ITRA'S TERMS & CONDITIONS

These Terms & Conditions govern registration for all Irish Tag Rugby Association (hereafter ITRA), managed events. Participation in all such events is subject to acceptance of these Terms & Conditions. For team events, the person registering the team must accept these Terms & Conditions (hereafter “person who registered”) on behalf of:

their team; and
any other person who may participate on their team at any stage during the event.

1. KICK-OFF TIMES / TWO GAMES ON SAME NIGHT

Fixed kick-off times operate for all ITRA Leagues. These kick-off times will be posted on the Fixtures & Results page of the website at least 48 hours before the start of the event. Teams with specific time requests should email info@tagrugby.ie in advance. Otherwise, teams should be prepared to play at their appointed times.

ITRA reserves the right to change the kick-off times of any event at any stage due to unforeseen circumstances, as a last resort to get matches played. This includes games that have been abandoned or need to be replayed or if there is a shortage of referees. ITRA will strive to give teams as much notice as possible if there is a requirement to reschedule matches but please note that, in exceptional circumstances, it is possible that changes may be made on match day.

In certain circumstances, ITRA reserves the right to instruct teams to play two shortened matches on the same night, including during the grading phase of a league.

In all cases:

the affected team captains, vice captains and registered players (if applicable) will be notified about any changes in advance via email and/or SMS/ phone. It is then the responsibility of the team captain to ensure that this information is communicated to their team members. It is therefore important that ITRA has valid email addresses and mobile numbers.
ITRA ’s decision is final.

2. CHANGE OF TIME / VENUE / LEAGUE FORMAT

ITRA reserves the right to change the venue of any ITRA Event, due to unforeseen circumstances. This includes venues that are deemed unplayable due, for example, to poor weather conditions. Where possible, each ITRA venue will have a back up venue where games can be played if the original venue is deemed unplayable.

All affected team captains, vice captains and registered players (if applicable) will be notified as soon as possible about any changes in advance via email and/or SMS. It is then the responsibility of the team captain to ensure that this information is communicated to their team members. It is therefore important that ITRA has valid email addresses and mobile numbers. ITRA ’s decision is final.

ITRA also reserves the right to alter the number of teams playing in a league, based on exceptional circumstances. These changes may be made at any stage before the start of theleague to ensure all fixtures can be fulfilled.

If a kick off time changes within 48 hours of a match, the captain and vice captain of the teams involved will be emailed or called by ITRA Head Office with the revised KO time.

If the change is made more than 48 hours before a match, the change will be made on the website only; the captain and vice captain will not be contacted. It is therefore the captainand/or vice captain’s responsibility to check their match kick off time on the website within 48 hours of their game.

ITRA reserves the right to change the grading of a team in exceptional circumstances, such as walkovers, no shows and forfeits. These changes may be made at any stage during an ITRA League or Event and will be taken to preserve the integrity of the overall tournament.

3. PLAYER ELIGIBILITY

In all cases, a player can only play for ONE team per NIGHT, per LEAGUE, per SEASON.
NO Premiership players are permitted to play in Novice leagues
There is a max of 3 Premiership players permitted on any Social team and 1 international Quota player. A premiership player is defined as any player who has registered and played in two distinct premiership leagues in the prior 2 calendar years.
International Quotas apply to all Elite leagues. Please click here for more information on Quotas.
All players must be registered online - Unregistered players will be suspended for 1 week and that team's match forfeited.

FAILURE TO ADHERE TO ITRA PLAYERS ELIGIBILITY RULES WILL BE PUNISHED, WITH PENALTIES RANGING FROM;

Forfeit of matches
Players Suspension
Removal from League

In the case of International Quota (“IQ) rule, penalties will be:

In the case of accidental breach automatic forfeit of the relevant match and 2 week suspension for the captain and vice-captain;
In the case of deliberate breach automatic forfeit of the relevant match, 2 week suspension for the captain and the vice-captain and potential removal from the international squad or suspension from International squad activities for an extended period for the players who play on the team that breached the rule.

These potential penalties will apply irrespective of whether the captain, vice captain, referee, Venue Manger or opposition agree to the breach on the night concerned.

4. CANCELLATION OF EVENTS
ITRA reserves the right to cancel any event due to unforeseen circumstances. If your team has already registered and paid for the cancelled event, you will be notified by email and refunded in full.

