CHAPTER I

GENERAL REGULATIONS

Article 1. The rules of the present Regulation apply for all the Leagues, Regional and World Championships of both branches supported or organized by FIMBA

AUTHORITIES OF THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Article 2. The FIMBA Championships authorities shall be:

The Competition Director
The Technical Coordinator
The Disciplinary Board.

OFFICIAL LANUAGES

Article 3. The official languages of championship are Spanish and English. The Organizing Committee is obliged to have available interpreters. Russian and Portuguese languages are optional and there should be available interpreters if necessary.

LEAGUES, WORLD AND REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Article 4. The World and Regional championships shall last up to ten (10) days. They will begin on Friday at 09:00 am with the teams, players, companions and participants’ registration, and the mandatory Technical Congress and will be played in nine eight (8) or nine (9) days, starting on Saturday morning and ending Saturday or Sunday of the next week at 20:00 pm. There shall be two (2) or three (3) rest days for team throughout the whole event. The rest days must not be consecutive nor occur in the same phase.

Article 4. bis. The Leagues shall last six (6) days. They will begin the prior day to the games at 12:00 pm with the teams and players registration. That day will be organized the informative Technical Congress. It will be played in five (5) days, starting the day after when the Opening Celebration will be organized and will last until the sixth day at 6:00 pm. Teams allow players from different countries accomplishing the following rules: a) players must have the age of his/her category or reach it during the year of the tournament, and b) players cannot play in any higher age category.

CHAPTER II

THE TEAMS

AGE CATEGORIES

Article 5. Maxibasketball Leagues, Regional and World Championships age categories (referred categories in the following) are as follows:

Women: 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60 and 65 years and over,
Men: 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 65, 70,75 and 80 years and over.

Article 6. In the future new categories could be introduced.

AGE OF THE PLAYERS

Article 7. The participations of the players in the categories established in the preceding articles shall be subject to the following rules:

Players must have the age of his/her category or reach it during the year of the tournament.
Players cannot play in any higher age category.
In the last two categories of both branches may play only two (2) players of one (1) year below the age, only for completing the minimum of 10 players of the team roster. The inclusion has to be authorized by the FMBA Representative of the country who will inform the fact 30 days prior the registration deadline.

QUANTITY OF COUNTRIES AND TEAMS BY CATEGORY

Article 8. The minimum quantity of countries for setting a category shall be three (3).

Article 9. If there is not a minimum of four (4) teams in an official category, the teams of this category shall play against the teams in the lower category. For the final standing and if there are at least two (2) teams from different countries, there shall be final games for the first place amongst the teams of their own category. The teams will receive the corresponding championship medals on the basis of their placing in their own category.

TEAMS PER COUNTRY AND CATEGORIES

Article 10. Every country may register more than one team by category. The teams will be identified as A, B, etc.
All teams need the endorsement of the national FIMBA Representative in order to make the registration.
Article 10 bis. In the regional championships there will be accepted teams from other regions. They will be called “Ambassadors”.

Players of these teams may be of the same country or different but of the same region,
Ambassadors teams from the same country must have participated or be registered in their region championship of the same year,
In case of teams with players from different countries the players must have participated or be enrolled in teams of their region in the same year. These teams are referred as FIMBA teams,
Ambassador teams cannot access the games for the final positions,
The amount, the category and the branch will be determined by FIMBA in each championship.

FINALS BETWEEN COUNTRIES

Article 11. No country may be worthy for both 1st and 2nd place awards in the same category.

The teams of a country participating in the same category must eliminate each other, so that only one maximum team may reach the final regardless of the pools from which they come and their location in them.

PLAYING SYSTEM

Article 12. The championship playing system will be by classification pools, which will be formed by drawing and according to official calendars.

Before the draw for the establishment of the pools and the realization of the official schedule, those teams that for reasons of religion, special situations or force majeure cannot play some day of the championship shall inform in writing to the FIMBA Technical Committee, in order to to have foreseen at the time of making the respective calendar. After this date there will be no changes for any reason.

