ILLAWARRA TABLE TENNIS ASSOCIATION
BY-LAWS adopted 3 November 2010
1. General
1.1 These By-Laws are made by the Management Committee under clause 12(d) of
the Constitution of the Association dated 26 November 1986 (hereinafter
referred to as ‘the Constitution’).
1.2 Any questions arising as to the interpretation of these By-Laws shall be decided
by resolution of the Management Committee. The Management Committee’s
resolution on the matter is final.
2. Members
2.1 Membership is open to all persons who qualify under clause 2 and are duly
nominated and accepted under clause 3.
2.2 All members must be financial members of the Association by paying the annual
subscription to be set by the Committee. (This is a requirement of Corporate
Affairs for an incorporated group to protect players financially).
2.3 All members must pay the TTNSW registration fee to commence competition, or
show proof of registration.
2.4 Additional fees will be charged for competition on a nightly basis, and also for
training nights.
2.5 Members of the Management Committee, coaches and umpires who are
members of the Association, are entitled to claim reimbursement of out-of-
pocket expenses in respect of stationery, phone calls and computer consumables
incurred on behalf of the Association in carrying out their functions.
Reimbursement includes the cost of training or accreditation courses.
2.6 Life members appointed in accordance with clause 3 of the Constitution are
entitled to free membership renewal, with no fees being charged for match play
or practice nights; and they shall receive a lapel badge and a silver tray,
suitable inscribed, after accepting life membership.
2.7 In addition, life members and their partners are entitled to attend the annual
presentation night free of charge.
2.8 Appropriate clothing should be worn for match play. Teams representing the
Illawarra District are to be encouraged to wear the District colours. Non marking
white soled footwear must be worn in the playing area. No alcohol is to be
bought into the playing area and eating and drinking must be away from the
playing area.
2.9 It is expected that all play and competition will be conducted in a spirit of good
sportsmanship, and respect for the rights of others.
3. Match Committee
3.1 The Management Committee has delegated responsibility under clause 20 of the
Constitution to a sub-committee, referred to as the Match Committee, for
organising the competitions and championships of the Association in accordance
with these rules.
3.2 The Match Committee comprises three members elected annually at the first
Management Committee meeting following the AGM.
3.3 The Match Committee recommends, at appropriate times, to the Management
Committee for its approval, the format and dates for the forthcoming
competitions and events.
3.4 The Match Committee acts as a grading committee, fixing and reviewing the
grades of players as appropriate. Further, it has responsibility for approving
team selections for the respective grades, and for endeavouring to ensure a
reasonable balance of playing ability between teams of the same grade.
3.5 The Match Committee may -
a. modify the format, including dates, of any competition due to unforeseen
circumstances;
b. request at any time from any team or member, information regarding the
circumstances under which any rubber or match has been played, or in respect
of any matters relating thereto;
c. order any rubber or match to be replayed, within a stated time, where the
circumstances under which any rubber or match has been played warrant such
action;
d. at its discretion, change the match results including points awarded where
these rules have been breached;
e. approve the transfer of a player to another team during competition;
f. refer cases of the breach of these rules to the Management Committee.
3.6 The Match Committee is to report regularly to the Management Committee,
particularly following the conclusion of a competition or championships; the
report may include recommendations for future events.
3.7 Notwithstanding the provisions of these rules, the Match Committee may none-
the-less approve alternative arrangements as a matter of urgency when required
by the special circumstances of a particular case or events. Any use of this
power, and the reasons giving rise to it, must be reported to the next meeting of
the Management Committee.
4.Teams
4.1 Each team must elect a team captain, and propose a name for the team. The
entry form should be properly completed, and submitted by due date.
4.2 If a team captain resigns or withdraws from the team, the new captain's name
must be given to the secretary.
4.3 Team captains are responsible for ensuring that score sheets are correctly and
properly completed. Before signing the score sheets, captains should verify the
scores. The captain of the home team is responsible for ensuring that the score
sheet is submitted to the nominated person at the completion of play.
4.4 The team captain is responsible for ensuring that a full team is available to play
on the scheduled dates, and in the event that a full team is not available,
communicates the circumstances to the opposing team captain, if possible, not
less than 24 hours before the match; a representative of the Match Committee
should also be informed.
4.5 Each team has first call on its own players, and team members, before agreeing
to play for another team, should confirm with their team captain they are not
required to play for their team on the night in question.
4.6 Players are encouraged to arrange their own teams with players from the
relevant grade.
4.7 Normal expectations for team entries in respect of championship winners are
that the B and C grade individual champions will move to the A and B grades
respectively in the next competition.
5. Competition matches
5.1 All matches shall be played under the rules of the ITTF.
5.2 Players will be graded at the commencement of each competition. Players may
move up and down grades as deemed by the Match Committee between
competitions. Once graded, players may substitute any number of times in a
higher grade.
