ENSURING FAIR PLAY IN A COMPETITIVE SPORTS ATMOSPHERE

Intramural Sports strives to provide opportunities for participation to all members of the FSU community. However, by nature, our sports are competitive. To best ensure fairness among all our teams and participants, numerous guidelines regarding individual and team eligibility have been developed. Additionally, a protest procedure is available to teams in instances when a staff member may have ruled on a particular sport rule incorrectly.

Please review and adhere to the following guidelines for general participant eligibility, restricted participants (professional, varsity, and club-level athletes), eligibility challenges, team penalties for eligibility violations, greek organization eligibility, and rules protest procedure.

General Participant Eligibility Guidelines
All active undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and full-time staff members of Florida State University are eligible to participate in any activity sponsored by the Intramural Sports Office.
A. Current FSU Students
To be eligible for Intramural Sports, students must be registered for FSU classes in the term in which they wish to participate AND have paid their activity and service fees that are assessed with tuition to Florida State University. The following classifications of students are eligible for Intramural Sports: freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, graduate, special non-degree seeking students, provisional (graduate students), and transient (when taking classes at FSU only). Students dual-enrolled at TCC (Tallahassee Community College) and FSU (taking classes at BOTH institutions during the same semester) are also eligible.
B. Other Local College Students
TCC (Tallahassee Community College) and FAMU students are NOT eligible for participation in FSU Intramural Sports. Certain TCC students participating in the TCC to FSU Program are eligible; such student participants are advised to verify their status with the Intramural Sports Office prior to their participation in an Intramural Sports event. Also, correspondence students, high school students, and transient students (when taking classes NOT at FSU) are NOT eligible. Students dual-enrolled at FAMU and FSU who consider FAMU their home school from which they will receive their diploma are also NOT eligible for participation in FSU Intramural Sports.
C. Non-Currently Enrolled Students During Summer Terms
During the summer term, non-currently enrolled students may purchase a Student Summer Rec Pass at the Leach Center or a Summer Sports Pass from Intramural Sports to become eligible for participation in Intramural Sports. Proof of registration for the prior spring's classes and enrollment for the fall semester is required to purchase the pass. Additional restrictions may apply.
D. Faculty and Staff
Active, salaried faculty and full-time staff members, classified as A&P or USPS, are eligible for participation in Intramural Sports. An hourly-wage, non-student staff member with OPS job classification is not eligible.
E. Spouses
All student, faculty and full-time staff member spouses may participate in intramurals by paying an activity use fee of $20.00 for team sports, per semester, $5.00 for individual or dual sports and special events. Additional facility fees may be required.
F. Withdrawals and Terminations
A participant who terminates his/her ties with the University immediately relinquishes his/her right to participate in the Intramural Sports program.
G. Proof of Identification
Participants must present a currently validated FSUCard in order to participate in all Intramural Sports games and events.
H. Co-Rec Classification
A participant is classified as a male or female for co-rec league or event participation based the gender he or she is officially classified by the University. For non-University participants, such classification shall be determined via the classification shown on a state-issued driver's license or identification card.

