Automated penalties - what's been implemented

The league rules have been developed over time to achieve a balance between social and competitive squash. They enable teams to play a full squad as best they can while ensuring no advantage is gained through inappropriate use of borrowed players or changes in order etc. Where there are infringements, penalties have been applied manually by the league secretary up to now but from the beginning of this year they have been automated for the mixed league. They are currently turned off for the women's league.

Automating the penalties ensures that they are applied fairly and quickly allowing the affected teams to make the appropriate corrections before the following week's match or get back to the league secretary if they feel hard done by. Last season there were over 50 separate rule infringements making it very hard for Jeremy to keep up. In all cases, the league secretary has the final say.

Communication

Automatic checks will be made the night after the results have been entered and any penalties will be applied at that time. Any penalties found will be emailed to both team captains (unless they opt out using their preferences) so they know what has happened within 24 hours. The captain’s email address used will be the one in their contact details so please make sure this is a working address. Any penalties are also shown at the bottom of the match detail page. You can also click on the penalty in the tables or match detail pages and the system will tell you why it was applied.

Where there is a penalty for an offending team, there may also be some compensation for the other team. That will depend on the case. See below.

If there is a dispute over the penalty, the league secretary will be able to adjust or remove it according to the specifics of the case and their judgement. In all cases, the league secretary has the final say.

Penalty details

The following paragraphs detail the checks that are made and the penalties that are applied (currently to the mixed league only). Note that, for now, a fixed penalty system is being used that is predictable but doesn’t go as far as the previously manually applied ‘delete all scores of this and lower order players’ penalty which will be reviewed at the next AGM. If you have an opinion on this please make it known to the league secretary so that it can be considered ahead of time.

In all cases:

* The penalty on the offending team is limited so they don’t score less than zero for that match

* The bonus for the other team is limited so they don’t score more than the maximum points for that match

* The match bonus is applied to the team that has the most points after the penalties and/or bonus have been applied

* The match bonus can still be overruled by the League Secretary and awarded to the non-offending team 

Played more than once a week for different teams

A player who plays more than once in a 7 day period for more than one team. The penalty is for the appearance in the second team as that player should not be playing and therefore everyone below them should be playing one higher in the order.

* Apply a penalty of 5 points for the offender and an extra one point for everyone below them

<!--[if !supportLists]-->* Apply a bonus of 3 points to the other team

End of season ringers (rule 15)

A player who plays in either of the last two matches of the season who hasn’t played at least once for the team in the same season and whose ranking level puts him/her in the top half of the team. This is to prevent highly ranked players giving a last minute boost to the team standard, usually for reasons of chasing promotion or avoiding relegation. Allowing unplayed players whose ranking puts them in the bottom half of the team still gives that team a chance to put out a full and equivalent squad and not be penalised.

* Apply a penalty of 5 points for the offender and an extra 1 point for everyone below them

* <!--[endif]-->Apply a bonus of 3 points to the other team

Team order changes more than one place in a week (rule 5)

A player who has changed the order they have played, relative to the other players in the team, by more than one place in consecutive matches as long as those matches follow consecutive weeks. Checks are not made beyond consecutive matches.

* Apply a penalty of 3 points for the offender

<!--[if !supportLists]-->* Apply a bonus of 3 points to the other team

Played out of order (based on ranking level)

A player who is playing next one down in the team order than a player who they are more than twice as good as according to the level in the ranking system. The ranking levels can vary around 20% normally but a player who has twice the level of another player is clearly significantly better than them. The results from a match injury can have a significant affect (this will be addressed in the future) but, even so, are normally limited to a 40% inaccuracy. This check does not highlight anyone with a level less than twice that of the player above them or those with a level of less than 300. 

Note that this check also applies to new players whose ranking level will be applied after the results of the match are entered. It is up to the captain’s discretion to play a new player in about the right order. See the more detailed explanation of this rule in the previous news article.

* Apply a penalty of 3 points for the offender

<!--[if !supportLists]-->* Apply a bonus of 3 points to the other team

Mid team no-shows

If a no-show has been entered but not for the lowest order of the team. If a team member can’t play on the night then the players below must all move up one. No-shows can only be for the lowest order in the team. If the no-show is an unplanned last minute affair, the lower order matches can still all be shifted up.

* Apply a penalty of 5 points for the offender and an extra 1 point for everyone below them

<!--[if !supportLists]-->* Apply a bonus of 3 points to the other team

Unknown/incomplete players

A player whose name is not known or incomplete (i.e. just a single name). It is up to the home captain to find out all the names of the away team on the night but there is still a 10 day window to follow up afterwards if the name wasn’t recorded on the night. To make sure it is in the interests of the away captain to provide the names, the penalty applies to both teams unless the unknown name is a home team player.

* Apply a penalty of 3 points for both teams

Unentered match results

A match for which the results haven’t been entered more than 5 days after the match was played. The results need to be entered for the rules to apply and for the league secretary to be able to manage the league. It also keeps the tables up-to-date which is important for other teams to be able to see how they’re doing.

It is the home team captain's responsibility to obtain all the names and enter the results within the 5 day window. This applies even if there are 'no-shows' on the day.

* Apply a penalty of 5 points if the match is still not entered 10 days after the match was played

Disagreements

If you feel that a penalty has been incorrectly applied then please contact the league secretary as soon as you can. If you have a good case, the penalty can be modified or removed at the league secretary's discretion.