CHAPTER III

PARTICIPANTS – PLAYERS AND ROSTERS

PARTICIPANTS

Article 13. Participants means: all players, delegates, coaches, auxiliaries, referees, score keepers, registered companions, event governors, staff and FIMBA governors, etc.

An auxiliary means an official team member other than a player, coach or delegate.

Art. 13 bis
No referee or score keepers can participate as a player in the same tournament. No assistant or official team member may participate as a referee in the same tournament.

DIPLOMAS

Article 14. The Organizing Committee will give a diploma of participation to all the Championship’s participants, signed by the President of the Organizing Committee, the President of FIMBA and/or the President of the Regional Committee.

TEAMS

Article 15. Every team may have a delegate responsible.

Article 16. Derogated

Article 17. Teams shall afford the following expenses:

Lodging and travel,
The payment of the championship entry fee,
All members’ charges and expenses during the tournament, and
The domestic travel expenses.

Article 17 bis. The teams, the auxiliaries and the companions who by any reason cannot participate in a championship, will be refunded with the 100% of the payment of the registration fees (minus expenses) subject to the information to the Organizing Committee not later than one hundred and twenty (120) days previus to the beginning of the championship, and will be refunded with the 50% of the payment of the registration fees subject to the information to the Organizing Committee not later than sixty (60) days previous to the beginning of the championship.

After that time no refund will be reimbursed for retirement or nonattendance. The registration fees paid will be kept to cover the expenses of the championship.

REGISTRATION CARD

Article 18. Each member of the participating teams will receive a personal registration card with the Fimba License number, his/her personal data, birth date and representing country.

PLAYERS

Article 19. The participating teams shall be composed of native players of their country.

Players pretending to play in a different country of his/her nationality must demonstrate conclusively with the signature of the FIMBA Representative of his country to have one-year of residence in it.
Players playing for a country will not be allowed to play for another one until the next tournament of the same kind of championship. The period will never be less than two years.

Article 19 bis. All participants must hold their FIMBA License in order to be able to integrate a team; It must be authenticated by the National Representative. In his/her absence shall be authenticated by the President of the correspondent Region.

ELIGIBILLITY OF THE PLAYERS

Article 20. A player eligible to play at FIMBA Championships, Leagues, Regional and World Championships is one who:

Has his/her Fimba License,
Demonstrate the appropriate age or whose corresponding birthday takes place within the current calendar year in compliance with Article 7,
b) Is registered in the team roster of his/her team previous to the start of the championship,
d) Has presented to the national FIMBA Representative his/her physical aptitude and signed a waiver of responsibilities.

DELEGATES

Article 21. For the championship authorities the delegate is the team representative and responsible for:

Registering the team,
Submitting the official team roster on time including the Fimba License number of each player, and accomplishing all the formalities,
Making changes and adding players on time.
Accomplishing all and every FIMBA rules and regulations,
Signing the Delegate Waiver Form.

TEAM ROSTER

Article 22. The team roster of each team participating in a FIMBA Championship, Leagues, Regional or World Championships shall be filled on-line or e-mailed to the Organizing Committee, prior to the deadline of the tournament registration with each player’s Fimba License number.

In case there is a player without Fimba License it is mandatory to inform the birth date and the active passport number issued by the national authority and bring a copy of it.

Article 22 bis. In the team roster shall be a minimum of players according to the category and up to fifteen (15) players.

They may have three (3) technical auxiliaries to complete the fifteen (15) people in total.
Separately may be registered up to four (4) extra auxiliaries.
In the categories: 30+, 35+, 40+, 45+, and 50+ the team roster shall have a minimum of 8 players.
In the categories: 55+, 60+, 65+, 70+, 75+ and 80+ the team roster shall have a minimum of 10 players
Teams with less than 12 players are allowed to include the coaches, assistants or the delegate as player.
After the first game if a team doesn’t have the necessary amount required to participate because a major force, they can play with the minimum amount necessary for the game according to the FIBA rules.
Only twelve (12) players may play in a game.

PLAYING IN MORE THAN ONE CATEGORY OR TEAM

Article 23. No player is allowed to play in more than one category or team at the same championship.

