ARTILE (I)
1. Name
The Cup shall be known as “THE MTC NFA CUP”
2. Owner
The Cup is the property of the Namibia Football Association and is sponsored by MobileTelecommunication. When the winning club is ascertained, the NFA shall deliver the Cup to such club, which shall be responsible for it’s save return to the NFA before the official lunch of the next competition in the ensuing year in good order and condition. Should the Cup be lost, destroyed or damaged by fire or any other cause whilst under the care or custody of the club, the club shall pay the cost of the Cup’s thorough repair in addition to any penalty, which the NFA may impose.
3. Prices
3.1 Prizemonies. The winner of the various categories will receive their Prizemonies as per the contractual agreement.
3.2 Medals. In addition to the Floating Trophy, the Champion team shall receive thirty (30) gold medals. The losing finalist shall receive thirty (30) silver medals. When a player taking part in the competition is found guilty for misconduct, the medal to which he may be entitled to may be withheld at the discretion of the Organising Committee.
ARTICLE (II) – Organising and Discipline
1. The Organising and Competitions Committee (hereinafter referred to as the Committee) of NFA shall oversee the competition, including the draw and the preparation of fixtures and determine the venues.
2. The Committee shall have the power to co – opt any additional member should the need arise.
3. The OCC shall have disciplinary responsibility and the power to caution, censure, fine, suspend and/ or disqualify Players, Referees and other Officials participating in the competition.
4. The OCC shall call the parties involved for a hearing and the decision shall be based on the Central Referee’s and/ or the Match Commissioners report.
5. The procedure shall be guided by the OCC.
6. The decision of the OCC, shall be final and not subject to appeal if it concern caution, censure, fine, suspend or disqualifying of players in connection with the match incidents reported by the referee and/ or Match Commissioner.
ARTICLE (III) – ELIGIBILTY OF PLAYERS
1. Players who are properly registered with the NFA shall be eligible to participate and that shall be testified by the official player’s card. No document other than the player’s card will be accepted for verification of a player’s status. Players without a valid player’s card will be disqualified from participating in this competition.
ARTICLE (IV) – ELIGIBLITY OF CLUBS: ENTRIES
The competition shall be obligatory:
1. To all clubs, which are affiliated to the Namibia Premier League for the 2007/08, 13 winners of the Regional Second Division Leagues for 2006/07 and the 4 Zonal Nationwide First Division League teams as set out in article (V) below, including the holder or the runner – up of the Hansa Pilsener Cup, if the holder is already one of the clubs qualifying as league winners. In the event of both the winner and runner – up already being qualified the team to be included in the main draw shall be determined as set out in article (V).
2. All participating clubs must pay a registration fee of N$ 200.00. The League Executive Committee will be held responsible for the collection and forwarding of registration fees to the NFA. Registration fees are payable fourteen (14) days before the commencement of the competition.
ARTICLE (V) – DRAW AND FORMAT OF PLAY
1. 32 Teams will participate in this competition.
2. Only the 32 teams which consist of 12 NPL teams and the two clubs relegated from the NPL at the end of the 2006/07 season, the runner – ups and the two third placed teams of the Nationwide First Divisions for the 2006/07 season and 13 winners of the Regional Second Division Leagues for the 2006/07 soccer season and the holder of the Hansa Pilsener Cup will participate in this competition. In the case that the holder of the Hansa Pilsener Cup is already qualified the runner – up shall take its place. Should both the holder and runner – up already be qualified a mini – draw between the two semi – finalist teams shall decide the team to be included in the main draw.
3. The 32 clubs shall all be part of the same draw. A draw will be done after each round to determine the fixture for the next round.
4. The Committee have sole jurisdiction on the allocation of the fixtures to different venues and the sequence of matches for this competition. The Committee may however consider awarding homeground advantage to teams from lower divisions drawn against NPL teams.
5. This competition will be played strictly on a knock out basis, thus only the winners will proceed to the next round.
ARTICLE (VI) – OTHER MATTERS
1. Teams shall be expected to complete the official match sheets before the final inspection at the stadium. When completed the whole Team Return without removing any of the pages should be handed to the Fourth Official of the match who will keep proper record of all the incidents happening during the match. When complete the Three Team Return Sheets will bear identical information and be signed by the Fourth Official and the Referee of the match.
2. After the match the Fourth Official shall hand the relevant copy of the opposing team’s Team Return to the other while he will retain his copies for submission to the Committee.
