6.2 Forfeits—Team Penalties
6.2 FORFEITS—TEAM PENALTIES
1. Generally, a team that causes a game to be abandoned or not played because of actions, or lack of actions, on their part, shall be deemed to have forfeited; and a score of 3-0 will be entered in favor of the non-forfeiting team. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if, at the time a forfeit is declared, the non-forfeiting team was leading the score by a goal-difference of more than three (3) points, that score shall stand. In the case of both teams forfeiting, the score will be entered as a forfeit, and no points will be awarded. (The game will not be treated as a 0-0 tie.)
Abandonment of a game may be appealed under Rule 5.7. If the D&P Committee finds that the game was abandoned without adequate cause, it may set aside any forfeits and order a replay of the game. In the event of a replay, AMSA shall pay referees’ fees.
2. Types of Forfeits
a. Abandonment of a game because of player, team or bystander misconduct—A referee abandons a game because of the conduct of players on one or both teams or by bystanders clearly associated with a team. If both teams are responsible for the abandonment, then both teams are subject to penalties.
Penalties: Forfeiture of match and $25 fine, provided that where a game is abandoned because of violence or other serious misconduct, the D&P Chairman, acting with the approval of three other members of the Discipline and Procedures Committee, may impose an appropriate additional penalty, subject to appeal as provided in Section 5.
b. Unilateral cancellation of a game with notice by 4:00 PM Thursday: A team elects to forfeit a game and notifies the AMSA Administrator by email by 4:00 PM Thursday the week of the match in question.
Penalty: $25.00 fine payable before the next game.
c. Unilateral cancellation of a game with notice by 12:00 Noon Friday: A team elects to forfeit a game and notifies the AMSA Administrator by 12:00 Noon Friday the week of the match in question.
Penalty: $25.00 fine plus the full cost of referees appearing at such game, to be paid before the forfeiting team’s next scheduled game. The fine will double for each subsequent forfeit of the same type.
d. Forfeit at match-time without timely notice: A team fails to give timely notice as provided above, and fails to have at least seven eligible players ready to play by the time the match is required to start under the Rules.
Penalty: $50 fine plus the full cost of referees appearing at such game, to be paid before the forfeiting team’s next scheduled game. The fine will double for each subsequent forfeit of the same type.
3. Multiple Forfeits—On the third forfeit by a team during a season, all games involving that team for the entire season shall be considered “non-counting” games whose results will not be counted in league standings. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a team has played all of its games in the first round without any forfeits, their results in the first round shall be counted in the standings. After the third forfeit, the team will be dropped from the schedule and will not be allowed to play for the rest of the season. Continued participation in AMSA will be at the discretion of the D&P Committee.
4. Play after a unilateral forfeit with no notice or unintended forfeit at game time—Players who have shown up for a regularly-scheduled game and find that it has been cancelled due to a forfeit, either because a team has not shown up or because they are not prepared to play, may have an informal game on the field they were assigned to play on.
As amended by the AMSA Executive Committee on February 1, 2022.