EXTRA AUXILIARIES

Article 24. Any person added to the team roster of 15 people may not request from the Organizing Committee any right and/or obligation, except they had paid the fees as extra auxiliaries.

Up to four (4) extra auxiliaries in the same team will be allowed.

CHANGES AND INCORPORATIONS

Article 25. Any change or add of players, coach or auxiliaries at the team roster may be made until seven (7) days before to the starting of the championship.

AGES, PHISICAL APTITUDE AND RELEASED WAIVERS

Article 26. At the accreditation the team delegate shall submit to the Organizer Committee: a) the waivers signed by each person of the team roster, and b) will sign the delegate form confirming the possession of the physical aptitude of each member of the team.

PARTICIPATION CERTIFICATE

Article 27. Any participant may request to the Organizing Committee a certificate of his/her participation for the length of the tournament.

PLAYING JERSEYS

Article 28. At the time of registration, each team delegate shall inform the colors of the two sets of the mandatory play jerseys, one light and one dark.

Thirty (30) minutes before each game the delegate shall confirm to the score table the team roster of the 12 players with the numbers of the jerseys for the game.

Article 29. The jerseys may show the team country name and/or advertising. Advertising shall be informed prior to FIMBA for being authorized. No discriminatory images or morally unaccepted inscriptions are allowed. All the jerseys shall have in any front superior angle the FIMBA logo.

CHAPTER IV

TECHNICAL CONGRESS OF A CHAMPIONSHIP AND INFORMATION

Article 30. The Organizing Committee shall arrange an informative Technical Congress with obligatory attendance of all the teams’ delegates before the start of the games.

All information will be previously communicated by the Organizing Committee in the official magazine “Overtime ” of the championship. The Organizing Committee must necessarily have translators of English, Russian, Portuguese and Spanish during the Congress.

At the Technical Congress will be informed the following:

The location of the courts, the games schedule, the tournament and game rules, info of referees and score-keepers, celebrations, ceremonies, general information, etc.
The championship meetings schedule.

3. There will not be changes to the schedule nor any modification of games or dates at the Congress.
4. Any additional information during the tournament shall be notified to the delegates of all the participant teams with certainty of its reception.

ISSUES OF MAXIBASKETBALL GENERAL CONCERN

Article 31. After the Technical Congress it will be able to treat all the matters considered by FIMBA and/or the Regional Committees of general interest for the development and improvement of Maxibasketball, being able to agree time and place of future meetings during the tournament at which teams delegates, the authorities of the Organizing Committee, the Regional authorities, the FIMBA Representatives, the Technical Coordinator, the Competition Director and the authorities of FIMBA will attend.

CHAPTER V

THE TECHNICAL COORDINATOR AND THE COMPETITION DIRECTOR

Article 32. The championship Technical Coordinator will be appointed by FIMBA and shall be considered as:

The Technical Commissioner and controller of the championship,
The coordinator of the referees and the scorekeepers,
The technical chief during the tournament,
The evaluator of the aspirants for FIMBA Referee,
The one who send daily the score sheets and the referees’ reports to the Disciplinary Board informing the disqualification of players without report and the automatic suspensions.

Their duties and rights start whit the appointment and finish with the final report.
The Organizing Committee shall appoint a bilingual person of local language available for assistance and cooperation.

He/she has the duty of attending with the Technical Coordinator to the Technical Congress and to any other meetings scheduled during the tournament in which the Technical Coordinator has to be present.

The duties and rights of the Technical Coordinator are as follows:

Ninety (90) days before the championship will request from the Organizer the list of the minimum and necessary number of referees for the championship, with the level and experience of each one. Will manage more referees in case they are not enough.
Will request the list of the minimum and necessary number of scorekeepers for the championship and will manage more in case they are not enough.
Twenty (20) days prior the championship will make a videoconference with the FIMBA Referees appointed to refresh rules and organize the joint work.
The prior day of the starting of the championship and in a scheduled meeting will have a technical meeting with the championship referees to:

Introduce the national and international referees and,
Inform: a) the rules of the tourney, b) the games schedule, c) the playing system, d) the suggestions for refereeing, e) the changes and information of last moment, etc.

