The rules are revised each year to improve the sport's level of safety and quality of play, and to clarify the meaning and intent of rules where necessary. The principles that govern all rule changes are that they must:
These rules apply to all contests involving .BAFA-affiliated teams and take effect from 1st March 2012 (Exception: Competitions that began before 1st March 2012 will continue to use 2011 rules until the end of their competition).
For brevity, male pronouns are used extensively in this book, but the rules are equally applicable to female and male participants.
BAFA has established a mechanism for discussing and deciding future changes to this book. Each organisation affiliated to BAFA has a voice on the Rules Committee. You may make suggestions for changes to your organisation's representative(s). Suggestions may be made at any time, but to eligible for consideration for the following year they must be received by 1st October.
Jim Briggs, BAFRA (Editor) on behalf of the BAFA Rules Committee
Those who find it necessary to write to the editor for interpretations of rules or play situations will receive prompt replies if they number their questions and email them to rules@britishamericanfootball.org.
The editor would like to thank the following people who assisted in the production of this edition of the rulebook:
Amir Brooks Mike Cavanagh Phil Clarke Ian Davies Martin Gibson David Knight Lee Mills CK Nam Russell Newton Tim Ockendon Peter Parsons Alun Price Mark Snow Paul Sutton Anthony Tagg Ian Wainwright
Rules changes..........................................................4 Points of emphasis.....................................................6 The Football Code......................................................9 BAFA Disciplinary Code................................................12 Rules and Interpretations.............................................24 Field Diagram.........................................................26 Rule 1 -- The Game, Field, Players and Equipment....................31 Rule 2 -- Definitions...............................................48 Rule 3 -- Periods, Time Factors and Substitutions...................65 Rule 4 -- Ball in Play, Dead Ball, Out of Bounds....................80 Rule 5 -- Series of Downs, Line to Gain.............................84 Rule 6 -- Kicks.....................................................89 Rule 7 -- Snapping and Passing the Ball............................101 Rule 8 -- Scoring..................................................118 Rule 9 -- Conduct of Players and Others Subject to the Rules.......128 Rule 10 -- Penalty Enforcement.....................................146 Rule 11 -- The Officials: Jurisdiction and Duties..................156 Rule 12 -- Instant replay..........................................157 Rule 13 -- Standards for Game Management...........................166 Rule 14 -- Football variants.......................................179 Summary of penalties.................................................187 Officials' Signals...................................................198 Appendix A: Guidelines for Game Officials to Use During a Serious On-Field Player Injury200 Appendix B: Guidelines for Game Officials and Game Management To Use Regarding Lightning201 BAFRA Terms and Conditions...........................................203 Index of Rules and Interpretations...................................210
Editor: Jim Briggs, BAFA/BAFRA Rules Committee
rules@britishamericanfootball.org