THE
CANADIAN RULE BOOK
FOR
AMATEUR TACKLE FOOTBALL
RULE 8
-APPLICATION OF PENALTIES
Penalties shall fall into the following
categories:
(a)
Loss of Down
(b)
Loss of Distance
(c)
Option Penalties
(d)
Penalties after Legal Gains
(e)
Restricted Penalties
(f)
Penalties in End Zone
(g)
Disqualification
(h)
Unnecessary Roughness and Rough Play Penalties
(i)
Dual and Double Penalties
In any penalty, loss of a down (LD)
means that the down upon which the foul occurred has used up one of the series
of 3 consecutive downs permitted.
Distance penalties of varying lengths
may be assessed for various infractions. For
any foul calling for a distance penalty, there shall be no loss of down.
Exception – Unnecessary Roughness, Rough Play, Objectionable Conduct, and
Playing without a mouth guard.
(a)
When a foul has been committed on any play, the non-offending team shall
be entitled to the penalty, or the option of declining the penalty to take any
advantage of field position, score, down, time, etc.
The non-offending team may decline a score to accept a penalty, or may
decline a penalty to allow a score in order to gain an advantage from field
position, or may allow a score to gain an advantage from a better point of
application of a penalty such as UR.
(b)
In certain cases, where so stated, a penalty shall be applied without the
necessity of choosing an option. This
gives the non-offending team the advantage of the play in addition to the
penalty. These cases include fouls such as Unnecessary Roughness, Rough Play,
Objectionable Conduct, and No Mouthguard, etc..
(c)
A team may decline the distance for any penalty, including those covered
in 4 (b) above, if they feel the application of
the distance would not be advantageous to them. The non-offending team may
decline the penalty for any foul which occurs after the ball has been snapped,
during the final play of a period, in order to terminate the period.
(d)
Once the captain entitled to the option has made the choice of accepting
or declining the penalty, the choice may not be revoked.
(e)
When dual fouls occur, one or both penalties may be refused. Exception
– Unnecessary Roughness, Rough Play, Objectionable Conduct, No Mouthguard.
The first option shall be given to the Team against whom the first foul
occurred.
(f)
The disqualification penalty cannot be declined by the non-offending
team, but immediate legal substitution is permitted.
The disqualification shall be entered in the Referee’s report to the
appropriate league authority.
If Team A or Team B commits a foul on a
scrimmage play after Team A has legally gained the distance for 1st
down, the penalty shall be applied from the point where the ball was held when
the foul occurred, and 1st down awarded at the point where the ball is
placed after the penalty application, with 10 to go.
If Team A commits a foul on a scrimmage
play prior to gaining the distance for 1st down, the penalty shall be
applied form the PLS, with the down repeated.
If a team legally obtains possession of
the ball by a pass interception, recovered fumble, received kick, and then
commits a foul, the penalty shall be applied from the point where the ball was
held when the foul occurred and 1st down awarded at the point where
the ball is placed after the penalty application, 10 to go.
(a)
Kick – If either team commits a foul while the ball is “in Flight”,
the penalty shall be applied at the point of possession by the team, which
legally gains possession. Those
penalties which are normally applied without option may be applied at PBD at the
option of the non-offending team.
(b) Loose Ball – If the foul directly affects the recovery of the ball, the
ball will be awarded to the non-offending team
at the PF.
If the foul
occurs in an area remote from the loose ball, the penalty will be applied at the
PLS, if the foul occurs during a scrimmage play before the required distance is
gained, and at the point of possession in other situations.
Article 5 –
After the Ball is Dead
If either Team commits a foul after the
ball is dead, it shall be ignored unless it is Rough Play, Unnecessary
Roughness, or Objectionable Conduct, which will be applied at the appropriate
spot. If such a foul occurs after a
score, the score shall count, and the foul shall be ignored unless it is Rough
Play, Unnecessary Roughness, or Objectionable Conduct, which will be applied on
the subsequent scrimmage play, convert, or kick off at the option of the
non-offending team. There is no
option to decline the score since the infraction
occurred during the dead ball period following the score.
A yardage penalty applied within 30
yards of the offending team’s goal line, shall not exceed one half the
distance between the point from which the penalty is applied and that goal line.
Exception: -
pass interference
- double penalties involving UR, RP Objectionable Conduct, or No Mouthguard,
including double penalties
which form part of a dual penalty.
The ball shall not be scrimmaged within
the 1 yard line.
A 25 yard penalty applied from a point
outside the offending team’s 30 yard line shall not advance the ball closer
than that team’s 15 yard line.
Exception: - double penalties involving UR, RP, Objectionable Conduct or No
Mouthguard.