To appoint referees for the games. To appoint the main, the second and or third referee, plus a substitute referee just in case of absence or any circumstantial problem of any of the appointed. A FIMBA Referee will always be the main referee. To remove from the referees board those who do not show enough technical skills to perform in the tournament;
To appoint the scorekeepers -aged not younger than 18 years prior to the start- and to hold meetings with them in order to test their responsibility and knowledge skills;
To control and endorse all the score sheets, checking the progressive score and each player score, as well as the partial and the final results;
At the 72 hours of the start of the tournament will report the evaluation of the aspirants for FIMBA Referee. Those who were showing positive aptitudes will continue and those who are reproved will finish the performance losing the rights of accommodation and extras, returning to the places of origin;
Will submit to FIMBA authorities a general summary of the championship´s technical development, including the qualification of the aspirants for FIMBA Referee;
Will collect from the Organizer and pay to the FIMBA Referees their fees;
Will send or by his/her assistance to the Competition Director of the championship the score sheets, the reports received and the information of the disqualified players without report for the automatic suspension.

Article 33. The referee’s appointment by the championship Technical Coordinator shall not be opposed or objected under any circumstances.

Article 34. The Organizing Committee shall have enough quantity of domestic referees and scorekeepers with skills to cover all the games of the championship, and enough staff to cooperate as supervisors. All of them must be over 18 years old.

If necessary the Technical Coordinator may:

a) Remove referees, scorekeepers and supervisor, and
b) Request and appoint new referees, scorekeepers or supervisors.

Article 35. The person appointed by the Organizing Committee to cooperate with the Technical Coordinator, will indicate the local referees’ level, which will have to be duly authorized by national and international entity to be eligible to cooperate with the international FIMBA referees designated for the tournament.

Any FIMBA referee must have the annual license updated to be eligible for appointment.

COMPETITION DIRECTOR

Article 35 bis. The Competition Director of the championship will be appointed by FIMBA.

1) Their work began the day of his/her appointment and ends with the delivery of the final summary;
2) Have the following powers and duties:

a) Prior to the start of the championship will organize the public teams draw in each category according to the number in each one; after the draw will prepare the championship game schedule with the time table and the courts for each game according to the regulations;
b) During the Technical Congress where shall attend, will:

Remember the rules of the tournament;
Make recommendations for the good discipline of teams and players;
Clarification of the rules;
Recall the obligation of the playing shirts as local or visitors, timeliness of start times of the games, the calendar system in each category, the automatic disqualification or suspension by double technical foul, etc.;
Answer any question of the area;

c) Will maintain the results of all the games of the tournament and the team qualifications list; will be responsible and accountable for completing the qualifying teams drawing for the semi-finals and finals and other position games, accomplishing the FIMBA rules;
d) Upon conclusion of the championship will present to the Organizer and the authorities of FIMBA a summary of the results of all games, the final ranking of the teams and the scoring by category.

CHAPTER VI

CELEBRATIONS

OPENING CELEBRATION

Article 36. The starting day will be organized an Opening Celebration, mandatory for every participant team, in the gym where after the celebration may be organized one game, or where the Organizer propose and is accepted by FIMBA.

The Organizing Committee and FIMBA may decide other kind of celebration appropriate to the tournament interest.

Article 37. Every participant of the country teams shall:

Parade behind their flags and their countries names, carried by people appointed by the Organizing Committee in alphabetical order of countries, excluding the teams of the Organizing country which shall close the parade.
Stand in front at the Honor Stage in a row behind their banner or flag or where the Organizer decides.

The celebration will follow:

The official FIMBA music or any other appropriated will be played during the parade.
Once the teams are in their positions, the National Anthem of the Organizing country will be played.
Next the President of the Organizing Committee will say a few welcome words. Shall not exceed two (2) minutes.
FIMBA President or his representative will greet. The speech shall not exceed three (3) minutes.
The Director of the Regional Entity where the championship is held will officially open the Championship, with these words: “As President of (regional entity), I declare the (number) (Regional or World) Maxibasketball Championship (City and year) officially open”.
Any appropriate music or the official FIMBA anthem will sound and the teams, in case they are in the court, will leave the place through the shortest way, in the entrance order.
After that a show according the event will be presented.
The celebration must not last more than 45 minutes in total.
Once the celebration has finished may be played a nice game scheduled for the date.
After the celebration or the game will start the Welcome Party.

