A: Code of Conduct

- Please see link to VIBE Annual Soccer Tournament Code of Conduct

B: Spirit of the Game

- VIBE relies upon a spirit of sportsmanship that places the responsibility for fair play on the player. Highly competitive play is encouraged, but never at the expense of mutual respect among competitors, adherence to the agreed upon rules or the basic joy of play. Protection of these vital elements serves to eliminate unsportsmanlike conduct from the Soccer Field. Actions such as taunting opposing players, dangerous aggression, belligerent intimidation, intentional infractions or other "win-at-all costs" behaviour, are contrary to the spirit of the game and must be avoided by all players.

C: General Information 

- Players must play for only 1 team.
- All participants must sign Release Waiver & League Participation Waiver
- Team Captains must have all of their players registered at least 30 minutes before their first game.
- All participants MUST be registered or they will NOT be permitted to play. Under some circumstances spares will be allowed.
- Players in attendance much check in with the league official or organizer. Individuals are responsible for ensuring that their attendance is recorded.  This
includes approved spares. Some exceptions can be made.
- Team Vests will be given out at the beginning of the tournament 
- VIBE Annual Soccer Tournament shall be governed by the current F.I.F.A. Rule
Book combined with VIBE Annual Soccer Tournament rules.
- Fighting is strictly prohibited. Anyone who fights will be automatically removed from game. If an official feels that a player attempts to injure an opposing player
deliberately the player will be removed from the game. A zero tolerance policy is in effect.

D: Game Supervision

There will be one official provided for all games. Officials are responsible for checking eligibility, signing in players, and officiating the game. Officials are to be treated with respect. All officials and organizers decisions are final. Any abuse of officials or organizers will result in a game misconduct and possible ejection from the tournament. Team Captains should be dealing with the league official on behalf of their team and are responsible for the conduct of their teammates.

E: Equipment

-  Any elbow, hand, finger, wrist or arm guard, cast or brace made of any hard substance even though covered with soft padding shall always be declared illegal.

- No jewelry, earrings, nose rings etc.

- Standard sized Soccer nets will be used.

- Standard sized Soccer Ball will be used

- Cleats are allowed but metal spikes are not permitted.

F: Section Information

PLAYERS

**COED/MIXED**

- Games will be played 8 vs 8 (7 outfield players & a keeper).
- 1/8 players must be a lady. 
- A minimum of 6 players per team are required to start a match (5 outfielders +
a keeper).
- At least one lady in this case must be playing.

- Games will be played 7 vs 7 (6 outfield players + a keeper).
- A minimum of 5 players per team are required to start a match (4 outfielders +
a keeper).
- A grace period of 2 minutes will be given to teams that do not have enough
registered players to start the match. Failure to field a team of at least 5 players
after the grace period has ended will result in a forfeit by that team (The game
score will be recorded as a 3-0 loss).
- All players must be signed onto the team roster and wearing team vest of
the same colour.
- Adding players to a roster must be done through the organizer or registration desk.
- Teams must have their roster set prior to playing their first game.

TIME

- A game shall be 2 fifteen minute halves with a 5 minute half time and
shall finish within the time scheduled regardless of time on clock.
- Teams are urged to be on time in order to facilitate the start and completion of
games in a timely manner. NO additional time will be awarded at the end of
halves to make up for time lost. Time will be kept by the referee and the
referee alone.
- There is no Overtime during the group stages.

BOUNDRIES

- Game is played on a half sized soccer field.

THE KICK-IN

- There are no throw-ins in the Tournament.
- When the ball goes out of play along either touch-line, play is restarted with a
Kick-in nearest the point on the touchline where the ball goes out of play.
- The Kick-in is awarded to the team who did not touch the ball last before it left the Field of Play.
- The ball must be stationary.
- The kicker may not touch the ball again until another player has touched it.
- A goal CANNOT be scored from a kick-in.
- If a player kicks the ball into the opposing teams net directly from a corner, a
goal kick is awarded.
- If a player kicks the ball into their own team’s net from a Kick-in, a Corner
Kick is awarded.

PLAYER SUBSTITUTIONS

- Substitutions can be made on the fly at the referee’s discretion. In order to
Substitute Goalkeeper, the referee must be notified and the Substitution may
take place at the next stoppage in play.

SLIDE TACKLES

- Sliding tackles are NOT permitted.
- Any person found to have committed a slide tackle is subject to misconduct
from the referee (Yellow Card or Red Card) depending on the severity of the
challenge and whether the tackle makes contact with another player or not.

