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TECHNICAL REGULATIONS

1. TECHNICAL COMMITTEE
The technical committee will be composed of the ICSD Technical Director and assistant Technical Director for Football, and members appointed by the Organising Committee:

2. PROTEST COMMITTEE

Please note: Names of the Protest Committee will be advised at the Football Technical Meeting in Patras.

3. COMPETITION VENUE
The Football events will take place at the following stadiums: Pan-Peloponnesian, Panachaki, Thiella #1, University, Kato Achaia,  Egio.

4. TRAINING VENUE
The training venues are: Peloponnesian #2, Thiella #3, Prevedo, Rododafni, Fostiras, Lappa.

5. EQUIPMENT
All equipment used during competitions will comply with the FIFA Rules and Regulations. The footballs chosen for the preliminary and final competitions shall conform with the Laws of the Game and bear one of the following three quality standard designations licensed by FIFA: 'FIFA Approved', 'FIFA Inspected' or 'International Matchball Standard'. The goals and nets will comply with the FIFA Rules and Regulations as well.

6. EVENTS
Team tournament competition will be conducted for men and women.

7. SCHEDULE
7.1. Competition Schedule
Refer to competition schedule on the WC website.

7.2. Practice Schedule
Refer to practice schedule from the Organising Committee.

8. REGULATIONS
8.1. Rules
The Football competitions will be conducted in accordance with the Rules and Regulations of the FIFA. In case of disagreement in the interpretation of the Rules and Regulations, the English text shall prevail. Unforeseen incidents not covered by the Rules and Regulations shall be dealt with as follows:

8.1.1.
Cases of a general nature will be resolved in accordance with World Championships Regulations.

8.1.2.
Technical questions shall be resolved according to the FIFA Rules and Regulations.

8.1.3.
Only athletes who comply with the World Championships Regulations are entitled to take part in the World Deaf Football Championships competitions.

8.2. Participants
8.2.1. Each National Association may enter one (1) men's team and one (1) women's team. Participation in the World Championships is limited to a maximum of sixteen (16) men's teams and eight (8) women's teams.

Men Teams (16): 
Greece (hosts), Australia, China, England, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Malaysia, Russia, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, USA, Venezuela

Women Teams (5): Greece (hosts), England, Germany, Russia, South Africa

8.2.2. Male and Female - The provisions of this code apply to the male and female gender, regardless of the choice of words and expressions.

8.3.Entries
8.3.1. The deadline for final registration for team sports is 3 March 2008 except for teams still playing in qualifying rounds. Such teams have to confirm their participation immediately after having completed the qualifying rounds.

8.3.2. The final registrations with the names of each athlete indicating sport and event entered must be submitted to the Secretariat no later than 1 June 2008. Such submissions may be made by telefax if followed by the official registration form.

8.3.3. No changes or additional entries will be accepted after 1 June 2008.

8.4. Number of Players: (maximum) 23

8.4.1. Each national association that qualifies for the final competition shall enter a maximum of 23 players (three of whom shall be goalkeepers) numbered from 1 to 23. The numbers on the back of the shirts shall correspond with the numbers indicated on the official player's list. A goalkeeper shall wear the number 1.

8.4.2. The list of 23 players (showing the full last name(s), every first name, popular name, date of birth and passport number and country) shall be submitted to the Secretariat, using the official form for this purpose, no later than 28 (twenty-eight) full days before the opening match in the final competition. Only these 23 players (except in the case of force majeure recognized by the Organising Committee for the World Championships will be permitted to compete in the final competition.

8.4.3. A listed player may only be substituted in the event of serious injury leading up to 24 hours before his team's first match, after ICSD has received a detailed medical assessment in the official languages (English), and only after acceptance and confirmation by the Sports medical Committee that the injury is sufficiently serious to prevent the player from taking part in the competition. The national association shall then immediately nominate the substitute and inform ICSD accordingly.

8.4.4. 23 players shall be included in the starting list for the match (11 selected players and 12 substitutes.) Up to maximum of three of the substitutes may take the place of the selected players at any during the match.

8.4.5. The official lists of 23 players will be published by the Organising Committee.

8.4.6. Any team found guilty of fielding an ineligible player will forfeit the match. Victory and the resultant three points will be awarded to the opposing team as well as the score of 3-0, or greater, depending on the score of the match.

8.5. Medical Control
Refer to General Technical Rules - Summer Deaflympics, Article 4 - CONTROL AND SANCTIONS.

9. COMPETITION RULES AND REGULATIONS
9.1. Technical Organisation
ICSD is responsible for the technical organisation of the Football competitions.

