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Palo Alto Adult Soccer League

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Introduction
  • A general summary of PAASL rules variations from FIFA laws follows below.
  • A review of selected FIFA laws is also included for reference.
  • Please note these rules variations only apply to normal PAASL games - different tournament-specific variations apply to PAASL Tournament games.

PAASL / FIFA LAWS VARIATIONS

Equipment Permitted - For Wear during Play

  • A referee may require a player to remove their non-equipment wear should they deem it a danger to the player or other players, even if the non-equipment wear is covered with tape or other clothing. Without exception, PAASL will support all referee decisions in this regard.
  • Jewelry - If the referee deems it safe, facial and finger jewelry may be worn if it is completely covered with opaque tape. Necklaces and bracelets, including watches and/or fitness trackers, are not permitted. Medical alert jewelry must be taped down, but the tape may not obscure the medical alert symbol.
  • Hats - Padded headgear, sweatbands, bandannas, knit caps, and/or beanies may be worn by players. Hats with brims or visors, including sun hats, floppy hats or ball caps are not permitted. Goal keepers may wear a hat with a soft visor.

Slide Tackling

  • Women: slide tackling is not permitted
  • Men: slide tackling is permitted, except from behind

Substitutions

  • General substitution follows FIFA rules - unlimited substitution of all eligible players at any stoppage, subject to the referee's discretion based on game flow and momentum.
  • At a stoppage near the midpoint of each half, the referee will pause the restart of play to facilitate substitution of the goalkeeper, if desired by either team.

Yellow Card

  • Offending player must leave the game but may re-enter the game at the next opportunity for substitutions
  • Immediate substitution is allowed

Red Card

  • Offending player is ejected from the game, must leave the area, and is suspended from PAASL play for a minimum of 1 week
  • Immediate substitution is allowed - i.e. the game continues 11 vs. 11

Balanced # of Players Between Teams During a Game

  • When one or both teams does not have enough players to field a full side, no team should ever have an advantage of more than a one extra field player
  • Players must change sides to achieve this balance in the event that one team has 2 or more additional players than a short-sided team

(SELECTED) FIFA LAWS REVIEW

Caution (Yellow Card) for:

  • Unsporting behavior (see details below)
  • Dissent by word or action
  • Persistent infringement
  • Delay of restart
  • Failure to respect required distance
  • Entering/leaving the field without ref permission

Send-off (Red Card) for:

  • Serious foul play (see details below)
  • Violent conduct (see details below)
  • Spitting at an opponent or any other
  • Denying a goal or obvious scoring opportunity by handling the ball or an offense punishable by a free kick or PK
  • Using offensive, insulting or abusive language

FIFA LAWS ADDITIONAL DETAILS

Unsporting behavior examples:

  • Commit a foul in a reckless manner (charging, pushing, tripping)
    • "Reckless" means that the player has made the move with complete disregard for danger to, or consequences for, his opponent
  • Commit a foul in a reckless manner while tackling for the ball from any direction
  • Commit a tactical foul designed to interfere with or impede an opposing team play (pushing, holding, screening, handling the ball)
  • Handles the ball deliberately to score a goal
  • Shows lack of respect for the game (aggressive attitude, inflammatory behavior, or taunting)

Serious foul play:

  • A player is guilty of serious foul play if he uses excessive force or brutality against an opponent when challenging for the ball when it is in play.
  • "Using excessive force" means that the player has far exceeded the necessary use of force and is in danger of injuring his opponent.
  • Any player who lunges at an opponent when challenging for the ball from the front, from the side or from behind using one or both legs, with excessive force and endangering the safety of an opponent, is guilty of serious foul play.

Violent conduct:

  • A player is guilty of violent conduct if he uses excessive force or brutality against an opponent when not challenging for the ball.
    • Violent conduct may occur either on the field of play or outside its boundaries, whether the ball is in play or not. He is also guilty of violent conduct if he uses excessive force or brutality against a team-mate, spectator, match official or any other person.

Referee evaluation: