In tournament play, should a team feel that a rule has been misinterpreted, or that an ineligible player has participated in the game, and that misinterpretation of rule or that ineligible player’s participation has materially affected the outcome of the game, they may file a protest. 

Section 1 - RULE MISINTERPRETATION

Article 1: To file a protest under this section, the protesting team must notify the referee that the game is being played under protest.  The notification must be made immediately after the play while the ball is dead.  It must be made before the snap starting the next play.  A protest may not be made if the reason for the protest is based on a judgment call.  A protest may not be filed after the ball has been snapped to start the next play.

Article 2:  When a protest has been filed, the referee will stop the clock and notify the coach and the captain of the opposing team of the protest.  The referee will also make a written note of the reason for the protest and will note the game situation, i.e., the teams involved, the half, the exact time, the down, the yard line, the score, and any other pertinent information that may be required.  The referee will then ask the head coach from each team to sign and date the protest document.  The ball is then marked ready for play. The clock starts and play resumes.

Article 3: Following the game, the team that initiated the protest may withdraw the protest, or they may continue the protest.  To have their protest heard, the protesting team must make a formal verbal request to have the protest heard and deposit twenty five dollars ($25.00) cash with the rules committee no later than 10 minutes after the game ends.  The rules committee, along with the referee, will meet with a representative of the protesting team within one half hour after the team has formally filed their protest, and will consider all the details surrounding the incident.

Article 4: If the protest is upheld, the game is resumed at the point where the protest was filed with the misinterpreted or misapplied rule corrected.  Priority will be given to field availability and tournament schedule.  The protesting team will have their deposit returned.  If the protest is denied, the results of the game will stand, and the protesting team will forfeit their deposit.

Section 2 -  PARTICIPATION BY INELIGIBLE PLAYER

DEFINITION: An ineligible player might be defined as: Not on a WAFFF team roster, not signing the waiver, or not adhering to the tournament regulations.

Article 1: In tournament play, knowledge of participation by an ineligible player may not be known to the opposition immediately; therefore, protests concerning this may be filed up to the beginning of the awards ceremony.  Once the awards ceremony begins, no protests of this type may be filed.

Article 2:  To protest the use of an ineligible player, the protesting team must make a formal request to the rules committee and to the tournament director.  A deposit of one hundred dollars ($100.00) in cash is to be made to the committee/director.  Within the hour, the committee, the tournament director, a representative of the protesting team and a representative of the team under question will meet.  The protesting team will present any and all evidence that it may have concerning the protest.

Article 3:  If the protest is upheld, the offending team may be disqualified, and the protesting team will have their deposit returned.  If the protest is not upheld, the protesting team will forfeit their deposit. 

Article 4: All games in which the ineligible player participated are forfeited by a score of thirteen (13) to zero (0).  If too many games have been played using the ineligible player and it is impractical to go back and correct the results, the offending team will be disqualified.  Once disqualified, they are no longer eligible to participate in the tournament or to receive any awards. If practical, all the teams that are behind the disqualified team will move up one place in the standings.

Section 3 - FINAL DECISIONS

Article 1: The rules committee will render a written decision of their interpretation of the protest and their final decision concerning that protest.  All decisions are final.