CONSTITUTION
2011 EDITION
CONSTITUTIONAL RULES
1. NameREGISTRATION OF PLAYERS
2. Applications
3. Executive27. Registration
4. Management Committee28. Outside Players
5. Annual General Meeting29. Validity
6. Office Bearers Duties30. Time limit for Registration
31. Transfer of Employment
32. Suspended Players
33. Breaches of Rule 32
COMPETITION RULES34. Mode of Registration
35. Clubs with more than one team
7. Powers
8. Definitions
9. Promotion & RelegationPROTESTS AND DISPUTES
10. Fees
11. Grading of Teams36. Composition of P & D
12. Protests and37. Field Offences
13. Disputes
14. Fitness of ground; Industrial disputes
15. Match Ball
16. Players equipment and coloursAPPEALS
17. Points allocation
18. Kick off times; Forfeiture38. Committee and Appeals
19. Team sheets
20. Referee
21. Allocation of officialsSPONSORSHIP
22. Arrears in Fees and Player Qualifications
23. Interpretation39. Guidelines
24. Penalty
25. Donations
26. Approval and payment of Officials for Championship
Constitutional Rules
1.(a) This Association shall be called the Domain Soccer League Incorporated (D.S.L.).
(i)The object of this Association shall be to foster and develop the game of Association Football.
(ii)This Association adopts the laws of football as laid down from time to time by the International Board.
(iii)Football year shall commence on 1st January and end on 31st December in each year.
(b)Membership of the Domain Soccer League Inc. shall be available to members of the New South Wales
Public Service, Commonwealth Public Service, Commonwealth or State Government Enterprises, Semi-
Government Departments and Enterprises all constituting the Public Sector; and Business Houses from
the Private Sector.
2. Applications from new Clubs or teams must be received by the Secretary prior to the Annual General
Meeting and shall be submitted to that meeting for any endorsement required and then referred to the
Management Committee for admission or rejection. Any Club wishing to resign from membership shall
intimate the same in writing to the Hon. Secretary. No resignation shall be accepted unless all
outstanding monies and dues are paid.
(a)All Clubs affiliating shall pay the annual subscriptions per team as fixed from time to time by the
Management Committee of this Association, prior to the 30th April of each football year.
(i)That if a Club is unfinancial after 30th May of that year, the following to apply:-
- a $50.00 administration fee,
- if unfinancial after 30th June of that particular year, automatic expulsion from the competition will occur
at the discretion of the Executive Committee.
(b)Each Club on affiliating shall register with the Hon. Secretary (D.S.L.) the names and postal addresses
and telephone numbers of its Hon. Secretary, Hon. Treasurer and President, together with the Club's
colours.
(c)It shall be incumbent on any Referee, Player, Club or Association Official to report cases of
misconduct, which shall be investigated by the Management Committee and dealt with as seen fit.
(d)Each Club on affiliation shall be furnished with a copy of the Rules of the Domain Soccer League Inc.
Such shall be regarded as sufficient proof that the Clubs are aware of all incurred responsibilities.
(e) (i) All Club's affiliating shall apply for re-election for inclusion into the ensuing football year at the Annual
General Meeting of the Association.
(ii) The criteria for re-election of Clubs shall be finance, forfeiture of games, attendance at meetings and
disciplinary record.
(f)From the 1st January, 1995 each Club will be permitted to field more than one (1) team only at the
discretion of the Management Committee.
(g) All new team entries to accompany an Application Fee of $100.00. The fee is refundable if the team if
unsuccessful. Deduction from the annual registration fee when successful.
3. (a)The Officers of the Association shall consist of Patron, President, Vice President, Hon. Secretary, Hon.
Treasurer, Registrar, Assistant Registrar and Publicity Officer. These officers shall be elected by ballot
at the Annual General Meeting and shall hold office until their successors are elected.
(b)The Executive Officers shall consist of Secretary, Treasurer, Registrar and President, the last-named
Officer having the casting vote.