5.3 Play should commence at the time listed in the approved schedule. At the
beginning of each match the home team, i.e. the team listed first on the draw
( 1 v 6, then team 1 is the home team ) shall provide suitable balls for the
match. Any ball found defective during play shall be replaced by the home team.
All balls used should be ITTF approved and 3 star standard.
5.4 In the event that no players from a team are available to commence play after
the lapse of 30 minutes from the commencement time, the opposing team may
claim a forfeit of the first game scheduled; a second forfeit may be claimed
after 45 minutes if no player is available. If no player is available to commence
play after one hour, the other team may claim a forfeit of the whole match.
5.5 If a team forfeits a rubber, then the forfeit must be shown on the result card. If
a player’s name is written on the result card then this is a statement that the
player participated in the match. Players’ names should not be on the score
sheet unless they actually play.
5.6 If a team forfeits 3 consecutive matches during competition, then, if that team
wishes to enter the next competition, the team members may be asked to show
cause why they should be allowed to enter.
5.7 A player registered with a team may be allowed to transfer to another team
during the competition only with the approval of the Match Committee.
5.8 If a player is injured during a match, and is unable to continue, then that rubber
will be forfeited. If unable to play the next rubber, then a substitute player may
be used. The substitute must be of the same grade or lower and any singles
rubbers won by the substitute will only carry half points.
5.9 Casual vacancies in a team may be filled by players in the same grade whose
team has a bye, or are not required by their team to play on a particular night.
Alternatively, a substitute player from a lower grade may be used. Any singles
rubbers won by the substitute player will only carry half points.
5.10 Where, following withdrawal of a team member during competition for illness or
other reason beyond the control of the member, a new member is found for the
team, and the Match Committee agrees that the new member is of the same
grade as the team, that new member can be regarded as a permanent member
of the team, and may play in the finals.
5.11 To be eligible to play in any play off, semi final, final or grand final, a player
must satisfy one of the following two categories:
a. Any player who has played at least 3 times with the team providing he or she
has not been ruled ineligible by the committee, or a new, permanent member
as in 5.10 above.
b. A player graded in a lower grade provided that he or she has played at least 4
times in any grade. If a substitute player is used then all rubbers will carry
full value in semi-finals, finals and grand-finals.
6. Closed Championships
6.1 All matches shall be played under the rules of the ITTF.
6.2 To be eligible to compete in the closed championships, members must be
financial members of the Association, duly registered and must have played at
least three competition matches or played in at least three training nights during
the previous twelve months. The Match Committee will determine the grades
players are eligible to enter for the closed championships. Where doubt exists,
players will be placed in the higher grade.
6.3 The entry form must be completed, including all relevant information and
submitted by the closing date. Late entries may be accepted up to and until the
draw has been finalised.
6.4 No player can play below his or her grade. Women may enter men's events
provided they are of the relevant grade. New players must be graded prior to
completing their entry.
6.5 Restrictions applying to particular groups:
a. Players will be assessed for age events on the year of their birth.
b. Special singles and doubles are open to all players except for the players
ranked in A grade.
c. A doubles player may be substituted by a player of the same grade. If a
player is substituted they cannot rejoin their original team, or another team. The
player who is the substitute cannot play in a second team. Only one substitution
per team per event is allowed.
6.6 All grades will be seeded; and, if a seeded player does not enter, a bye will be
substituted in that place. The winner/s of the previous year’s event in these
championships, provided they qualify for that grade and submit an entry, will be
seeded No 1 for that event. Subsequent seeds will then be determined by the
numerical order of merit of the current competition.
6.7 The Match Committee may appoint a suitably qualified person as Referee to
decide any protests that may arise during the championships. If such a Referee
is appointed, the referee’s decisions on the matters considered are final.
7. Protests and Appeals
7.1 Any member wishing to challenge or make a complaint regarding a match result
should, in the first instance, write to the Competition Secretary with details of
the challenge or complaint within four days of the posting of the result or
incident. If the member is satisfied with the explanation provided, then the
challenge or complaint is treated as being resolved. If the member is not
satisfied with the explanation, they may appeal to the Management Committee
in the following manner.
7.2 Any member may appeal to the Management Committee against any decision of
the Match Committee, or of any official of the Association, asking the
Management Committee for a review of that decision. The appeal should be
addressed to the Secretary of the Association, state the decision for which a
review is sought, set out the grounds for the request, and should be lodged
within 14 days of the decision being appealed against. The Secretary of the
Association will acknowledge receipt of the appeal, and as soon as possible
thereafter discuss with the member an appropriate time for the hearing of the
appeal. Once the appeal has been heard, and a decision reached on it by the
Management Committee, the member will be informed of the result of the
appeal.
7.3 The Management Committee may hear the appeal itself, or it may delegate the
hearing to a sub-committee. The sub-committee would be asked to report its
conclusions and recommendations within a specified time to the Management
Committee. Any member directly involved in the decision or matter appealed
against should not sit on the committee hearing the appeal.