Tournament regulation

§ 1. General Regulations

Gothia Cup Innebandy will be played in accordance with all applicable parts on the Swedish Floorball Federation (SIBF) rules. When subject to interpretation of SIBF's rules or these regulations, the English text applies.

§ 2. Competition rules

2.1

Participating teams must belong to a club or academy that is registered with its national Floorball affiliated association. All players must be registered with the club they are playing for. Please note that players cannot belong to a club from a country where the player is not residing.

2.2

Combined teams are only allowed after approval from the tournament jury. The application to play with a combined team must be stated upon registration. No club collaborations are valid during the tournament. Combined teams are only valid if the combined teams are currently active in regular matches/season in their home country/district.

2.3

The competition starts with group play. The teams are divided into groups of five (With uneven number of teams in a age category it may happen that some groups contain six or four teams) where all teams will meet in a round robin series. The relative order of the teams in the group stage will be decided by the number of points. Victory gives 3 points, draw 1 point and a lost game 0 points. If two or more teams have the same number of points, the order between the affected teams will be decided as follows:

1. The result of the match/es between team with equal points

a. Number of points
b. Goal difference
c. Highest number of goals scored

2. Goal difference
3. Highest number of goals scored
4. Number of penalty minutes
5. By drawing

Play off

The two first teams in each group will advance to play off A. The other teams in the group will advance to play off B. All play off games will be decided by the cup system, i.e. by direct elimination. A draw in the play off matches applies penalties directly (five penalties per team).

B11

Class B11 will be played in accordance with the Swedish Floorball Federation (SIBF) rules for the age group, i.e. with four players on the court and a goalkeeper, on a smaller court and with junior size goals and there are no tables or play off. Instead a round robin series is played and all teams are guaranteed a minimum of five matches. Class B11 play with without suspensions. Penalties can be imposed. In the last match for each team each player will receive a medal.

We reserve the right to merge or divide age categories if there are not enough or to many teams registered.

§ 4. Playing periods

Group matches: 2 x 15 minutes
Play off: 2 x 20 minutes

Running clock will apply in all matches. The last minute in play off matches, game time will be effective.

If the score difference in a match is 10 goals or more, time will NOT be stopped when scoring or when suspension.

§ 5. Time out

In the group stage games, time out is not allowed. In play off and finals one time out of 30 seconds per team and game is allowed.

§ 6. Number of players and substitutes

There is no limit to the number of players in each team. However, you can only use a maximum of 20 players for each match. It’s allowed to use players from the same club in multiple teams during tournament, but NOT in the same age class. The players must be listed on all teams’ participation lists.

§ 7. Age dispensations

Players granted an age dispensation may only participate in the class for which the dispensation has been approved. A maximum of two (2) over-age players with dispensation are permitted per match. If there are exceptional circumstances requiring an additional player per match, the tournament jury will consider the request.

To be eligible for an age dispensation, the player must:

Normally belong to and regularly participate in the team's ordinary activities.
Already hold a corresponding dispensation from the relevant district or national association, or be able to verify their regular affiliation with the team.
Be registered as a dispensation player before the application deadline.

Please note that it is not possible to apply for a dispensation if you represent a combined team.

A dispensation fee of SEK 250 per player will be charged for each approved dispensation. The fee is non-refundable in the event of cancellation. All dispensation applications are processed by the Gothia Cup Innebandy Competition Jury.

Please note that players granted a dispensation are restricted to participating only for the team for which the dispensation has been approved.

Dispensation applications must be received no later than 15 December. Applications submitted after 15 December due to extraordinary circumstances will be subject to a fee of SEK 500 per player. This fee must be paid regardless of whether the application is approved or denied. Applications submitted after 15 December will not be processed until payment has been received. No new dispensation applications will be processed after 7:00 PM on 2 January, regardless of the reason.

Younger players may participate in older age categories without a dispensation. Girls may participate in boys' teams in all categories without a dispensation, provided that the age category regulations are followed.