(c)It shall be competent for the Annual General Meeting to elect as Life Members any persons who have
rendered signal service towards the advancement of the Code.
A Life Member shall be entitled to take part in the business of all General Meetings, and shall have a
vote.
4. (a)The Management Committee shall consist of one representative from each Club, a Referee's
representative, inclusion of the Executive Officers of the Association. The conduct of the whole of the
affairs shall be in the hands of this Committee.
(b)At all meetings of the Management Committee, the President shall take the chair. In the absence of the
President, a Chairman shall be elected.
(c)The Executive shall have power to convene Special Meetings by giving at least three (3) days notice.
(d)It shall be the duty of the Management Committee to meet each second Wednesday of the month if
necessary to transact any business arising.
(e)It shall be obligatory for each Club to provide a delegate at each Management Committee meeting.
(h)The Management Committee shall have power to arrange representative or other Association matches
as it may deem fit.
(i)The Management Committee shall have power to appoint Sub-Committees to deal with any matter coming
within its jurisdiction and to appoint any person to such Sub-Committees. The Executive shall be ex-officio
members of all Sub-Committees except that dealing with the selection of representative teams.
The Management Committee shall have power to admit or exclude strangers at their meetings.
(j)If the office of Patron, President, Hon. Secretary, Hon. Treasurer, or any member of the Management
Committee becomes vacant between the Annual General Meetings, the Management Committee shall
appoint some qualified person to fill it.
(k)Failure of a Club to have a representative at each Management Committee meeting will result in an
automatic fine of $5.00; each further absence will attract a $10.00 fine.
5. (a)The Annual General Meeting shall be held not later than the first week in November in each year, and
fourteen (14) days notice of the date and place of holding shall be given by circular to the Hon.
Secretary of each affiliated Club.
(b) The ordinary business to be transacted at an Annual General Meeting shall be consideration and
adoption of the Annual Report and Balance Sheet, which shall be duly audited, the election of Officers
for the ensuing year, and such other business as may be brought forward in accordance with sub-sec(d).
(c) A Special General Meeting may be convened by the Hon. Secretary by circular, giving at least seven (7)
days notice to each affiliated Club and stating the business proposed to be transacted, either under the
direction of the Executive, or on receiving a requisition to that effect signed by the Hon. Secretaries of not
less than (2/3) of the affiliated Clubs.
(d) Notice of any additions or alterations to the Constitution or any business proposed to be transacted at any
AGM other than ordinary business shall be given in writing (together with the names of the proposer and
seconder) to the Hon. Secretary of the Association 28 days prior to the AGM. The Secretary then shall
notify by circular the proposals to the Hon. Secretary of each affiliated Club. Amendments are acceptable
only with the approval of the original proposer.
(e)Any General Meeting may be adjourned to such other time as the majority of those present shall resolve.
(f)Two (2) delegates of each financial Club and Officers of the Association together with life members,
shall be allowed to vote at any General Meeting.
(g)The voting at all General Meetings in all cases except for the election of Officers shall be by show of
hands, unless otherwise demanded, and shall be conclusive on the declaration of the result by the
Chairman. All voting shall be by simple majority - a tied vote shall be lost.
(h)Alterations in the Constitution can only be made at the Annual General Meeting, or at a Special
General Meeting called for that purpose.
(i)A person shall not represent more than one Club at any meeting.
6. (a)All receipts to be given on numbered forms printed under authority of the Association.
(b)All cheques issued by the Association shall bear the signature of two (2) of the Executive Officers,
ie: President, Hon. Secretary, Hon. Treasurer, and Registrar.
(c)The duties of the Hon. Secretary shall be to administer the affairs of the Association as directed by the
Management Committee and as the Rules direct him; to keep a proper record of all Association
proceedings; to prepare an Annual Report, execute such other duties as may come within his province,
and to co-ordinate the activities of sub-committees , Registrar and Divisional Registrars.