5. VALID CONTACT DETAILS (EMAIL & MOBILE)
ITRA communicates primarily by email with the captains, vice-captains and registered players (if applicable) of teams who have registered for an ITRA Event. Please make sure therefore that, at registration, you enter a valid email address for each person. You should also have regular access to your email account, as you will receive important information from us about the ITRA Event you have registered for.

Please also make sure that you have provided valid mobile contact numbers at registration. If we need to contact you urgently regarding your game, we will firstly try and ring and/or SMS you.

ITRA accepts no responsibility for information not received by a team, due to, for example, an incorrect email address/mobile number entered at registration, mailbox being full etc. It is the responsibility of the team captain to ensure that:

you have regular access to the email account specified at registration;
the mobile phone numbers ITRA has for your Captain and Vice Captain are correct; and
you pass all relevant information sent by ITRA onto your team mates

Please make sure that the contact details (email and mobile) we have for you are up to date. If not, call us on +353 1 2020100 or email info@tagrugby.ie immediately with the correct information. See also Point 18 below re SMS & Email Communication.

6. TEAM WITHDRAWALS
If your team needs to withdraw from an ITRA Event, you must contact us by telephone (+351 1 2020100 and leave a message if necessary) AND by emailing info@tagrugby.ie to confirm your team's cancellation.

League Cancellations
Should a team withdraw from a ITRA League:

more than a week after the team’s registration has been confirmed by ITRA or
within ONE WEEK of the scheduled start date

ITRA cannot provide a refund, unless a replacement team is found. If a team pulls out after the league has started, any replacement team will acquire the points accumulated by the team they are replacing, regardless of the stage the league is at.

One Day Events
Should a team withdraw from an ITRA One Day Event:

more than 7 working days after the team’s registration has been confirmed by ITRA; or
within 10 working days of the start of the Event

ITRA cannot guarantee a refund, unless a replacement team is found. This does not affect your statutory rights.

7. APPROVED MATCH SHORTS
The Irish Tag Rugby Association is a full Board Member Nation of the International Tag Federation (ITF).T to improve consistency and fairness across all levels of the game, member nations only use ITF-approved tag shorts in all competitions.

It is obligatory for all players to wear ITF approved tag shorts at all ITRA Events. Tag shorts from Oztag, STAG, SAS sport & Tagrugby.ie only, are allowed in ITRA Events. Your Venue Manager will also have tag shorts for sale at the venue. Oztag (OES) shorts can be purchased from www.tagrugbyshop.com and oes-europe.com.

8. INSURANCE
Health Checkup
ITRA recommends that all players and referees who have health-related concerns about taking part in a ITRA Event visit their local GP for a health checkup before participating in the Event.

Personal Accident Cover
Tag Rugby is a non-contact sport and, as with all sport, there is a risk of injury. All players in an ITRA Event take part at their own risk and it is entirely at the discretion of each team and player whether or not to take part in an ITRA Event as a whole or in any particular game.

It is the decision and responsibility of each individual player to ensure he/she is fully covered, in accordance with his/her specific needs when participating in tag rugby. ITRA strongly recommends that every player has their own Personal Accident Cover insurance while playing tag rugby or while present at any ITRA venue. Please speak with your financial adviser regarding Personal Accident Cover while playing tag rugby.

There are certain exercises and sports that should be avoided during pregnancy, particularly during the second and third trimesters. These include any high-impact sport where there is a heightened risk of collision or falling. Although Tag is a non contact sport - contact does happen and there is a high risk of collision or falling and ITRA do NOT recommend playing Tag when pregnant,

ITRA takes no responsibility for players who choose not to have insurance cover. Every player must fill out a player registration form online before each ITRA event which acknowledges this.

Failure to register to the team before playing will result in player being suspended for the next applicable game.

Personal Property
ITRA takes no responsibility, and hereby, excludes liability to the fullest extent permitted by law, for any personal injury or loss or damage to any personal property sustained while playing tag rugby or while present at any ITRA venue.

Third Party Organisations
All players use the services of third party organisations at ITRA Events at their own risk.

9. PAYMENT OPTIONS
There are three ways to pay for your tag rugby team:

Pay in full by debit or credit card. In this case, your team is confirmed straight away, subject to availability.
Pay in full by cheque. Please make your cheque payable to Irish Tag Rugby Association, write your team name and ITRA Event (eg Summer League) on the back and contact our customer service team for instructions on how to lodge. Note that we cannot confirm your team until we receive the cheque, therefore we recommend that you use registered post or a courier when sending cheques to us.
SYNDICATED PAYMENTS: Pay a deposit by debit or credit card and generate an email, which you can send your team mates to pay the balance. Your team mates now have 28 days/1 week before league starts to pay their portion of the Registration Fee. If there is still a balance outstanding after this period, the card used to pay the deposit will be charged the balance. There is a €2 fee per transaction to use this service.

In all cases, ITRA will pre-authorise the full amount due on the captain's credit or debit card. In the event that the balance remains unpaid within 48 hours of the league beginning, ITRA reserves the right to charge the outstanding balance to the card. This may result in a pre-authorisation request from your bank that is in excess of the deposit you are paying.

Card authorisations are valid for 90 days. In the event that a team is registered more than 90 days in advance of a competition beginning, ITRA will charge the card before the conclusion of the 90-day authorisation period.

In all cases, full payment for the team must be made AT LEAST 7 WORKING DAYS before the start date of the tournament. Your team is only confirmed when you have received a Confirmation Email from ITRA

ITRA reserves the right to remove any team from a League or Blitz without refund if they have not paid in full within the above time frame.

10. TEAMS PAYING BY CHEQUE
Teams are registered on a first come, first paid basis, subject to availability. Teams who choose to pay by cheque, but who have not yet paid the registration fee, run the risk of forfeiting their place to a team who is willing to pay immediately.

For example, if Team X chooses to pay by cheque and is “Pending” then that team can still lose its place, if another team registers and pays before Team X´s cheque has been received by ITRA. Payments by debit or credit cards are therefore strongly advised as this may improve your team’s chances of securing your chosen venue or league.

It is your responsibility to make sure ITRA receives your cheque in time, so if using postal services, we recommend sending it by registered post or courier.

11. TEAM NAMES
Team names for ITRA Events can have no more than 20 characters in length. As team names are live on the ITRA website and may also be published in local or national media, they should be suitable for a family audience. ITRA therefore reserves the right to request a team captain to choose an alternative team name if ITRA decides the original one is inappropriate or clashes with another team at the venue.

12. DISCIPLINE
All players who take part in an ITRA Event agree to play in a sporting manner. ITRA operates a Strict Zero Tolerance Policy where referees are encouraged to discipline players or supporters whenever they show disrespect to ITRA laws.

The Captain or Vice Captain is responsible for the behaviour of all players on their team - and therefore the Captain / Vice Captain will be the main point of contact for all communication regarding their player's behaviour on the pitch and and subsequent disciplinary issues.

ITRA also reserves the right to discipline individual players who show unacceptable behaviour to:

the referee;
another team/player;
Venue Manager; or
anyone else associated with the Event.

The incident will be reviewed by the ITRA Disciplinary Committee and punishment may be handed out to the relevant player. This may include a ban preventing that player from taking part in any ITRA Event over a specified time period.

The Captain or Vice Captain is responsible for the behaviour of all players on their team - and therefore the Captain / Vice Captain will be the main point of contact for all communication regarding their players' behaviour on the pitch and and any subsequent disciplinary action.

In the case of a team’s unacceptable behaviour to:
- the referee;
- another team/player;
- Venue Manager; or
- anyone else associated with the Event

ITRA Disciplinary Committee reserves the right to discipline that team, by deducting points from their league total or, in extreme circumstances, by removing that team from the tournament with no refund.

A player who receives a red card will receive an automatic two-week suspension, effective immediately, pending investigation by the ITRA Disciplinary Committee. The Disciplinary Committee may reduce or increase the sanction having reviewed the circumstances, but the player remains suspended pending official confirmation of final measures.

13. FORFEITING A MATCH

If you are unavailable to field a team for a match, for example due to a shortage of players, please let us know before 3pm on the day of your match by calling 01 2020100 and emailing info@tagrugby.ie – out of courtesy, we like to contact the opposition and inform them that you will not be there.

