1. REGISTRATION:

a) Prior to the designated deadline, the names of all players who intend to play for a team must be registered in order of merit with the CSCUAESRA (Central Sub-Committee of the UAE Squash Racquets Association). Both men and women are eligible to register in the league provided they are residents of the UAE holding valid residence visas. Players who live or work in the UAE without residence visas can apply to the CSCUAESRA for permission to play. The CSCUAESRA has got the right to refuse to register a player where circumstances justify such action.

b) Requests to register new players  after the start of the season is only possible after the half way point (week 5). New registrations must be submitted a minimum of 48 hours before the next match day (week 6). If approved, the CSCUAESRA has the discretion to determine which position the new player will be registered at so that the strength of the team or balance of order in the division will not unduly affected..

c) Players who wish to transfer teams mid-season must submit a written request for permission, signed by the player and both team captains involved, to the CSCUAESRA.For the purpose of this rule, bye will count as a fixture. A transferred player shall be treated as a newly registered player as per rule 1b.

d) Any team, and all its registered players, withdrawing from the league in protest will be banned from all league play for the season.

e) A fee of 250 Dhs is levied at the start of each season, payable directly to the CSCUAESRA no later than the designated date; a three point penalty is automatically assessed against late payment. If payment is not received within three weeks of the start of the season, the team will be dropped from the league and will be barred from returning until payment is received. Fees are non-refundable after the start of the season.

2. ORDER OF MERIT:

a) The players in a team must play in order of merit. Each team is deemed to be separate and no interchange of players will generally be allowed unless normal transfer procedures are followed.

b) In the event the CSCUAESRA considers that players are registered in the incorrect order of merit, the CSCUAESRA may amend the order, after consultation with other team captains from the same division. Team captains should draw the attention of the CSCUAESRA to instances of incorrect playing order.

c) Teams may revise the registered order of merit once per season at a date pre-determined by the CSCUAESRA and announced prior to the start of the season.

d) Clubs, which have two or more teams registered in the league are allowed to pull up players from any lower division at any time. e) Where a player competes in the incorrect position, his match and all other matches below him in the order of merit, will be counted as 3/0 to the other team. Other team captains may challenge the order within 5 days of the fixture.

3. FIXTURE & MATCH PLAY:

A fixture is defined as a set of four between two teams; a match is defined as the best-of-five games competition between two players; American scoring will be used.

a) Fixtures shall be played on the designated dates, as given on the fixture list. The first team mentioned on the fixture list shall be the home team.

b) The home team is required to provide a hot meal of an adequate standard to the visiting team and must ensure drinking water is available throughout the fixture. Further hospitality is encouraged.

c) The league T-shirt provided by the league sponsor should be worn for all league matches and may not be altered in any way.

d) Before the start of the fixture, each captain will list the players (in full names) on his squad on the Match Result Sheet in the correct registered order of merit. No changes or substitution to this list may be made once play has commenced.

e) All fixtures will be played in accordance with this rule. All matches will be played according to the World Squash Federation rules of Singles Squash Rackets, using DUNLOP XX Squash balls, which are provided by the home team.

f) All matches shall have a marker and referee, one from each team. The referee’s decision is final. The home team captain will retain all score sheets for six days in the event a protest is filed by both team captain.

g) Team captains may jointly agree to play a fixture or match at an earlier date than scheduled, without penalty or permission from the CSCUAESRA. If, a match is played early and a player higher in the order of merit is unavailable on the night of the fixture, then rule 4d applies.

h) If, in exceptional circumstances only, fixture or match cannot be played on or before the scheduled night, both team captains may jointly apply, at least 48 hours prior to the originally scheduled date, to the CSCUAESRA for permission to play the fixture or match at a later date. Only the CSCUAESRA got the authority to delay a fixture or match; if approved, the fixture or match must be played within two weeks of the scheduled date or within one week of the season’s end.

4. ORDER OF PLAY:

a) Play shall commence no later than 7:35 p.m. If the first player of the order of play has not arrived until 7.45 this match will be counted as a walk over. The second player of the order of play has time until 8.00 pm to start the match. After 8.00 pm all matches will be counted as walk over.

b) The fixture lists contains a recommended order of play. Team captains may agree on an alternate order with prior mutual agreement confirmed no later than 5:30 p.m. of the fixture day which will be considered binding. In the absence of such an agreement the recommended order will stand.

c) Play should be continuous with a delay of no more than 10 minutes between matches. If the delay exceeds 10 minutes see rule 4d.

d) Any player who is not available at the start of his match will be deemed to have forfeited his match and all matches lower down in the order will be voided, whether they have been played or not.

e) If a palyer is playing out of order or is not registered, this match and all matchtes below in the order of merit will be also counted as 3/0 to the other team.

5. MATCH RESULT SHEETS (m.r.s.):

a) Player names and match results are entered on the m.r.s in registered order of merit and signed by both team captains upon completion of the fixture. Names on the m.r.s must be easily cross- referrable to the names on the registration form.

b) Incomplete/ incorrect m.r.s. will be not accepted.

c) The home team captain must e-mail completed m.r.s. to the CSCUAESRA by 18:00 of the following day. The match report sheet on the UAE SRA web site must be used (Captains area). It is the home team responsibility to send the result by following day (usually Tuesday) 18:00pm, else the home team loses the match 0:16.

d) In unexpected circumstances whereby a e-mail is not immediately available, a team captain may phone in the match results within the given time period without incurring a penalty, provided the m.r.s. is sent in within 48 hours.

e) If information deemed to be deliberately falsified is contained on the m.r.s. and signed by both team captains then the match results for both teams will be voided.

f) If a team captain disputes the information contained on the m.r.s., he must not sign it. A separate, formal complaint must be e-mailed to the CSCUAESRA by 18:00 the following day, outlining the reasons for the dispute.

6. SCORING:

a) Each player shall score on point for each game won in his match, recorded on the m.r.s. as 3-0, 3-1, 3-2 etc.

b) In Division 1-5, the team that wins at least three of the four matches of the fixture will be awarded 1 bonus point for each match won.

c) In the case of two matches each, the team, which has won the most games will be awarded 2 bonus points. If the games are also equal, then both teams receive one bonus point each.

7. WALKOVERS:

a) A walkover is defined as a fixture where less than the minimum number of players(2) required to draw/ win a fixture are available to compete.

b) In the case a team cannot field 4 players or none at all, the other team must informed at least 24 hours in advance. In this case no penalty points will be given. I f a team fails to notify the other team by 24 hours advance, a 2 points penalty per player will be given (max 8 points).

8. PROTESTS AND APPEALS:

a) If, a team feels that the match results or league standings have been affected by the opposing team’s actions or interpretations of the rules, a protest should be made in writing through Division Coordinators to the CSCUAESRA by the team captain within 6 days of the incident. The CSCUAESRA will investigate fully and render its decision in writing to both team captains.

b) Either team may appeal that decision in writing to the Chairman of the CSCUAESRA. The Chairman will render a binding decision and no further appeals may be made.

9. PRACTICES OF THE CSCUAESRA:

The CSCUAESRA has got the authority to penalise teams and/or players for non-adherence to any of these rules or registration procedures. All teams and players who register in this league agree to comply with these rules and procedures.