SOCIAL EVENT

Article 38. On Tuesday night before the ending of the qualification groups, a free social event with dinner and amusement will take place joining all the championship participants, authorities and staff. During the event the next host cities will be announced.

REPRESENTATIVE DINNER

Article 39. On Thursday’s night a formal dinner will be served for FIMBA Representatives, authorities and staff of FIMBA, authorities of the Organizing Committee and special guests.

CHAPTER VII

AWARDS AND FINISH OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP

MEDALS AND CUPS

Article 40. Every member of the teams in the four best places in each category and branch shall receive medals as follows, immediately after the end of the games:

A bronze medal for the third place and a grey steel medal for the fourth place.
A gold medal for the first place and a silver medal for the second place.
There will be 15 medals in total for each of the four teams.
Every 1st place team in each category shall receive a cup or a respective award.

TIME OF THE LAST GAME OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP

Article 41. The firsts games will be scheduled after 8 am of the first day and the last scheduled game shall start before 6 pm of the last day.

PRESENTATION OF THE AWARDS

Article 42. FIMBA authorities and the Organizing Committee will present the medals corresponding to the fourth first places and the cup for the first place.

GOODBYE GREET

Article 43. The President of the Organizing Committee will give a goodbye greet to the participants in each celebration.

CHAPTER VIII

THE GAMES

Article 44. All the games in the qualification groups shall have the following score:

Two points (2): For a win;
One point (l): For a loss;
Zero point (0): For the team who fails to attend the game on the scheduled time and court or who leaves the game.

Article 45. Every team shall play no more than one game a day.

Article 46. No team may play two consecutive games in less than 20 hours or play more than three consecutive days.

Article 47. All teams will play a minimum of four (4) and a maximum of seven (7) games during the Regional and World Championship and four (4) maximum in a League. Men categories M60+ and F50+ cannot play more than 6 games in a Regional and World Championship.

Article 48. The games shall be scheduled every one hour and thirty minutes or one hour and forty-five minutes during the qualification, and every one hour and forty-five minutes or two hours at the finals. There shall not be any tolerance. The team, which not shows at the fixed time, shall lose the game.

SUSPENSION OF GAMES

Article 49. A game suspended due to any reason once started or prior its start, shall not be rescheduled. The Disciplinary Board shall decide the corresponding sanctions and the result.

In the case of force majeure without responsibility of any of both teams will be solved by draft made by the Competition Director with the presence of both delegates and the team’s captains.

If the game is suspended after starting for force majeure cause it will be defined with the score until that moment.

Article 50. Derogated

Article 51. Once the draft is made, according the art. 12, there shall not be any change of date or game, nor any reschedule of games for any reason.

GAMES DISPUTE

Article 52. Every game played shall not be played again for any reason, respecting the sanctions and results decided by the Disciplinary Board.

Article 53. All scheduled games shall be played.

FINAL GAMES

Article 54. In all the cases there will be final game in each category, which shall be held, if it is possible, the same day.

TIE SCORE SYSTEM

Article 55. In the event of a tie between two, three or more teams, the standings shall be defined as follows:

Between two teams, the winner of the game qualifies,
Among three or more teams, the Olympic procedure will be applied:

Winners among themselves,
If still remains, goals’ difference (for and against) in the pool,
If still remains, the one who had achieved more goals in the pool.

TRAINING

Article 56. The Organizing Committee shall foresee, within 48 hours prior to the tournament and during the free time of the championship, places and times for training and practice of the teams who had duly requested and submitted in written to the Registration or Information Center.

CHAPTER IX

PLAYING RULES

Article 57. Any playing rule not expressly modified herein, shall be governed by the valid official basketball rules approved by FIBA.

QUARTERS

Article 58. Maxibasketball games shall be played in two (2) halves of 20 minutes each, divided into four (4) quarters of 10 minutes each.