If your team cannot play your match and fail to let us know in advance of the game, we may deduct up to four points from your team’s league score. Forfeits are out of the control of ITRA, as such we cannot offer refunds for forfeit matches.

ITRA reserves the right to withdraw a team from a league without refund, if that team does not show up for two or more of their league matches, especially if they have not informed Tag HQ in advance.

14. MATCH RESULTS
ITRA reserves the right to change the result of a match if a ITRA referee is proven to have made an error in the match score or if any league rule (eg player quota) is proven to be broken, on the balance of probabilities.

This may result in a 5 minute period of extra time being played or alternatively a complete replay of the game (date, time and venue to be determined by ITRA , which both teams must comply with) or a 10-0 forfeit. ITRA 's decision is final.

If you have a query about your match result, you should contact your Venue Manager and/or the ITRA office within 48 hours of the scores being updated on the website. We may not be in a position to change a match result if more than 48 hours have elapsed since the result was published.

15. TEAM KIT / FOOTWEAR
Teams should not wear t shirts or jerseys which clash with those of the ITRA referees. ITRA reserves the right to ask teams to change their team jerseys if the colours clash with the referee.

Players should wear suitable footwear for the weather conditions and venue (NB: Different venues have different footwear policies, it is up to the player to be aware and obey the footwear policy in each specific venue). ITRA reserves the right to remove players, and in exceptional circumstances, penalise teams if the footwear rules of a venue are breached.

16. SMS & EMAIL COMMUNICATION
When you sign up to become a team captain, vice captain or player, your mobile and email contact details are automatically added to our database. This allows us to contact you with information relevant to your tag team, including match fixtures, registration launches, venue updates, social gatherings etc.

By signing up to play Tag, you are opting in to receive email communications from us. If you want to be removed from this database, email info@tagrugby.ie with your contact details. (Please note though that next time you sign up to play Tag, your details will be automatically added to the database once again.)

17. “INDIVIDUAL TEAM” PLAYERS

The “Individual Team” service is open to any individual or corporation.
The "Individual" teams can consist of 10 - 14 players. ITRA will never place more than 14 players on a team.
Players signing up to the service are entitled to a full refund within 5 working days of subscribing, or if a replacement player is found.
Unfortunately we cannot offer a refund if a player withdraws from a team: more than a week after the player's registration has been confirmed by ITRA ; or after contact details of the team have been circulated
It may be possible to transfer “Individual Team” subscriptions to a friend. Contact Head Office on 01 2020100 about the options available.
ITRA e reserves the right to remove any player from an “Individual Team” if found to be guilty of inappropriate behaviour towards fellow team mates, opponents, referees, venue managers etc. This player is not entitled to a refund.
It is the responsibility of each player to check the website regularly for any changes in the Terms & Conditions of the Individual Team service. Continued participation in a team will be deemed as acceptance of the current Terms & Conditions.
We communicate with subscribers primarily by email and SMS. Please make sure therefore that, at registration, you enter a valid email address and mobile phone number. Subscribers should have regular access to this email, as they will receive important information from ITRA from time to time.
ITRA accepts no responsibility for information not received by a player, due to, for example, incorrect email addresses entered at registration, mailbox being full etc. It is the responsibility of the subscriber to ensure they have access to the email address specified at registration and receive all relevant information as may be distributed by ITRA . ITRA reserves the right to refuse any player from taking part in the “Individual Team” service.
By subscribing to the “Individual Team” service, you are allowing ITRA contact you via email and/or SMS with important information about ITRA events, including Beach Tag, rule changes, registration dates etc.

18. REFEREES
To qualify as a Tagrugby.ie Referee, you must attend a specified number of Workshops and Practical Training Sessions. Please refer to the Referee section of the website for more information.

BEFORE MATCHES

Each referee will be informed, via their online Referee Account, of their venue and match kick-off times in advance. The referee should therefore present themselves to the Venue Manager (VM) at their specified venue at least 30 minutes before the scheduled first kick off time.
Each referee is responsible for marking their pitch in advance of Round 1. Your VM will provide you with the red, yellow, white and blue cones required to mark the pitch. Please make sure your pitch is marked at least 10 minutes before Round 1 is due to start.
The VM will give you your scorecards for each match, as well as the tags and balls (if necessary) for your pitch. They will also direct you to the pitch you have been assigned to referee on. If you have any problems or questions in advance of, or during, your game, please speak with your VM immediately.

