RULES
for
Member Associations, Players and Coaches
RULES OF ENTRY
1. An entry must be sent and an entry fee must be paid to the ECF by May 31st.
2. A non-returnable entry fee of 400 Euros per team entered is charged to any Association participating in the European Mixed Curling Championships. If a team is later withdrawn from the Championships the entry fee for that team shall be retained, unless the team withdraws prior to May 31st.
3. A National team of a country whose National Association has not paid its annual subscription by the due date shall not be accepted for entry into the European Mixed Curling Championships.
4. Competing teams in the European Mixed Curling Championships are those teams which have been nominated by the respective National Curling Associations. In the event that a team is unable or unwilling to attend a European Mixed Curling Championships the National Curling Association of the country involved may nominate another team to represent that country in the European Mixed Curling Championships. Each National Curling Association may only send one team to the European Mixed Curling Championships. A maximum of six players may be nominated by a National Curling Association.
5. Competing teams for the European Mixed Curling Championships must be declared by the National Curling Associations at least thirty days prior to the start of the competition.
6. Each player in a National team in the European Mixed Curling Championships must be a bona fide member in good standing of his or her national Curling Association.
7. Each player must be qualified nationally to represent their country, i.e.:
a) The athlete is a national of the country they are representing – their residence can be anywhere
or
b) The athlete is a resident of the country they are representing for a period of at least two consecutive years immediately prior to the start of the competition.
c) If an athlete has represented a country in any ECF/WCF competition, or played in an international qualifier for a WCF competition, that athlete may not represent another country in any ECF competition or WCF international qualifier until they fulfill one of the above criteria AND a period of two consecutive years has elapsed.
d) Any dispute relating to the determination of the ECF Member Association which an athlete may represent in an ECF competition, shall be resolved by the ECF Executive Board.
(NOTE: The new eligibility rule will not be implemented retrospectively. No reference will therefore be made to the representation in previous seasons (i.e. 2009-2010) by any individual participants.)
8. Exceptions from these standards may be made at the discretion of the Executive Committee of the European Curling Federation.
RULES OF COMPETITION
More detailed information is available in the Team Meeting Information Document
1. The Spirit of Curling, as written in the WCF rule book, provides the guideline for sportsmanship expected by the European Curling Federation.
2. The rules of play for the European Mixed Curling Championships are the rules of the World Curling Federation currently in use except as hereinafter set forth:
a. Each team shall consist of two male and two female players who shall play alternate positions in the delivery rotation.
b. In the event that after the start of the competition, one or two players of a competing team are unable to continue to play, the team shall select a substitute(s) of the same gender from the players’ pool. A different substitute(s) may be selected for each game.
c. In the event of a team having to resort to playing just three players during a game, the alternate gender order of play must be maintained.
3. The European Curling Federation shall appoint a Chief Umpire annually for the European Mixed Curling Championships.
4. All matters pertaining to the Rules of Play during the European Mixed Curling Championships are adjudicated by umpires. In the event that there is an appeal against an umpire’s decision, then the decision of the Chief Umpire or his/her deputy is final.
5. Each game in the European Mixed Curling Championships shall be eight ends in length. If the teams are tied at the completion of eight ends, an extra end must be played in order to break the tie. If both teams are still tied after an extra end, play must continue for as many ends as may be required to break the tie.
6. In the European Mixed Curling Championships, all games shall be not less than 6 ends.
7. After the completion of the fourth end of play there shall be a short intermission as determined by the Chief Umpire during which time the ice is cleaned and coaches may meet with their teams.
8. No electronic devices shall be used for communication between team members and a coach during the playing of a game.
9. The members of the team throwing light handled stones shall wear light coloured uniform and the members of the team throwing dark coloured handles shall wear dark coloured uniform. NB RED is DARK.
10. All members of a team shall wear identical uniforms in each game. Every garment shall have the player’s surname and country identification on the back, in 5 centimetre (2 inch) letters or larger, above the waistline. When two players have the same surname, the first letter of their given name shall be added to their surname on the uniform. If desired a national emblem may also be worn on the back, but only in addition to the country name and should be placed between the player’s name and country name. Teams shall not be permitted to play without proper identification as stated above.
11. The Cresting Policy of the ECF will be enforced. The ECF has removed the 4 week prior approval of sponsor’s badges. The onus is now on the players and/or national associations to have them correct. The allocation of the sponsor’s badges will however be checked by the ECF or an ECF umpire at the Team Meeting and, if not placed correctly, will have to be removed before playing at the championships.
12. Advertising shall be permitted on a player’s clothing or equipment strictly in accordance with the guidelines issued. The European Curling Federation may, in its sole discretion, forbid the use of any clothing or equipment that it feels is unacceptable.
13. For the purpose of identification to the media and public, teams are referred to by their country’s name and by the name of the skip.
14. The use of performance enhancing drugs, whether taken knowingly or otherwise, is unethical and prohibited.
15. The final authority for the operation and general conduct of the European Mixed Curling Championships rests with the Policy Committee. Members of the Policy Committee are: the President of the European Curling Federation, the Chairman of the Organising Committee and the Chief Umpire.
March 2010 Jeanette Johnston, Competitions Convenor.