9.2. Competition Plan

9.2.1. Preliminary Round
The participating sixteen (16) men teams will be divided into four groups of four (4) teams each. During the preliminary round, each team will play the other teams in its group.
The participating eight (8) women teams will be divided into two groups of four (4) teams each. During the preliminary round, each team will play the other teams in its group.

9.2.2. Quarterfinals, Semi-Finals and Classifications
Men - After the preliminary round the first and second placed team of each group shall play quarterfinals: (A1 - C2) (B1 - D2) (C1 - A2) (D1 - B2)
The winners of the men quarterfinals will play semi-finals: (A1/C2 - D1/B2) (B1/D2 - C1/A2)
The men teams placed 3rd / 4th in the group stages will play off for the places 9th to 16th.
Women - After the preliminary round the first and fourth placed team and second and third placed teams of the group will play semifinals: (A1 - A4) (A2 - A3)

9.2.3. Finals
The winners of both the men and women semi-finals will play for 1st and 2nd places, the losers for 3rd and 4th places.

9.2.4. Classification of Teams
1. The system of competition shall be similar to the league system, each team playing a match against each of the other teams in the same group, with three points for a win, one point for a draw and no point for each match lost.
2. Ranking in each group shall be determined as follows:
a) greatest number of points obtained in all group matches;
b) goal difference in all group matches;
c) greatest number of goals scored in all group matches.
If two or more teams are equal on the basis of the above three criteria, their rankings will be determined as follows:
d) greatest number of points obtained in the group matches between the teams concerned;
e) goal difference resulting from the group matches between the teams concerned;
f) greater number of goals scored in all group matches between the teams concerned;
g) drawing of lots by the Organising Committee for the World Championships.

9.2.5. Each match shall last 90 minutes (two periods of 45 minutes), with an interval as laid down in the Laws of the Game.

9.2.6. If the result of a match in the quarter-finals, semi-finals or the finals at the end of the prescribed time is a draw, and if extra time must be played, this must always consist of two periods of 15 minutes each, with an interval of 5 minutes at the end of the prescribed time, but not between the periods of extra time. If, with extra time played, the match is still a draw, the winner shall be determined by the taking of kicks from the penalty mark in accordance with the provisions as laid down in the Laws of the Game published by FIFA.

9.3. Withdrawal
9.3.1. Another team may replace an association team that withdraws prior to, or is excluded from playing before the start of the World Championships. The Organizing Committee shall make the relevant decision.

9.3.2. If a team does not report for a match - except in cases of force majeure recognized by the Organizing Committee for the World Championships - or if it refuses to continue to play or leaves the stadium before the end of a match, the team will be considered as having lost. The match and three points will be awarded to its opponents with a score of 3-0 or more if, in the case of an abandoned match, the winning team has already reached a higher score at the time the guilty team leaves the field.

9.3.3. If a team withdraws after the World Championships have begun or is disqualified during the group matches, the group must continue without this team or a replacement. The matches played by the team concerned will not be taken into consideration and all scores and points earned will be rescinded.

9.4. Referees
Allocation of 4 officials per match (a referee, 2 assistant referees and a fourth official) to conduct the matches shall be made by the technical committee. Where possible, referees shall be in possession of an FIFA international referee license valid for 2008/9. However, referees with National or State accreditation may be used.

9.4.1. If the referee or one of his assistants is prevented from carrying out his duties before or during a match as a result of injury, indisposition etc... he shall be replaced by the fourth official.

9.4.2. At the conclusion of each match, the referee shall fill in an official match report form and he shall hand it over to the tournament director of the competition at the venue immediately after the match.
On the report form, the referee shall note all occurrences before, during and after the match in as much detail as possible such as:
a) Misconduct of players, leading to caution or expulsion
b) Unsporting behaviour of officials, supporters and any person acting on behalf of a national
c) Any other incidents.

9.4.3.
All referees and assistant referees shall use a flag (and a whistle at their discretion) to indicate the commencement or restart of play, to stop or delay play due to an infringement or injury, or to indicate that time has expired in the half. The flag is an important tool for the referee along with verbal, body and eye communication.

9.5. Protests
9.5.1. Procedure for lodging a protest
All sport related protests will be resolved in accordance to the FIFA Rules and Regulations and will be managed by the Sporting Protest Committee. Any official protest must be submitted in writing on the Official World Championships Protest Form, and given to the ICSD Technical Director accompanied by USD $50.
The ICSD Technical Director will decide whether the protest is sporting related or eligibility related. The Sporting Protest Committee will review all sport related protests, and the ICSD Executive Committee will review all eligibility protests. The deposit of USD $50 will be returned to the appellant only if the protest is considered valid.