REST BETWEEN QUARTERS

Article 59. There shall be an obligatory 2-minute rest between the first and the second quarter, and between the third and the fourth quarter. There shall be an obligatory 5 to10-minute rest between the first and the second half, i.e. between the second and the third quarter.

RESTART OF THE GAME

Article 60. The first quarter begins with a jump ball between both teams at the court center circle. The rest of the quarters follow the rule of the alternate ball.

TIMEOUTS

Article 61. Each team may request three time outs during the first and second half with a maximum of two per quarter. Overtimes have one timeout per team.

TEAM FOULS

Article 62. A four fouls accumulation by team and per quarter will determine at the fifth foul, the sanction of two throws by the fouled player.

The accumulation of four fouls is per quarter and shall be informed by the table of control in a visible way. Every quarter begin without accumulation of team fouls.

PLAY SHIRTS COLORS

Article 63. The team on the left side of the schedule shall use light jerseys. The team on the right side of the schedule shall use dark jerseys.

SPECIAL RULES FOR UPPER CATEGORIES

Article 64. M60+ and over, and F50+ and over categories will be played by a special rule of ball possession: teams will have 10-seconds for transposing the middle court and the 24-seconds clock will start when it happens.

M60+ and over, and F50+ and over categories will play in the shortest and smallest court used for the event.

SCORE SHEETS

Article 65. Score sheets shall be issued and filled by the Organizing Committee with up to twelve (12) players with the jersey’s numbers submitted by the team delegate 30 minutes prior the game. Players shall be registered at the team roster.

Any administration mistake shall be exclusive on the responsibility of the Organizing Committee and not of the participating teams.

SIGNATURE OF THE SCORE SHEET

Article 66. The captain of the team shall be the only responsible person for signing the score sheet prior to the start of the game in case it is not digital.

CHAPTER X

DISCIPLINARY BOARD OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP

Article 67. A Disciplinary Board will be appointed for every championship composed by three (3) titular members, according the Procedure and Penalties Code for FIMBA Championships. The Organizing Committee shall provide an office at the Information Center, a visible billboard for the information of sanctions, suspensions, appeals, complaints and the decisions of the Disciplinary Board and a similar billboard at the website of the championship.

PREVIOUS DISCIPLINARY SANCTIONS

Article 68. Any person or team punished with a sanction to be complete in a future championship, won´t be allowed to play or participate in any way until the whole punishment is completed.

AUTOMATIC SUSPENSION

Article 69. A disqualified player in a game is automatically suspended for the next game. If a report is sent to the Disciplinary Board he/she must follow the regulations of the Procedure and Penalty Rules.

DOUBLE TECHNICAL FOUL

Article 70. A player punished in the game with a second technical foul will be disqualified from the game.

CHAPTER XI

ESPECIFIC REGULATIONS

Article 71. Every team, player, coach and auxiliary, the FIMBA championships organizers and any official attendant shall fulfill and honor all and every FIMBA rules and regulations.

RIGHT OF ADMISSION

Article 72. FIMBA reserves the right to admit or not the registration of teams and/or team members to the different events and championships organized or sponsored by it with or without the endorsement of the national FIMBA Representative, in the cases where teams or any of its members have committed any of the following: a) Oppose the ideals of FIMBA and/or maxibasketball, b) Do not accept the rules established by FIMBA for the conduct of tournaments of maxibasketball, c) Perform acts or events tending to prevent the organization of the events and tournaments organized or promoted by FIMBA, d) Perform acts or events that tend to damage the image of FIMBA and/or any of its directors. The FIMBA Disciplinary Board may intercede ex officio or in response to any complaint submitted due to the facts mentioned. It is expressly clear that these facts have a merely enunciate character. .

EVENTS PROMOTION

Article 73. FIMBA will only accept the publicity in its own means of the events and championships organized, sponsored or authorized. Will only allow the use of its name and logos for the promotion of tournaments that have been organized, sponsored or previously authorized. It is understood by promotion or publicity in its entire means, to the graphics, televising, social networks, championships, events, congresses, conferences, etc. FIMBA will be able to take action for damages and losses caused against who or whose have breached this rule or used its name or isologotype without authorization.