ONLINE REFEREE ACCOUNT

Referees get paid for each ITRA match they officiate at. In order to facilitate this, each referee must update their individual online account with their bank details. It is each referee’s responsibility to make sure they have their up-to-date bank account details in their online referee account.
The online account will show each referee when they are next refereeing, what matches they have been assigned, how much money they are due etc. Therefore every referee should regularly log in and keep their information as up-to-date as possible.
In particular, if a referee has holiday or business plans, they should list the relevant dates in their online account as early as possible so that we can find a suitable replacement. We acknowledges that work and family pressures may result in a referee being unavailable at short notice but we urge all referees to inform us as early as possible so alternative arrangements can be made.
Payment of referees takes place four times a year at the end of each quarter. If a referee has a query about their payment and/or matches they were assigned, they must contact Tagrugby.ie's Referee Department within 48 hours of the match in question.

UNABLE TO REFEREE ASSIGNED MATCH

If a referee is unable to officiate their assigned match, they must notify the Referee Department by phone before 12pm noon on the afternoon of the game. If a referee cannot officiate their match and does not ring and speak to someone in the Referee Department on time, their match fees will be adjusted as follows, in accordance with the number of matches they were due to referee.

- Cancelation of ONE Assigned Match = 1 x Match Fee Deducted
- Cancelation of TWO Assigned Matches = 2 x Match Fees Deducted
- Cancelation of THREE Assigned Match = 3 x Match Fees Deducted

COMMUNICATION WITH REFEREE DEPARTMENT

ITRA communicates primarily by email and/or SMS with its referees. Please make sure therefore that you have entered a valid email address and mobile telephone number in your online referee account. You should have regular access to this email account, as you will receive important information from us about the matches you have been assigned.Please also make sure that you have provided a valid mobile contact number at registration.
If we need to contact you urgently regarding your game, we will firstly try and ring and/or SMS you. ITRA accepts no responsibility for information not received by a referee, due to an incorrect email address/mobile number entered at registration, mailbox being full etc.

HEALTH & SAFETY / INSURANCE

ITRA recommends that all referees who have health-related concerns about officiating at an ITRA Event should visit their local GP for a health checkup before participating. Tag Rugby is a non-contact sport and, as with all sport, there is a risk of injury.
All referees in an ITRA Event take part at their own risk and it is entirely at their discretion whether or not to officiate. It is the decision and responsibility of each individual referee to ensure they are fully covered, in accordance with their specific needs when officiating tag rugby. ITRA strongly recommends that every referee has their own Personal Accident Cover insurance while officiating tag rugby or while present at any ITRA venue. ITRA takes no responsibility for referees who choose not to have insurance cover.
ITRA takes no responsibility for, and hereby, excludes liability to the fullest extent permitted by law, for any personal injury or loss or damage to any personal property sustained while playing/refereeing Tag Rugby or while present at any ITRA venue.
All referees use the services of third party organisations at ITRA Events at their own risk.

REFEREE KIT
Every ITRA referee will receive their Referee Jersey before the start of the Summer League. It is the responsibility of each referee to make sure their kit is clean and in a suitable condition to be worn each time they referee. An ITRA referee should not take to the playing field without wearing the official referee clothing.

Shorts must be worn when refereeing - tracksuit bottoms are no longer allowed.
If you referee at a non-ITRA tag rugby event, you MUST NOT wear official ITRA -branded referee kit. This includes club or charity blitzes not run by ITRA

BEHAVIOUR ON THE PITCH

Tag rugby is a soft contact social sport where all players who take part agree to play in a sporting manner. Referees should also behave in a respectful and courteous manner in keeping with the spirit of the game. If a referee experiences any unsporting behaviour towards:
- • themselves;
- • any player; or
- • any spectator,

they should contact the Venue Manager immediately.

The Venue Manager will report the incident to the Referee Department who will then bring it to the attention of the Tagrugby.ie Disciplinary Committee. The incident will bereviewed and punishment may be handed out to the relevant player / team.
Similarly the referee shall show respect towards players and spectators at all times. The referee shall not get involved in any arguments or disputes.
If the behaviour of the players and/or spectators is such that the referee deems the match cannot safely continue, then the referee may call a halt to the game and call the assistance of the Venue Manager.