§ 8. Participant list

In order to be allowed to play, all teams must submit the digital participant list, including all players that will play in the tournament before their first tournament match. Only the specified players are allowed to participate. Supplementation is not permitted after 08.00 hours on the tournament's first day. Exemption can only be made if the team need to add a new goalkeeper due to injury or sickness on the registered goalkeeper for who a doctor's certificate must be presented.

The participant list is submitted online at Gothia Account.

§ 9. Match details

A team list must be printed and handed to the court secretariat before every match. The team list is not the same as the participant list. No match can begin before both teams have handed in their team list. Failure to do so could result in disqualification or walk over victory for the opposing team.

All team shirts must be numbered and the numbers must correspond to the numbers on the team list. Numbers must be on the back of the shirts. Two players may not use the same number in any given match.

If the referee decides that one team should change shirts due to similarity to the opposing team’s shirts, the team appearing last in the program must change.

The team manager must make sure that his players are adequately insured.

All players in the age categories 16 years or younger must wear protective glasses. Gothia Cup Innebandy does not require glasses for foreign teams.

§ 10. Referees

The referees are selected by Gothia Cup Innebandy and Västsvenska Innebandy förbundet (VSIBF (Gothenburg Floorball Association)).

§ 11. The tournament jury

The jury of the tournament consists of representatives from the VSIBF, and Gothia Cup Innebandy. Protests and penalty matters will be handled by the jury. Its written decisions are final and can’t be appealed or changed.

§ 12. The organization committee

The Gothia Cup Innebandy is organized by BK Häcken.

§ 13. Protests and penalties

Any and all protests must be made in writing by the team manager no later than 90 minutes after the match is finished. Protests must be delivered to the competition center at Kviberg Arena. A protest fee of 2000 SEK will be paid at that time. This fee will be returned if the protest is approved.

§ 14. Match penalty

Technical Match penalty 1 (earlier M1) leads to immediate suspension in the given match.
Mild Match penalty (earlier M2) leads to immediate suspension in the given match and automatically suspension in the next match.
Rough Match penalty (earlier M3), the consequence will be decided by the tournament jury and discipline committee. Minimum suspension is one match.

§ 15. Walk over

Any team not appearing at the appointed time and place for a match without a valid excuse can be excluded from the tournament and might be charged with a penalty fee if extraordinary reasons are not given. The teams all played matches will be annulled.

§ 16. Playing program

The organization committee has the right to change in the game schedule; the groups, times and courts. Notice about this will be given to every team leader.

§ 17. School regulations

The schools are provided by the municipality. The following rules of conduct applies;

The team managers are responsible for any damage caused by its players.
It is forbidden to consume any nuts or alcohol and to smoke in the school areas.
Silence is prescribed in each school between 23.00-06.00 (11pm – 6am). Show consideration for the other teams.
Doors between the corridors and the stairs must be closed.
Before departure all teams must clean their classroom.
It’s forbidden to play floorball inside the school.
It is forbidden to use heat guns to bend the playing sticks. The fire alarm is very sensitive.

Failure to comply with these rules will be dealt with by the jury and may result in exclusion from the tournament and lodgings.

§ 18. Insurance

18.1

By registering to participate in Gothia Cup Innebandy, the registrant (who is the team captain in charge or someone else tasked by the team captain in charge) verifies that the team captain in charge has been made aware of these stipulations and that the team captain in charge has the necessary authority and permission from the participants, the participants’ guardians and the registered association. Participation in the tournament is at the participants’ own risk and the team captain in charge is responsible for all participants whom the team captain has registered, which should be included in the list of participants.

18.2

The team captain in charge is obligated to ensure that all participants are insured both on and off the pitch. Neither Gothia Cup Innebandy nor the organizer has collective insurance to cover injuries, illness, theft or damages. Neither Gothia Cup Innebandy nor the organizer is responsible for compensation and they are also not responsible for financial losses or damages that may occur due to events outside the control of Gothia Cup Innebandy or the organizer, such as war-like events, fire, flood, interruptions in public transport connections, government actions, strike or other similar circumstances.