Article
3 – Distance Gained by Restricted Penalty.
If an restricted penalty would have
resulted in distance gained, or the goal line reached by Team A, a first down
shall be awarded.
(a)
Team A – when PLS is the A 1, and Team A commits any infraction
Penalty: 1.2D – LD, 3D – DR.
(b)
Team B – where PLS is the B 1 yard line and Team B commits any
infraction
Penalty: 1D at 1 yard
line to Team A
SECTION
4. FOULS IN END ZONE
Note: A rouge (1 point) will
be awarded under this article, if the ball has been kicked into the end zone.
(a)
Team A
1. If Team A commits a foul in its own end zone while in possession of the
ball within its own end zone, Team B
shall
be awarded a rouge or a safety touch
(1 or 2 points) as applicable, or option.
2. If Team A makes an offside pass in its own end zone, and retains
possession of the ball, Team B shall
be
awarded a Rouge or a safety touch (1 or 2 points) as applicable, or option.
3. If a kicked ball lands and is loose in the end zone before possession is
gained by A, and Team A commits a
foul
in its own end zone, Team B shall be
awarded a rouge (1 point) or option.
4
If an A player fumbles the ball in his own end zone, and while the ball
is loose, Team A commits Illegal
Interference, thus preventing Team B from
gaining possession of the ball in the end zone:
Penalty: Team B may accept a rouge or a safety touch (1 or 2 points) as applicable
OR
Team
B may take possession of the ball as 1st down at the PLS or the 10
yard line, whichever is closer
to
the goal line.
(b)
Team B
1.
If Team B commits a foul in its own end zone, while in possession of the
ball Team A shall be awarded a rouge or safety touch ( 1 or 2 points) as applicable (Exception
– see interception in End Zone –
( Rule 6 Section 4, Article 11).
2.
If Team B makes an offside pass in its own end zone, after receiving a
Team A kick in the end zone, Team A shall be awarded a rouge, or option.
3.
If Team B makes an offside pass in its own end zone, while intercepting
or after intercepting a Team A forward pass, there is no score.
If the ball goes dead in the end zone, Team B shall scrimmage at the B
10. If the ball goes dead in the
field of play, Team B shall scrimmage at the PBD or at the B 10 at the option of
Team A.
4.
If a kicked ball lands and is loose in the end zone before possession is
gained by B and Team B commits a foul in its own end zone, Team A shall be
awarded a rouge (1 point) or option.
5.
If the ball is loose in the Team B end zone, and Team B commits illegal
interference, thus preventing Team A from gaining possession of the ball in the
end zone:
Penalty:
Team A may take possession of the ball as 1st down at the B
10, or at the PLS whichever is closer to
the B goal line, or accept any score in
the event that Team A recovers the ball , or accept a score of 1
or 2 points as
applicable and B will put the ball into play in the manner required, or decline
the penalty
and allow Team B to scrimmage at the PBD if B advances the ball into
the field of play.
Article
2 – Fouls in Opponents’ End Zone.
(a) Team A
1.
If Team A commits a foul in the Team B end zone on a play from scrimmage,
the penalty shall be applied as
though the foul has occurred on the field of
play.
2. If the kicking team commits a “restraining zone” foul in the
receiving team’s end zone, the receiving team shall
scrimmage at their 15-yard
line. Exception: (Rule 5 Section 4 Article 3(i))
3.
If the ball is loose in the Team B end zone, and Team A commits illegal
interference, thus preventing Team B
from
gaining possession of the ball in the
end zone:
Penalty:
No score, B scrimmage 1D at B 10.
(b)
Team B
1.
If Team B commits a foul in the team A end zone on a play from scrimmage,
the penalty shall be applied as
though
the foul had occurred on the field of
play.
2.
If an A player fumbles the ball in his own end zone, and while the ball
is loose, Team B commits illegal
interference, thus preventing Team A from
regaining possession in the end zone:
Penalty:
No Score by B. Automatic 1st down for Team A at PLS, or at the 10
yard line, at the option of Team
A.
See (Rule 6, Section 4, Article 11)
(a)
If Team A commits a foul on the field of play while the ball is in the A
end zone, the penalty shall be applied from the PLS (Except UR, RP, etc.).
(b)
If Team B commits a foul on the field of play while the ball is in the B
end zone, the penalty shall be applied from the B 10 Yard line (Except UR, RP,
etc.).
(c)
If Team A commits a foul on the field of play while the ball is in the B
end zone, the ball shall be awarded to team B at any point between the hash
marks on the B 10 yard line (UR, RP etc., may be applied at the 10 yard line or
at PBD).
(d)
If Team B commits a foul on the filed of play while the ball is in the A
end zone, the penalty shall be applied at PLS. (UR, RP etc., may be applied at
the PLS or at the PBD).