(d)The duties of the Hon. Treasurer shall be to receive all monies due to the Association from any source,
giving a receipt in return; to bank all money so received at once with the Association's authorised bank;
to have custody of the bank book and cheque book, and to produce them at all meetings; to pay all
expenditure (where possible by cheque) on receiving an authority from the Executive Officers and to
report thereon to the next meeting of the Management Committee; to prepare the Annual Balance Sheet,
and to produce all books and receipts etc. when required by the Hon. Auditor.
(e)The duties of the Registrar shall be:
- to maintain a record of registrations within all Divisions,
- to collect and check Team Sheets,
- to maintain a competition points and results register,
- to maintain a record of disciplinary action by Referees, Committees etc.,
- to report activities etc. to each Management Committee meeting,
- to co-ordinate the activities of the Divisional Registrars.
(f)The duties of the Assistant Registrar shall be:
- to carry out such duties as may be delegated by the Registrar,
- set up and maintain the Internet Web-site for the Domain Soccer League,
- to deputise in the absence of the Registrar.
(g)The duties of the Divisional Managers shall be as follows:
- to carry out such activities as may be directed by the Registrar,
- to ascertain the fitness of the ground for play and advise Clubs within their jurisdiction of
cancellations etc.
(i)The Management Committee shall have the power to suspend from office the Hon. Secretary, or the
Hon. Treasurer, and if so suspended he shall forthwith on demand by the President or any person
appointed by the Management Committee, hand over to the President or such other person so
appointed, all minute, cash, receipt, bank or other books, papers and documents or any other property
in his possession or custody belonging to or relating to the Association. The Hon. Secretary or Hon.
Treasurer shall have the right to appeal against any suspension. This appeal shall be dealt with by a
Special General Meeting.
(j)An Auditor, appointed at the Annual General Meeting each year, shall inspect the Association's books
and financial records annually.
COMPETITION RULES
7. (a)Competitions shall be arranged annually by the Management Committee, who shall have power to
abandon any competition and/or organise any other competition if it deems such action necessary in the
interests of the Code.
(b)The Secretary or a member of the Executive shall officially notify teams of their final position on the
points table in relation to the Semi-Final play-offs.
8. (a)The order of teams in the Premiership, for the purposes of determining the Premiers, qualification for
Semi-Final series, promotion and relegation shall be determined as follows (superior records ranking
higher):-
(i) Number of points scored in Premiership matches;
(ii) Goal difference (goals scored less goals conceded in completed premiership matches) divided by
the number of completed matches;
(iii) Average goals scored in completed premiership matches (goals scored in completed matches divided by
the number of completed matches;
(iv) Record in Premiership matches between teams ranked equally after application of clauses
(i)to (iii) above, with losses due to forfeit resulting in the forfeiting of team(s) being ranked
lower irrespective of other results;
(v) Record in Premiership matches in the second half of the Premiership between teams ranked
equally after application of clauses (i) to (iv) above, with losses due to forfeit resulting in the
forfeiting team(s) being ranked lower irrespective of other results.
(vi) In the event of a tie for 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th positions or for last position, in points, goal
differences and goal averages, teams shall play-off. In the event of a draw at the end of full-
time in the play-off, a further period of ten (10) minutes each way shall be played. If, at the end of
extra time, golden goal to apply, if no goal is scored the match shall be determined by penalty kicks
being taken in accordance with the rules of the International Board.
(b)The Championship shall be determined as follows:-
The first four teams on the competition points table shall play off in two semi-finals:-
1st v 4th and 2nd v3rd. The winners of these two matches to play in the Grand Final to determine the
Championship.
In the event of a draw in the semi-final, an extra time period of ten (10) minutes each way will be played.
During extra time period, the team scoring first will be declared the winner, ie: golden goal and the match
will conclude. If no goal is scored during the extra time period, the match shall be determined by penalty kicks
being taken in accordance with the rules of the International Board.