PENALTY KICKS

- If the referee awards a penalty kick, the kick is taken from the centre of the edge of the goal area parallel to the goal line.

- The player taking the penalty kick is allowed to take as many steps as he wants  prior to kicking the ball. 

GOALKEEPERS

- Goalkeepers must be identified on the field of play wearing a distinguishable
coloured shirt from the rest of their team, the opposing team and the official.
- Goalkeepers are permitted to play the ball with their hands inside the penalty area.
- They ARE NOT permitted to play the ball with their hands outside of the
penalty area.
- If a goalkeeper commits a handling offence outside of the penalty area they
may be subject to misconduct by the referee.
- A yellow card if the offence breaks up a promising attack, or a Red
Card if the offence Denies an Obvious Goal, or Goal-scoring Opportunity.
- A goalkeeper may not handle the ball passed to them by a teammate using
their feet. If they do, an Indirect Free Kick is awarded to the opposing team.
They may handle the ball if it is directly passed to them by a teammate who
uses their head, chest or knee. A teammate who deliberately uses a trick to
play the ball back to their keeper using their head, chest or knee will result in
an indirect free kick being awarded to the opposing team and may be subject
to misconduct by the referee in the form of a Yellow card.
- A trick is defined as a player using a trick play or manoeuvre to circumvent the Laws of the Game. This can come in the form of kicking or flicking the ball up in order to play it with head chest or knee, or lying down, kneeling, sitting on the ground or sliding in order to play the ball with the head, chest or knee, or utilizing a teammate either willingly or unwillingly to play the ball back to the keeper by kicking it at them or off of them.

Fouls, Violations & Misconduct

- Misconduct is defined as the issuance of a yellow or red card by a referee for
offences described below.

Cautions (Yellow Cards): The following offences are Cautionable offences. Certain offences require the player guilty of the offence to be Cautioned.
- Delaying the restart of Play
- Dissent by Word or
- 1. Use of words or actions to express disagreement with the decision or decisions of a referee.
- 2. These words and actions are meant to insult, inflame or be divisive in nature.
- 3. These offences MUST be cautioned by referees.
- Entering or Reentering, or deliberately leaving the Field of Play without the officials permission (DOES NOT PERTAIN TO SUBSTITUTIONS)
- Failing to Respect the required distance at the restart of play from a corner kick, kick-in, or free kick.
- The required distance on a kick-in is 2 meters
- The required distance on Free kicks and Corners are 5 meters
- Persistent infringement of the Laws of the Game
- Any player committing multiple offences during a game is guilty of persistent infringement.
- Any team guilty of committing multiple offences against a single opposing player is guilty of persistent infringement
- Interpretation of this offence is at the official’s discretion who must take into account, the number of fouls committed, the frequency of those fouls as well as the severity of the fouls.
- Unsporting Behaviour
- Attempts to deceive the officials by feigning injury or simulation of a foul.
- Changes places with the Goalkeepers during play without the Referee’s permission.
- Commits a foul in a reckless manner.
- Commits a foul or handles the ball in order to break up a
promising attack.
- Handling offences must be cautioned.
- All other offences may be cautioned at the official's discretion.
- Deliberately handles the ball in order to score a goal or in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent a goal.
- Makes unauthorized markings on the field.
- Shows a lack of respect for the game.
- Uses a deliberate trick to pass the ball back to their own goalkeeper with their head, chest or knee, regardless of whether the goalkeeper handles the ball.
- Verbally distracts an opponent during play or at a restart
- This includes yelling, screaming, insulting or gesturing in order to distract the opponent.
- Excessive or divisive celebration
- Words or actions used in celebration that inflame, mock or insult the opposing players, spectators or referee

