Issue 12/26 15th April 2026
BAFRA Newsflash | |||
2026 ANNUAL EXAM
The annual BAFRA Exam is now live. The closing date is 23:59 BST on Saturday 16th May. It is intended to publish the results on the afternoon of Thursday 21st May. Whilst late entries are accepted after the closing date (with deduction of marks), none will be accepted after midday on 21st May.
As in previous years, an audio version of the exam pdf is available. If assistance is required to access this, please contact the exam committee via exam2026@bafra.info. Also, a dyslexia-friendly printed version is available. This may be downloaded directly from the Exam area of the website at: https://www.bafra.info/members/exams/index.php.
Please read the rubric on the opening pages of the exam, this is where all the key instructions are outlined fully.
Please remember that all qualified members, including affiliate members protecting their qualified status, must attempt the exam to retain that status.
Please send all enquiries during the exam period to exam2026@bafra.info.
Stuart Young - Chair, BAFRA Exam Committee
RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR 2026
A few reminders of things I said at the Convention, and for the benefit of those who weren't there.
The 2026 BAFA rulebook (https://rules.bafra.info/rulebook/current/index.htm) is now in full force.
Note that the medical requirement has increased for JUNIOR/YOUTH football. Both U19 and U16 levels now require the medical personnel to include an "immediate care practitioner" (typically a paramedic). Some other medical personnel may meet the definition if they have specific additional qualifications as set out in Rule 13-1-1-c-1. Each team must still have its own first aider. The identity of a team's first aider(s) should be confirmed with the head coach at the pre-game meeting.
None of the league regulations for senior football has changed this year (i.e. those where the rules allow the league to specify how a game should proceed in certain circumstances). The full list at http://rules.bafra.info/docs/leagueregs.htm is up-to-date, as is the list at https://rules.bafra.info/docs/smallleagueregs.htm for small-sided competitions. The one change is that for U19 Division 2 (7-a-side), a full-size leather ball is now mandatory.
Previously announced changes have come into effect. For all adult contact football, the field of play must be either 90 or 100 yards long. Any other distance (including between 90 and 100) is illegal. A team can apply for an exemption, but none has.
For information, BAFA now requires clubs to seek approval in advance for live streaming games. This should not affect officials. BAFA has also warned clubs they may be fined if they do not provide adequate toilet and washing facilities. Please ensure you report on those accurately in your game report.
Finally, when reporting disqualifications, please make sure you get the E-code right for the reason. We had a case recently where a player successfully appealed against a disqualification for FPF because the video clearly showed the contact could not have caused catastrophic injury. Remember that dead-ball shoving is normally an act of unsportsmanlike conduct rather than a personal foul. The criteria for it being flagrant are in the MOFO.
If you have any questions, please let me know.
Have a great season, and I'll no doubt see some of you at games.
Jim Briggs - Chair, BAFA Rules Committee
rules@britishamericanfootball.org
SELECTION COMMITTEE
Thank you to everyone who expressed an interest in joining the BAFRA Selection Committee. The Board met over the convention weekend and made a decision primarily based on the need for a geographic spread on the committee, as well as officiating experience and general availability to observe other members on the field.
I am pleased to announce that Euan Paterson and Henry Richardson will be joining the Selection Committee from 2026.
As a reminder, details of the role of the Selection Committee, as well as what criteria is used during selections can be found within the Scheduling and Selection policy within the BAFRA Members Handbook.
Ollie Maskell - Director of Operations
DISCIPLINARY CASES
NAME | # | TEAM | OFFENCE | SUSPENDED |
Previous weeks | ||||
Makari Sutherland | 30 | East Kent Mavericks | Flagrant Unsportsmanlike Conduct | 19th April 2026 v London Olympians |
Darrion Banton-Wright | 9 | Manchester Titans U19 | Two Unsportsmanlike Fouls | 17th May 2026 v Highland Wildcats |
Tio Benjamin | 11 | Manchester Titans | Flagrant Unsportsmanlike Conduct | 19th April 2026 v Merseyside Nighthawks & 2nd May 2026 v Coventry Phoenix |
James Simpson | 74 | Nottingham Caesars | Misconduct | 19th April 2026 v East Kilbride Pirates, 26th April 2026 v Coventry Phoenix & 30th May v Manchester Titans |
Solent Seahawks (U19) | HC | Gavin Hart | Misconduct | 26th April 2026 v South London Renegades & 3rd May 2026 v Kent Exiles U19 * As this was a disqualification of a non-player, this is a whole game day |
Zak Constance | HC | Wakefield District Raiders | Misconduct | 19th April 2026 v Birmingham Bulls * As this was a disqualification of a non-player, this is a whole game day |
GAME MANAGEMENT REPORTS
HOME TEAM | REPORT | NEXT HOME GAME |
Outstanding items from previous weeks | ||
Cambridgeshire Cats | No changing facilities were available until after the game due to the rugby tournament. Field marked in faint blue, the lines being at least 6 inches wide. NFL-width hash marks. Field marked in IFAF-yards with the chain altered to suit. End zones were about nine yards deep, and the goals were about two to three yards beyond the end line and slightly askew to the field. No team areas marked. No nine-yard marks or numbers. Brian Yates #29 | 26th April 2026 v London Blitz |
Gateshead Senators | Both goals sat at a jaunty offset angle! The changing room was a committee room with no showers, no privacy, and was not lockable. The chain crew was changed in full at halftime. Gordon Galloway #7 | 31st May 2026 v Darlington Steam |
Oxford Saints | A well-marked 100-yard field in blue. Other markings present in white. Two changing rooms provided and lockable on request of the front desk staff. The home team provided a stadium announcer. James Ford-Bannister #479 | 3rd May 2026 v Portsmouth Dreadnoughts |
Solent Thrashers | The field was recently remarked in yellow although the 50-yard line and both end lines were white. The plane of the Goals were one-yard into the end zone (the Goal Post was outside the end zone). One ball person changed at half time. Two of three game balls provided required inflation, one required deflation. No numbers but nine-yard marks were present. Other non-football lines present but in different colours. Steve Currie #554 | 26th April 2026 v Bristol Apache |
PLAY OF THE WEEK: | |
Play of the Week will return when the exam period is concluded. | |
Last week | Play: Team A 1st & 10 at the B-40. Team A run up the middle for 5 yards. Team A do no substitute at the end of the down, however Team B does. In an attempt to catch Team B with too many players on the field, Team A hurry to the line to quickly snap the ball. Team A gets set for 1 second, but before the ball is legally snapped, Wide Receiver A89 false starts. When the false start occurred Team B had 11 players in formation, two other replaced Team B players who departing where still on the field. Ruling: Team A 2nd & 10 at the B-40. Team B have not committed a foul (3-5-3), so therefore the only foul is the False Start by Team A. |
MECHANICS: | |
Play of the Week will return when the exam period is concluded. | |
Last week | Game Situation: When in doubt is a blind-side block legal or illegal? Answer: When in doubt a blindside block is legal. (M6.2.13) |
Date | Event | Contact for details |
BAFRA Directors | |||||
President | David Parsons | General Secretary | Richard Moger | ||
Finance | Mark Schofield | Operations | Oliver Maskell | ||
Recruitment | Emma Harris | Training | James Ford-Bannister | ||
Director without Portfolio #1 | Peter Parsons | Director without Portfolio #2 | Steve Tonkinson | ||
The opinions expressed in this Newsflash are those of the contributors, and not necessarily of BAFRA or its Directors. All Incident Reports to be submitted via www.bafra.info. Deadline for articles submitted by email (newsflash@bafra.info) is midnight Tuesday. |