The distance penalties for Unnecessary
Roughness and Rough Play will be applied in addition to the advantage of
distance gained and score made. In
addition to the distance, an automatic 1st down will be awarded to
Team A for Unnecessary Roughness or Rough Play by Team B, unless it is part of a
dual penalty where both infractions are UR or RP.
The non-offending team shall have the
option of having the penalty applied at PLS, DR or of allowing the play to stand
and have the penalty applied at PBD, with downs continuing.
The non-offending team shall have the
option of having the penalty applied at PBH at the time of the foul, or at PBD.
If the point of application selected results in distance gained, 1st
down will be awarded, the penalty applied, and it will the 1D and 10 at the
point following the penalty application.
Article
4 – Change of Possession – Foul before change.
Where a foul occurs during a play in
which possession changes, before possession is gained, such as on a kick,
intercepted forward pass, or fumble recovery-
(a) Foul before possession is lost – Apply penalty a PLS, point of
possession, or PBD at option of non-offending team.
(b)
Ball in flight – Apply penalty at the point of possession or PBD.
(c)
Loose Ball – Apply penalty at PF or at the PP, or PBD as appropriate if
the foul is in the area of recovery of the ball,
or the recovery of the ball is
affected.
-
Apply penalty at PP if the foul was in an area remote from the point of
recovery, where the foul did not affect the
recovery of the ball, or at the PBD.
Where a foul occurs after possession has
changed, the non-offending team shall have the option of having the penalty
applied at the PBH at the time of the foul, or at the PBD.
If the foul occurs after Team B has
gained possession in their own end zone and the ball goes dead in the end zone
(exception – intercepted forward pass, (Rule 6-4-11).
(a) UR or RP by Team A before ball is dead.
Penalty:
No score. UR -15 yard penalty
applied at the 10, B 1D and 10 on B 25.
RP -25 yard
penalty applied at the 10, B 1D and 10 on 35 and disqualification.
(b)
UR or RP by Team B before ball is dead.
Penalty:
Score allowed, UR 15 yard penalty, or RP 25 yard and disqualification,
applied on the subsequent play.
NOTE: If
the B infraction occurs on an intercepted FP by B in the end zone, (Rule
6-4-11) applies
(c)
UR or RP by Team A or B after the ball is dead.
Penalty:
Score allowed if applicable. UR
15 yard penalty applied on the subsequent play.
RP –
disqualification and 25 yard applied on the subsequent play.
When an Unnecessary Roughness or Rough
Play foul also constitutes Illegal Interference, affecting the recovery of a
fumble or loose ball:
Penalty: -
option to the non-offending team
- L15 (UR) or L25 (RP) – PF, 1D
OR,
- L15 (UR) or L25 (RP) – PBD, 1D (if the non-offending team recovers)
NOTE:
First down is awarded for UR or RP by Team B (automatic) or is awarded
for the illegal interference
affecting the recovery of the loose ball by Team A.
Where illegal interference also includes
UR or RP:
The UR or RP penalty will be added to
the distance penalty for the illegal interference.
Penalty:
Team A
- L15 from PLS for Illegal
Interference plus L15 for UR or L25 (RP), and DR.
Team B - If PF is less than 15 from PLS – L15 from PF for UR or L25
(RP), and 1D.
- If PF is more than 15 from PLS – L15 from PLS for
Illegal Interference,
plus L15 for the UR or L25
(RP),
and 1D.
- If PF is behind the PLS,
L15 from PLS for UR or L25 (RP), and 1D.
NOTE: The distance penalty awarded for the Illegal Interference is not subject
to the restriction near the goal
line, but any additional distance awarded for
the UR or RP is subject to the normal restrictions
(Rule
8, Section 3, Article 1).
Penalty:
Convert
Team
A (a) Successful attempt:
- L15 for Illegal Interference plus L15 for UR or L25 (RP) – repeat
convert, OR
- L15 for
Illegal Interference, repeat convert. Apply L15 for UR or L25 (RP) on kick off, OR
- Repeat
convert at PLS. Apply L15 for
Illegal Interference plus L15 for UR or L25 (RP) on
the
kick
off.
(b) Unsuccessful attempt:
- Apply penalties on the kick off.
Team B
(a) Successful attempt:
- Accept any
score, apply penalties L15 (Illegal Interference) + L15 (UR) or L25 (RP) on the kick
off.
(b) Unsuccessful attempt:
- Repeat convert at B 1 yard
line. Apply UR or RP penalty on the kick
off, OR
- Repeat
convert at PLS. Apply penalties L15
(Illegal Interference) + L15 (UR) or L25 (RP) on
the kick off.