Restricted Participants
The following groups of participants are restricted in their eligibility for select intramural sports and events: current student-athletes, former student-athletes, ex-student-athletes, current and former professional athletes, and sport club members.
A. Current Student-Athletes
Student athletes who are receiving any assistance by way of athletic scholarships shall be eligible for all intramural sports except the sport or related sport for which they are receiving aid. Such aid is defined as follows: Any aid, assistance, or benefit given to a student for his/her participation as a player in any varsity sport that is not available to the general student population. This includes, but is not limited to, scholarship, varsity lockers, towels, green fees, apparel, footwear, equipment, etc. Any athlete who appears on any roster with the varsity team (including walk-ons and redshirt players) is considered a student-athlete under this section. This section remains in effect for as long as the student receives this aid, whether or not they continue to play or practice with a varsity team.
B. Current Practice Squad Members
A student who is a member of the practice squad for a Florida State University varsity team is eligible for intramural competition in that and related sports during the current academic year. Teams affected by this rule are limited to one practice squad member player on their team roster and must compete in the highest division available. Practice squad member players also count against the sport club player limit outlined in subsection F (limited to one additional sport club player on the roster for team sports, none for sports with 4 or less required players).
C. Former Student-Athletes
A student who has been a member of a varsity team at a four-year college or university in a particular sport is eligible for intramural competition in that or its related sport during the next academic year. The fall term is considered the start of the next academic year. Teams affected by this rule are limited to one player on their team roster and must play in the highest available division for the league. Graduates or transfers from community colleges are also affected by this rule.
D. Ex-Student-Athletes
If a student-athlete drops or is dropped from an intercollegiate team prior to the opening of the intercollegiate season, they will be eligible for intramural participation in that sport. Student-athletes who participate in varsity sport events following the opening of the intercollegiate season will be considered student-athletes under subsection A regardless of whether they drop or are dropped from the team during the season.
E. Professional Athletes
Anyone who is or has been a professional athlete in a particular sport is ineligible to participate in that or a related sport for two calendar years following his or her final appearance as a professional in his or her sport.
F. Sport Club Members
Members of FSU sports clubs will be allowed to participate in intramural competition in their related sports. However for a single intramural team, a maximum of two (2) club players may appear on the team's roster. For team sports in which the required number of players is 4 or less, the maximum number of club players permitted on the team's roster shall be one (1). A person is deemed a club member if he/she participates in a club contest or practice following the designated try-out period, pays club dues, or appears on the team roster or waiver form on or after October 1st at SAO or Campus Recreation. Once a person has been deemed a club member, he/she will be considered a club player with regard to intramural sports for 12 consecutive months from the date that he/she last participates in a club contest or practice, last appears on the team roster, or the date of their most recent signed sport club waiver form, whichever is latest. Removal of the person from any club roster does NOT affect his/her intramural status as a club player. Intramural players who join a club team during the sport's IM season may be required to discontinue playing for their IM team in order to keep the IM team eligible under this rule.
G. Related Sports
Varsity and club sports and their related intramural sports and events include (but are not limited to):
Football: Flag football, 4-on-4 flag football.
Basketball: basketball, 3-on-3 basketball.
Baseball & Softball: softball, 3-pitch softball, home run derby.
Volleyball: volleyball, beach volleyball, wallyball.
Swimming: swim meet.
Tennis: tennis, USA Team Tennis.
Racquetball: racquetball.
Table tennis: table tennis.
Golf: mini golf.
Soccer: soccer, speedball.
Bowling: team bowling.
Billiards: eight ball, nine ball.
Ultimate: flickerball, speedball.
Water polo: innertube water polo.
Wrestling: wrestling meet.
Track and Field & Cross Country: cross country 5k.

Eligibility Challenges
Any person or organization may challenge the eligibility of a player by notifying the Intramural Sports Office. Eligibility challenges must occur within 7 days of the date of the player's participation in an intramural game or event. Challenges will be reviewed by the Intramural Sports administrative staff.
A. Individual Appeals
If an individual feels that they have extenuating circumstances that should allow them to be exempt from any or all of the Intramural By-Laws, they can make a written appeal stating their reasons for exemption from the rules. This appeal will be reviewed by the administrative staff.
B. Individual Penalties
As soon as an individual violates any of the eligibility rules, they shall thereafter be considered ineligible for ALL intramural activities. Violation of this suspension will result in further or permanent suspension from the intramural program and possible disciplinary action by the Office of the Dean of Students.
C. Team Appeals
If a team feels that they or a member of their team has been ruled ineligible incorrectly, they can make a written appeal within 48 hours of the ruling stating their reasons for review or exemption from the rules. The appeal will be reviewed by the Intramural Sports administrative staff.

Participating with an Ineligible Player
A. Team Penalties for Game Site Violations
1. A team which is discovered to be participating with an ineligible player (according to General Guidelines and Restricted Participants sections of the Fair Play principle and Individual Participants & Team Participation and ID Policy sections of the Participation principle) by IM staff at the game site shall immediately forfeit the game or match. This includes failure to produce valid FSUCard upon request of an IM staff member before, during, or after an IM contest. Forfeited games during the playoffs result in the violating team being immediately eliminated from the playoffs.
B. Team Penalties for Administratively-Determined Violations
1. A team which participates with an ineligible player (according to General Guidelines, Restricted Participants, Individual Participants & Team Participation sections), as discovered through post-game administrative review, in a single regular season game shall be placed on probation for the remainder of the regular season. If the number of eligible players in such game is not enough to field a regulation team, the game will be considered a default (1 less than required number) or forfeit (2 or more less than required number). If the team participates with an ineligible player in any other regular season game, that game will be forfeited. Major or deliberate violations of eligibility may result in the team being dropped from the league following the first violation, at the discretion of the Intramural Sports administrative staff. Furthermore, teams on probation shall be dropped to the bottom of the selection order for the sport's playoff draw.
2. A team which participates with 2 or more ineligible players (according to General Guidelines, Restricted Participants, Individual Participants & Team Participation sections), as discovered through post-game administrative review, in a single regular season game shall forfeit that game. Major violations may result in the team being dropped from the league.
3. A team which participates with an ejected player (according to Ejected & Suspended Participants section of the Sportsmanship principle) in a regular season game shall forfeit that game.
4. A team which participates with an ineligible player (all eligibility-related sections in all principles) during the playoffs or during any tournament play shall forfeit the game and will be immediately eliminated from the playoffs.

