DEFINITION AND LIMITATION
A protest is an official act of disputing a result of a game.
A protest is valid only when it concerns one of these topics:
1) Participant eligibility;
2) Rule interpretation and/or
application. Referee judgment decisions may
not
be protested.
PROTEST
SUBMISSION
A protest must be filed in
writing. Notification of game referees or Program staff at a
field is
not an appropriate method of
filing a protest.
Protests must be mailed so the letter is postmarked no later than 48
hours after the starting-time of the game in question and be
accompanied by a $25.00 fee. Fee is to be paid by check.
Protest letter must be
signed by the recognized or alternate team
representative or the registered team head coach.
This letter must contain a clear statement on why the protest is filed
together with a complete explanation of the eligibility violation or
the game situation and Rule which the team claims was misinterpreted or
mis-applied. Supporting documentation as needed should be
supplied.
PROGRAM
HANDLING OF PROTESTS
Within 24 hours after receipt of the
mailed protest, the Commissioner will make one of the following
determinations:
- Dismiss the protest as invalid
- Take the protest under study and request additional information
or testimony
- Call a meeting to consider the appeal.
The protesting team representative will be notified of this
determination. There is
no appeal of such decision
and any further pursuit of the issue by members of the protesting team
may result in their disqualification.
PROTEST
HEARING
A protest accepted for consideration
requires a hearing which will be held as soon as all interested persons
can attend. This will be a closed hearing (only persons directly
involved can attend); be chaired by the commissioner; and, have an odd
number of persons comprising the hearing panel. Panelists may
include staff persons or members of the representative council as
selected by the commissioner. Representatives may not
participate in a hearing in which their team may benefit from the
result of a protest.
A staff person will serve as secretary for the meeting and keep a
record of all testimony and receive and hold all evidence.
A protest has no status until it has been
supported by the panel or Commissioner. There is no guilt,
ineligibility, nor error that exists until confirmed by the protest
panel or Commissioner and the fact of filing a protest implies no guilt
or fault.
Members of a team that would file a protest or a team that has
protested are prohibited from discussing their action or the question
involved in the protest with any staff member except to clarify
procedures and mechanics of the protest. The appropriate time and
place for presentation of evidence is the protest meeting. As
program staff will comprise the protest panel, any discussion by a team
will be interpreted as an attempt to influence a person on the panel
and may cause the protest to be denied.
Protest fee will be refunded when a protest is upheld.