Dual Fouls –
adjust
penalties at PLS. Repeat convert.
The penalty will be applied as follows:
(a)
Foul by Team A
1.
Convert successful- Team B option-
- allow score,
apply penalty on the kick off.
- disallow
score, apply penalty at PLS, and repeat convert.
- disallow
score, repeat convert at PLS, and apply penalty on the kick off.
2.
Convert unsuccessful – L15 (or 25) on subsequent kick off.
(b)
Foul by Team B
1.
Convert successful – Team A option -
- accept score, apply penalty on the kick off.
-
decline
score, apply penalty at PLS, and repeat convert.
-
decline
score, repeat convert a PLS, and apply penalty on the kick off.
2.
Convert unsuccessful – Team A option –
- apply
penalty at PLS, and repeat convert.
- repeat
convert at PLS, and apply penalty in the kick off.
Article
10 – Score
(a)
Foul by Team A before score – B option L15 PLS DR, or PBH if the foul
occurs after distance gained, or allow score and apply the penalty on subsequent
play.
(b)
Foul by Team B before score – A option plus 15 PLS 1D, or PBH if the
foul occurs after distance gained, or accept score and apply the penalty on
subsequent play.
(c)
Foul by Team A or Team B after score.
The score is allowed and the penalty will be applied on the subsequent
play.
NOTE:
In (a), (b) and (c), if the subsequent play is a convert attempt, the
penalty may be applied on the convert or
on the kick off following the convert.
When the foul occurs after the ball has
been declared dead, the down has been used, and the penalty shall be applied at
the PBD.
Penalty:
1.2D - Penalty applied at PBD, downs continue (unless the required distance is
gained by the
play or the penalty is against Team B).
3D - DG – Penalty applied at PBD, Team A 1st D and 10.
- DNG – Continuity of downs interrupted. Ball awarded to Team B.
Penalty applied at PBD
Team
B 1D
and 10.
NOTE: Piling
on is a foul, which occurs after the ball is dead. If this occurs on a 3rd D, when DNG, the ball
is
automatically awarded to Team B when it becomes dead. The piling on foul cannot award the ball
back to Team A, so
the penalty of the automatic first down does not apply.
Article
1 – Dual Foul
Dual fouls occur when each team commits
one or more fouls on the same play.
Article
2
With the exception of Unnecessary
Roughness and Rough Play, dual penalties will be administered as follows:
(a)
Both penalties must be accepted for the dual penalty rule to apply.
If one team declines the penalty, the remaining penalty is applied as a
single penalty.
(b)
If both penalties are accepted, the distance penalties will be adjusted
at one of 3 points in general. These
points, as shown in the following articles are – PLS, PBH at the time of the
first foul, and the point of possession (PP).
(c)
The teams have the option of acceptance of penalty as determined by the
sequence in which the offences occurred, e.g. First offence by A – First
option to B.
(d)
If one of the dual fouls is a non-distance foul, it shall be applied as a
10 yard penalty – e.g. Illegal Forward Pass Interference by team B less than 15 yards
from PLS.
(e)
A ”restraining zone” foul is an “in flight” foul for the purpose
of this rule.
(f)
Pass interference by Team B is not an automatic first down in a dual foul
situation.
(g)
Where both fouls are UR or RP the automatic 1D for the B foul will not
apply. The distance penalties will
be adjusted at the appropriate point of application.
Article
3 – Application of Penalties
The penalties will be adjusted at the
appropriate point of application of the first foul. If the first foul is UR or RP, the non-offending team shall
have the option of adjusting the penalties at the appropriate point of
application of the first or second foul.
Article
4 – Double Fouls (by one team)
When a team has been guilty of two or
more infractions on the same play, the non-offending team may take its choice of
one of the penalties. If one of the fouls is UR or RP, Objectionable Conduct, or
No Mouthguard, it shall be added to the penalty chosen, at the point of
application of the penalty chosen.
Where UR or RP occurs before a change of
possession and another penalty such as Holding or Blocking from the Rear occurs
after the change of possession, if the UR or RP penalty is chosen to cancel the
change of possession, the other penalties are not applied (except another UR
or RP).
If the other penalty is accepted, and
the change of possession remains, the point of application is PBH, and the UR or
RP penalty will be added to that penalty.
Fouls on repeated converts – If a team
fouls on a convert, and the non-offending team chooses to apply the penalty on
the kick off, fouls by the same team on repeated convert attempts may be added to
the first penalty and applied on the kick off at the option of the non-offending
team.
If 2 or more fouls occur on any convert,
or repeated convert, the choice of penalty will be made in accordance with
paragraph 1 of this article.
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