3. A delegation will consist of twenty (20) players and Five (5) officials.
4. A team that does not present itself, irrespective of reason, or refuse to play or stage a walk out from the field of play before the regular end of the match without the authorization of the referee, shall be declared loser and shall be eliminated from the competition, and may in addition be visited with penalties.
5. The team that is not present on the ground, dressed to play at the scheduled time of the kick – off, or at least fifteen minutes later, shall forfeit the match and may in addition be visited with penalties by the OC.
6. The team must be present in the dressing room at least one hour before kick – off. In addition, the teams are expected to have arrived at least 4 hours before the commencement of the game in the town of the venue of the competition. A team that is not present in the dressing room at least one hour before kick – off shall be visited with a fine not exiting N$ 1000.00.
7. A team may not have more than seven (7) substitutes including the reserve goalkeeper on the official team return.
8. Only the seven (7) substitutes, a coach, manager, medical personnel, trainer and one any other official are allowed to be on the bench or on the technical area. A team that violates this rule shall be visited with a fine not exiting N$ 500.00.
9. Every team is responsible for the conduct of its officials, players, supporters and spectators.
10. All teams shall take reasonable precautions to prevent supporters from encroaching unto the field and/ or threatening or assaulting match officials and other officials or players before, during or after the match.
11. Failure to fulfill adequately to the above – mentioned requirements could lead to a charge of misconduct.
12. A player cautioned twice (yellow card) in two different matches of this competition will be suspended from the following one match of his team.
13. A team whose players receive five (5) cautions (yellow cards) in a match will pay an automatic fine in the amount of N$ 2000.00.
14. A player expelled (red carded) from the field of play shall be suspended for the following one match of his team. Depending on the severity of the offenses committed, the Committee can take further action against an expelled player.
15. The duration of a match of this competition will be two halves of 45 minutes each with a 15 minutes break between the two halves.
16. Where a match ends in a draw the winner shall be decided by the two team’s involved taking penalty kicks, except for the semi - final and the final where extra time of 15 minutes on each side shall be awarded before resorting to penalty kicks.
ARTICLE (VII) – IMPORTANT ASPECTS:
1. The games may be played in daylight or under floodlight and the latter will be expected to be of an acceptable standard.
2. The Laws of the Games as promulgated by the International Football Board and the Rules and Regulations of the Association shall be applicable at all times, save for where it has to do with the fees payable for protests and appeals which are determined in these Rules.
3. In matters that are not covered in these Regulations, the NFA Executive Committee shall have the power to make a ruling in respect thereto.
4. In the case of serious offenses, the OCC may recommend to the Namibia Football Association’s Executive Committee to take further steps against the guilty party.
5. Where these Rules do not provide for the Executive Committee of the Association shall take a decision which decision shall be final.
ARTICLE (VIII) – DISCIPLINE:
1. For a protest to be considered it must be in writing and forwarded to the fourth official immediately after the match and confirmed in writing to the Chairman of the OCC within two hours after the match. Such protest must also be accompanied by a non – refundable protest fee of N$ 1000.00. Protest’s submitted later than the stipulated period or without the protest fee shall not be admitted nor entertained.
2. No protest shall be considered after the winners of the MTC NFA Cup competition have been proclaimed.
3. For Appeals to be considered they must be lodged with the OCC within 24 hours after the decision reached by the competent body and must be in writing and accompanied by the prescribed fee of N$ 2000.00
4. The NFA Appeals Board shall deal with Appeals against decisions of the OCC.
5. The decision of the NFA Appeals Board shall be final and not subject to any further appeal.
ARTICLE (IX) – COLOURS
1. The teams are allowed to wear their traditional colours from the preliminary round up to the semi – finals. When, in the opinion of the referee, the colours of the two opposing teams might lead to confusion, the visiting team or the team appearing second on the fixture shall change to an alternative colour.
2. Every team shall have a spare outfit available, even if it is other than its official outfit, and other than that provided by the sponsors.
3. The shirts of the players must be numbered and the numbers allocated to players will apply throughout the competition.
4. The four (4) teams qualifying for the semi – final round will be provided with playing gear (in the corporate colours) of the Sponsors. They are obliged to play in the provided playing attire and colours. Failing to do so is a punishable offence, which will lead to a charge of misconduct.
……………………………. Date: ………………………
Barry Rukoro
Acting Secretary General