Greek Organizations
The policies in this section are in addition to the general eligibility requirements set forth in General Participant Eligibility Requirements for all intramural sports participants.
A. Official Organization Roster
Official rosters for organizations competing in the fraternity or sorority intramural sports leagues will be comprised of those organizational members properly registered through the FSU Office of Greek Life and the FSU Student Activities Office. Policies and procedures established and administered by the FSU Student Activities Office, the Office of Greek Life, and its affiliated councils/organizations will govern the registration process. No additions or deletions to an organization's roster may be made through the Intramural Sports Office.
B. Receipt of Official Roster
Each organization that participates in a fraternity or sorority league is required to submit a copy of its official membership roster during the fall and spring semesters by the official roster submission date as determined by the Office of Greek Life. The roster shall include all current members and pledges. Pledges or new initiates shall be clearly indicated on the roster. Failure to properly submit or update a roster may result in the immediate suspension of the organization from participation in all intramural activities beginning the next business day following the roster submission date. Once the official roster is properly received, eligibility for participation for the organization will be restored beginning on the next business day following the day the roster is submitted.
C. Member Eligibility
Those persons listed on the roster will be eligible to compete for their organization as long as they: (1) remain properly registered as a member of the organization and (2) remain a valid, fee-paying student at Florida State University. Once a student becomes inactive at Florida State University (through graduation, dismissal, etc), that student is immediately ineligible for intramural sports competition.
D. Pledges and New Initiates
Pledges and other new initiates are eligible to compete for a Greek organization the first day following the conclusion of the official rush period for each semester. These new organizational members must appear on the official roster on the roster submission date for the applicable semester. Persons competing for Greek organizations during this early semester grace period - end of rush through roster submission date - who do not appear on the official roster when received by the Intramural Sports Office for the respective semester will cause that organization to forfeit all games and events in which the ineligible player participated. Teams will be subject to the forfeit point-penalty for overall points standings for each forfeit.
E. Finalization of Roster
Rosters are finalized on the official roster submission date as determined by the Office of Greek Life. No additions may be made following these dates during their respective semesters. Only those students appearing on the fall roster are eligible for play on fraternity or sorority teams during the fall semester and through the end of rush week of the spring semester. Only those students appearing on the spring roster, and remaining eligible as a student, are eligible for play on fraternity or sorority teams during the spring semester and through the end of rush week of the fall semester.

Protests of Playing Rule Interpretations
A. Initiating a Protest
At activities in which an intramural supervisor is present, protests concerning misinterpretation of playing rules will be resolved when they arise. Protests of an official's judgment will not be accepted. Play should cease while the officials, captains and supervisors confer on the details of the incident. The intramural supervisor will be called over to rule on a disagreement based on the information at hand from the game officials and team captains.
B. In-Game Documentation
If either team is not satisfied with the decision made by the intramural officials and supervisor, they must state to the supervisor that they wish to protest the decision. The supervisor should immediately note the incident in detail and the reasons for which they based their decision. The team captain protesting should also write his account of what happened on the protest form. Play will resume immediately following the completion of the paperwork.
C. Post-Game Documentation
To complete the protest, the following procedures shall be followed as outlined on the protest procedures checklist available at the game site.
1. The protesting team must submit 2 typewritten protests to the Intramural Sports Office (1035 Tully Gym) by 12 Noon on the following business day. The protest shall include: details surrounding the on-field decision, the rule being protested, name and telephone number of the team representative initiating the protest.
2. A $10 protest deposit must be submitted with the protest.
D. Decisions
If the decision is reversed, the $10 deposit will be returned to the person filing the protest, and the game will continue from the point of protest with the new ruling taking effect, if time and space permits.