DISCIPLINE COMPLAINTS AND APPEALS PROCEDURES

1. DISCIPLINARY CODE OF CONDUCT

The League is committed to maintaining the highest standards of behaviour and conduct of those subject to its jurisdiction. In pursuance of these standards the following rules of conduct shall be complied with by all those subject to the jurisdiction of the League Management Committee (for the purpose of these rules hereinafter known as a participant).

Each participant shall at all times conduct himself fairly and properly on the field that, for the purpose of this paragraph, shall include any part of a cricket ground and not merely the field of play. Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, the following shall be regarded as conduct that is not fair and proper:

(i) verbal or physical abuse or hostility towards any other participant or member of the public.
(ii) disputing of an Umpire’s decision or reacting in an obviously provocative or disapproving manner towards an Umpire at any time.
(iii) using crude and/or abusive language or sledging or giving hand signals or engaging in like conduct.

The Management Committee (which may if it thinks fit refer such matters for decisions by the Discipline and Complaints Sub-Committee) shall deal with any question relating to or affecting the misconduct of any participant (or Club Official) in connection with any League match or any other matters affecting the interests of the League and shall have the power to impose such penalties as are covered in these rules, or such other penalties as it thinks fit, other than expulsion from the League.

In arriving at its decision the Management Committee (or Discipline and Complaints Sub Committee) shall follow the procedures laid down in the Complaints and Disciplinary Procedures below and shall take account of codes of conduct, guidelines, and policies issued from time to time by the England and Wales Cricket Board and any Premier League into which TVCL Clubs may be promoted.

Any 3 reports from Umpires cards in any one season (Guidance notes for Umpires on the completion of match report cards & other League umpiring matters in the TVCL Handbook refers) indicating marks that fall below 3 for discipline shall result in a 5 points deduction to the team concerned. Each subsequent such mark shall incur a further 5 points deduction to the team concerned. This shall only apply in matches where panel Umpires are appointed

2. COMPLAINTS & DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES

a. Any Club or Umpire wishing to lodge a complaint on any matter must do so by letter signed by, in respect of a Club, the Club Secretary or his designated deputy, or by the Umpire concerned, addressed to and received by the League Secretary or any member of the Disciplinary and Complaints sub committee within fourteen days of the event.

b. Upon receipt of a complaint the League Secretary or any member of the Disciplinary and Complaints sub committee shall:

(i) Acknowledge receipt of the letter either by letter or telephone to the Umpire or the Secretary of the Club making the complaint.
(ii) Contact the Secretary of the Club against whom the complaint has been made or, if unable to contact the Secretary, the Chairman of that Club, informing him of the complaint.
(iii) Send a copy of the letter of complaint to the Club concerned, together with a request for a report from the Captain of the day of the Team concerned, and if the complaint is against a named individual player, a letter from that player as well as the Captain's report.
(iv) Send a copy of the letter of complaint to the Umpire(s) together with a request for a report(s) if necessary.

c. All reports must be sent to the League Secretary or any member of the Disciplinary and Complaints sub-committee within seven days of first being contacted by the League Secretary.

d. In the event of a Club and/or player against whom a complaint has been made failing to comply with the above provisions, a fine of £25 per week or part thereof will be levied against the Club, and after the first week, an additional fine of five points per week or part thereof will be made against the Team concerned.

e. As soon as all the reports have been received the appointed sub-committee shall convene to consider the matter and pronounce judgement. Where the sub-committee feels that it is appropriate, the Club and/or individual concerned may be invited to a hearing.

Any Club or individual against whom a complaint has been made shall, at the time of responding to the complaint (as above), have the right to request a hearing

The League Secretary or any member of the Disciplinary and Complaints sub-committee shall inform the Club and/or individual concerned of what complaint or complaints have been upheld against them and the penalty for complaint.

In the event that the Club has put in a defence to any complaint, any decision of the committee will be detailed.

f. If the decision is to fine a Club and to fine and/or suspend a player then the Chairman of the relevant sub-committee or the League Secretary shall inform the Club (of which the player is a member) of the decision in writing.

3. APPEALS PROCEDURE

a. Any Club or individual shall have the right to appeal against a decision of a Committee.

b. Notice of appeal, setting out the grounds, must be given in writing to the Secretary of the League within fourteen days of the notification of the said decision, together with a deposit of £100 payable to the League of which £50 will not be refundable.

c. Upon receiving notice of appeal, any penalty imposed by the original decision shall not take effect pending the hearing of the appeal.

d. The appeal shall be in the way of a hearing by the Management Committee. Except that the members of the sub committee that made the decision which is the subject of the appeal shall only be represented by the Chairman of that sub committee or his nominee. The Chairman of that sub committee or his nominee shall be permitted to take part in the proceedings but shall be required to retire when the Management Committee makes its decision. The Management Committee may also, at its sole discretion, request other parties to attend the hearing and give evidence.

e. The player or Club shall have the right of attendance and may call witnesses in support provided that the witnesses have made written depositions of their evidence to the sub- committee that made the original decision at the time the decision was made.

f. The Management Committee may confirm, vary (which shall include the power to increase or decrease penalties) or reverse the decision. It shall also have the power, where it considers the appeal to be frivolous, vexatious or lacking in merit, to order the deposit to be forfeited.

g. The decision of the Committee, if no appeal is made against the original decision, shall be final and binding. After appeal, any decision made by the Management Committee shall be final and binding.

4. NON-PAYMENT OF FINES

Any fine levied under these procedures or for the breach of any League rule must be paid to the League within twenty eight days of the member Club being notified of such fine.

Any fines still outstanding at the end of that period shall be increased by 100% of the original fine, when a senior officer of the offending Club shall be notified to the effect that the fine is outstanding and given a reminder that if after a period of fourteen days from that reminder, the fine is still outstanding, a deduction of five points shall be made from the points gained by the side that received the fine.

In respect of other payments owed to the League by member Clubs, these shall be treated as if they were a fine, except that points shall not be deducted. Such payment shall continue to increase by 100% for each further twenty eight day period that the payment remains outstanding.