9.5.2. Procedures for reviewing a protest
The sporting protest committee will meet in the Technical Directors office in Patra at a time decided upon by the chairperson of the committee.

• The ICSD Technical Director will be the chairperson of the committee.
• The Sports Liaison Officer (SLO) will be responsible to book the meeting room and interpreters.
• The Sports Liaison Officer (SLO) will contact all committee members to inform them of the meeting time and location.
• The ICSD Technical Director will be responsible for liaising with the State Sports Association's Competition Manager.

The Sports Liaison Officer (SLO) will be responsible for informing Games Headquarters GHQ and the ICSD Technical Director will be responsible for informing ICSD Executive about the protest and also the outcome of the protest.

9.6. Clothing
9.6.1. Each team shall wear its official colours as declared on the official entry form. If the two teams colours might cause confusion, team A of the official match schedule shall be entitled to wear its official outfit and team B shall use its reserve outfit or, if necessary, a combination of the official and the reserve outfit; ICSD - Technical Committee decides the matter.
Please note that team shirts predominantly of black colour are forbidden, as it will clash with the referee's uniform.

9.6.2. In addition to the official outfit, each team shall have a reserve outfit (reserve colours), which shall also be declared on the entry form. The colours of the reserve outfit (shirt, shorts and socks) shall be noticeably different from and contrast with the colours of the official outfit (shirt, shorts and socks). The reserve outfit shall also be taken to every match.

9.6.3. Throughout the final competition, each player shall wear the number allotted to him on the official players' list. The colour of the numbers must contrast clearly with the outfits (light on dark or vie versa) and be legible from a distance for spectators in the stadium and possibly television viewers. These numbers shall be between 25 cm 35 cm in height in the centre of the back of the shirt, between 10 cm and 15 cm in height on the front of the shirt in any position at chest level, and between 10 cm and 15 cm in height in any position on the front of either leg of the shorts.

9.6.4. The national association's emblem may also be worn as a badge on the shirt.

9.6.5. With the exception of the manufacturer's trademark, no kind of identification of sponsors or any other third party or slogans of a political, commercial, religious or racist nature or any others slogans are permitted on any garments or equipment of players and goalkeepers (shirts, vests, shorts, thermal shorts, socks, gloves, caps, underwear etc.) in the entire pitch area.

9.6.6. The manufacturer's authorized trademark may be used once as a graphic logo or name, or graphic logo and name combined (in accordance with the World Championships Regulations).

9.7. Hearing Aids
The use of hearing aids or external cochlear implant aids is strictly forbidden during the time of match. In case of offense, the match shall immediately be stopped and the offending team shall lose by 3-0.

10. TECHNICAL MEETING
The Football technical meeting will be held at Pan-Peloponnesian stadium on 01-07-08. Each participating National Association may be represented by two officials, of whom at least one must be deaf and, if necessary, an interpreter.

11. CAUTIONS
A caution (Yellow card) is a warning from the referee to a player during a match to sanction unsporting behaviour of a less serious nature.
Two cautions received during the same match incur an expulsion (indirect red card) and, consequently, automatic suspension from the next match. The two cautions that incurred the red card are rescinded;
The following incur automatic suspension from the subsequent match; two (2) cautions received in two (2) different matches of the same competition in every other championship.
The Disciplinary Committee (ICSD) may extend the duration of this suspension.
If an abandoned match is to be replayed any caution issued during that match shall be annulled. If the match is not be replayed, the cautions received by the team responsible for causing the match to be abandoned are upheld.; if both team are responsible all of the cautions are upheld.
If a player is guilty of serious unsporting behavior as defined (direct red card), any other caution he has previously received in the same match is upheld.

11.1. Carrying Over Cautions
Cautions received during one competition are not carried over to another competition.
They are, however, carried over from one round to the next same competition. The Disciplinary Committee may exceptionally depart from this rule before the start of a particular competition.

11.2. Cancellation of Cautions
At the request of a confederation, the Disciplinary Committee may cancel cautions that have not resulted in a match suspension so as to restore the balance among several teams that have not played the same number of matches during the Qualifying competition (European, Asia and Africa continent.)
In any case, the committee may do this only once in any competition.
The Disciplinary Committee's decision is final.

Revised/updated: May 2008