Dismissals (Red Cards):
- Any player guilty of the following offences MUST be shown a Red Card by the official, and thus be dismissed from the field of play.
- Denying an obvious Goal or Goal Scoring opportunity by handling the ball.
- Using the hand to block, stop or impede the ball from entering their own team’s goal or from reaching an opponent in a position where it is reasonable to perceive them scoring a goal.
- Denying an Obvious Goal or Goal Scoring opportunity by committing a foul punishable by a Free kick.
- Committing any foul that is punishable with a free kick, while the offending player is the last or second last defender.
- Serious Foul
- Any challenge that endangers the safety of an opponent or uses excessive force or brutality.
- This is applied to slide tackles that make contact with an opponent above the ankle and/or endanger the safety of the opponent and/ or use excessive force or brutality.
- Spitting at an opponent, teammate, official, spectator or persons within or around the confines of the field of play.
- Violent conduct
- This applies to any violent or aggressive physical contact away from active play or outside of what is deemed expected conduct in a soccer match.
- The following are examples of violent conduct, but are not limited to:
- Fighting.
- Punching, slapping, poking, grabbing, elbowing a player, spectator, official, league official or persons within or around the confines of the playing field.
- Kicking, kneeing, stomping on, stepping on (when it is reasonable to perceive the contact could be avoided), a player, spectator, official, league organizer, or persons within or around the confines of the playing field.
- Making physical contact with an official in any form of dissent.
- Using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/ or gestures
- Language or gestures that utilize foul language, obscenities and/or flagrant aggression towards any player, spectator, official, league organizer, or persons
within or around the confines of the field of play.
- Receiving a second caution in the same match

Time Penalties

- The following penalties apply to offenses for which a Card is issued (subject
to further action by the Administrative Authority).
- Teams must play a player down while someone serves each time penalty.
- Yellow Card: 2-minutes for a straight Yellow
- Red Card: Game ejection: receing team plays a man down.
- Time penalties are assessed from the time that play restarts after the offence
occurs.
- All time penalties are absolute and will run for the full duration of the penalty
regardless of how many goals are scored in that period.
- Time penalties are controlled by the referee, who will indicate when the time
penalty is over.
- Only when the official has indicated that the time penalty is over, may a team
return a player to the field.
- Any player who enters the field of play without the official’s permission will
be cautioned under these circumstances.

Offside

- There is NO offside offence.

Scoring

- A goal is made when a ball enters the net.

 

G: League Standings & Points

- Teams will be awarded 3 points for a WIN, 1 point for a TIE, 0 points for a LOSS. 

 

H: Forfeits & Defaults

- A forfeit will be declared 5 minutes after the scheduled starting time.

- Teams can decide to play a game if both captain’s consent to the number of players. If numbers allow, referees will still referee in the event of a forfeit.

- If you are unable to attend your scheduled game, please have your captain let us know. 

Part I: Tie Breaks

- Section 1: If two teams are tied at the end of the group stage

- 1. Head-to-head

- 2. Most wins

- 3. Goal differential

- 4. Most goals scored

- 5. Fewest goals allowed

- 6. Penalties

- Section 2: If three teams are tied at the end of the group stage 

- 1. Best winning percentage between the team involved

- 2. Most wins

- 3. Goals +/- (For and against)

- 4. Coin flip

J: Playoff Format

- Format will go in the form of  Qtr Finals having the 1st in Group A vs 2nd in Group B, 1st in Group B vs 2nd in Group A, the 1st in Group C vs 2nd in Group D, 1st in Group D vs 2nd in Group C. The finals and third place matches would be Winner of Semi Final 1 vs Winner of Semi Final 2 and Loser of Semi Final 1 vs Loser of Semi Final 2. 

- In the event of a game ending in a draw, Kicks from the Penalty mark will be used to determine the winner of the match

- The format for Kicks from the Penalty Mark are as follows: - each team will take 3 kicks from the penalty mark in the semis and 5 kicks in the Third place and Final game.

- Each team must select 3 or 5 shooters depending on the game. 

- The official chooses which goal Kicks will be taken on,

- A coin will be tossed to decide which team shoots first

- If the teams are still tied after 3 or 5 kicks each, it will go to sudden death until a winner is decided.

- For the duration of Kicks from the Penalty Mark, no player may take a second kick until all members of their team have taken at least one kick themselves including the goalkeeper.

- Only players who are injured to the point where they cannot continue may abstain from taking a kick.

- If a team causes a significant delay of the Kicks from the Penalty Mark by arguing with, opponents, officials, league organizer or athletics staff, the match will be awarded to their opponent.

K: Personal Injury

- Any player injured must let the Official know so proper paperwork can be completed.

- Any player who is bleeding shall be removed from the game immediately.

- The clock will be stopped and resumed once the player is removed. If the blood is removed from all playing surfaces and has stopped, or has been completely covered with a bandage, the player may return to the game.

- The League Organizer will have the authority to decide if the player shall return to the game. This is a volunteer activity where players participate at their own risk. Participants should understand that they are responsible for any and all costs arising out of injury or property damage through participation.