Leagues must ensure that upon their registration, its clubs are properly covered for public liability insurance on their ground/s and premises.

40           The SFAI, through its affiliated Leagues and their registered clubs, shall uphold the FAI child welfare policy.