(c)In the event of a draw in the Grand Final, an extra time period of ten (10) minutes each way shall be played.
During extra time period, the team scoring first will be declared the winner, ie: golden goal and the match
will conclude. If no goal is scored during the extra time period, the match shall be determined by penalty kicks
being taken in accordance with the rules of the International Board.
9. If the competition is conducted in two (2) or more Divisions, promotion and relegation of teams will be
carried out as follows:-
(a) The Premier team from the lower division shall be promoted to the Division immediately above,
(b) The team finishing last in the Premiership in each Division shall be relegated to the Division
immediately below,
(c)The team finishing last shall be determined as follows:-
(i) Lowest points,
(ii) Lowest (or most inferior) goals difference (points being equal),
(iii) Lowest goal average (points and goals difference being equal),
(iv) In the event of two or more teams finishing level on points, goals difference and goal
averages, the teams shall play off to determine the team to be relegated, with corner and
goal kicks being counted in the event of goals being equal.
(d)In the event of two or more teams from the one Company/Firm/Department being directed to the
one Division in accordance with the provisions of Rule 9, paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) the
Management Committee shall then act in determining the grading of teams in accordance with
the powers granted to it under Section 7.
10. The affiliation/entrance fees for teams and the registration fees for players in respect of the various
competitions shall be fixed at the Annual General Meeting.
(a)If in the event a team withdraws from the competition, of which may impact on the final competition
points, a Special General Meeting will be arranged of which will include all the other teams of that
Division that are effected, including the Executive Committee to resolve the best solution. The
Executive Committee will make the final decision.
11. (a)New Applicants
Upon acceptance by the Management Committee under Section 2 (Constitutional Rules), a new
Club shall enter the competition in the lowest division.
(b)Other Gradings
Should any other circumstances arise outside the normal promotion/relegation procedures of
Section 9(a) and 9(b), the Executive shall determine the grading of any team so affected, prior
to the commencement of the competition.
12. All questions relating to the qualifications of competitors or interpretations of the rules, or any dispute or
protest whatever, shall be referred to the Protests and Disputes Committee, every protest made must be
made in writing and must contain particulars of the grounds upon it is founded. A copy of the protest, sent
by registered mail, must be lodged with the Association, accompanied by a fee of $2.00 within two days of the
match to which it relates (Saturdays, Sundays and Public Holidays excluded) except in the case of the
protests regarding the eligibility of players. The fee shall be refunded to the complainant in the event of the
protest being not deemed frivolous. The Management Committee may order any Club engaged in a dispute
or protest to pay such sum as may be considered necessary towards defraying the expenses incurred. Any
protest relating to the ground, goalposts or bars, or any other appurtenances of the game shall not be
entertained by the Management Committee unless an objection has been lodged with the Referee before
the commencement of the match. The Referee shall require the responsible Club or Association to remove
the cause of objection (if this is possible) without unduly delaying the progress of the match.
13. The Hon. Secretary of the protesting club shall send a copy of the protest and particulars thereof to the
Club protested against.
14. (a) The Superintendent of the Botanic Gardens shall have the power to decide as to the fitness of the ground
in all matches.
(b)In the event of the ground being declared unavailable for play for reasons other than the fitness of the
ground, any match scheduled for that day shall be deemed a scoreless draw.
(c)In the event of the ground being declared unfit for play, any match scheduled for that day, excluding
Semi-Finals, Finals or Grand-Finals, shall be deemed a scoreless draw.
(d)In the event of major industrial dispute(s) whereby the work force in general is adversely affected, the
Executive Committee will determine by 10.00am on the strike day whether any scheduled games can be
played.
If the Executive Committee rules that the games cannot proceed they will be deemed to have been affected
by general strike action with the teams involved being credited with one point each together with a 0-0
score-line.
(e)In the event of a Company/Firm/Department being unable to field a team for a scheduled game because of