19. LOYALTY POINTS / CREDIT NOTES
When a captain signs up and pays in full for an ITRA event, they will receive Loyalty Points which they can then use to get discounts off specified ITRA events, including Leagues and Beach Tag Festivals. Loyalty Points are not valid for the Pig n Porter Festival.

Loyalty Points must be used in the calendar year they are acquired, as they are cleared on 31st Dec each year.

Credit Notes must be used within 1 year of issue and are not valid for one-day events.

20. GRADING (PHASE 1) and League (Phase 2)

If there is a walkover/forfeit in the Grading Phase of a League, the team that “shows up” has two options:

10:0 victory
0:0 draw

Remember that the first few weeks of a League (Phase 1) is often the Grading Phase to determine your standard. In Phase 2, we put you into a group appropriate for your level based on your results in Phase 1. For all other matches, outside of Grading Phase, the game is awarded a 10:0 victory.

In terms of final league position in Phase 1 or Phase 2 the final position will be decided on the basis of a head to head record first, cumulative points difference across all matches in the relevant grade, points scored in the relevant grade, yellow/red cards in the relevant grade. Therefore, there is no incentive to beat the weakest team in the relevant group as it will only impact on your final position where you are even based on head to head.

Call ITRA Head Office on 01 2020100 if you need further clarification.

21. CORPORATE CUP
All teams taking part in our annual Corporate Cup Event do so on behalf of their company / business / organisation. It is very important for the integrity of the tournament that all teams are “corporate” teams, where every player is a current employee. (Do not bring ringer players from outside your work colleagues onto your team!)

To regulate this, all participating teams must ensure all players are registered online with ITRA , You can can have up to 14 players on each team. Please include the work email address of all 14 players on this squad – and note that we reserve the right to verify with your company’s HR Department that all players on the team are actual employees.

22. SCORE QUERY
We post results on our Website based on the match scorecards, which are signed by both team captains at the end of the game. The match scorecards are essentially our bibles.

If you have an issue with a score posted on our Website/App, you should contact your Venue Manager directly using your Whatsapp group chat. It may well be our error in inputting the results so apologies in advance if that was the case.

Please note that it is the captain's responsibility to make sure they sign for the correct score. If you have any problems, you should clarify it with the referee before signing the card. We must go with the score that was signed by both captains at the end of the match - so unfortunately if you signed the incorrect score, we will be unable to change it.

At all times, please make sure that the captain / person who signs the scorecard double checks the scorecard before signing it - our referee may have made a mistake in marking it.

23. PHOTO GALLERY & IMAGE RIGHTS
We regularly have official photographers at ITRA Leagues & Festival Events taking action photos of those playing tag, as well as group team shots, which we then post onto our Facebook page and website gallery. We may also use some of these images for promotional material (brochures, posters, web ads etc) in the future.

By playing in ITRA Leagues & Festivals, and by accepting these Terms & Conditions, you grant ITRA the absolute right and permission to copyright and use, re-use, and publish, photographic portraits or pictures of you or in which you may be included, in whole or in part, or composite or distorted in character or form, without restriction as to changes or alterations from time to time, in conjunction with your own or a fictitious name, or reproductions thereof in colour or otherwise, made through any medium, and in any and all media now or hereafter known, for art, advertising, trade or any other legal purpose. You also consent to the use of any printed matter in conjunction therewith.

24. DISCLAIMER

ITRA reserves the right to change these Terms & Conditions at their discretion. The user is therefore responsible for regularly reviewing the Terms & Conditions, which are available to view on the ITRA website. This means that we will not notify you of any changes to the Terms & Conditions but will post them on the website.

ITRA reserves the right at any time to amend the laws or add new laws in the interest of promotion and fairness of the game of Tag Rugby.

These Terms & Conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Republic of Ireland, and the parties hereby submit to the non-exclusive jurisdiction of the Irish courts to settle any disputes in connection with, or arising out of, the use of this site or its affiliate sites.

If any of the provisions of these Terms & Conditions is found by a court or other competent authority to be void or unenforceable, such provision shall be deemed to be deleted from the Terms & Conditions and the remaining provisions of the Terms & Conditions shall continue in full force and effect.