Issue 35/26 5th November 2026
BAFRA Newsflash | |||
REASONABLE ADJUSTMENT
The BAFA Rules Committee has granted a "reasonable adjustment" (in accordance with the Equality Act 2010) to a player of Durham Saints under the process of Rule [1-4-14].
The particular player is now allowed to play wearing a clear mouthpiece. The player or their coach will identify them to the officials before each game.
Alternatively, officials who are scheduled to officiate Durham Saints games can confirm the player's identity either with BAFRA Operations or with myself.
If there are any questions, please let me know.
Jim Briggs - Chair, IFAF and BAFA Rules Committees
rules@britishamericanfootball.org
FIELD LENGTH AUTHORISATION
This is the first BUCS season for the rule on field length.
Currently, only one BUCS field (used by two teams) has an exemption from the requirement to have a minimum 90-yard field.
The exemption is for West Park RUFC (home to Leeds University and Leeds Beckett University) and for the 2026-2027 BUCS season only.
The official list of exempt venues is at https://www.bafra.info/rules/docs/authorisations.htm.
I note that a game was also played at MMU on an 80-yard field. The referee reported that exception 2 of rule [1-2-1-a-3 (a)] had been applied. However, now that the team knows the rule, this should not be applicable again and any future game there should be cancelled if a minimum 90-yard field is not available.
I am also aware that QMBL had to take extreme actions to make their field legal. Again, they have no excuse not to provide a legal field for their next games.
Thank you to everyone who is working to raise the standards of British American football.
Jim Briggs - Chair, IFAF and BAFA Rules Committees
rules@britishamericanfootball.org
DISCIPLINARY CASES
NAME | # | TEAM | OFFENCE | SUSPENDED |
New this week | ||||
Bobby Bridges | 17 | Lancashire Rams | Flagrant Unsportsmanlike Conduct | |
Previous weeks | ||||
GAME MANAGEMENT REPORTS
HOME TEAM | REPORT | NEXT HOME GAME |
New this week | ||
Bournemouth University Bobcats | Kick off was delayed by 15 minutes due to late arrival of the away team. Oliver Maskell #221 | 22nd November 2026 v Warwick Wolves |
Derby Braves | 90-yard field marked in blue. No team areas or coaching boxes so rugby lines were utilised. 25 minute delay to the kick due to the medical cover's late arrival (traffic). Richard Whitby #136 | 15th November 2026 v Sheffield Hallam Warriors |
Durham Saints | 100-yard field marked in white, with multiple other sports markings in various colours, including other white markings. No team areas or limit lines. Officials were split between two separate rooms, both of which had showers with toilets nearby. Durham trialled the use of a new electronic scoreboard and game clock. Ian Rogers #625 | 29th November 2026 v UWE Bullets |
Edinburgh Napier Knights | No numbers or nine-yard marks. No limit lines. Henry Richardson #25 | 8th November 2026 v Stirling Clansmen |
Edinburgh Mavericks | No limit lines. Game was suspended for 15 minutes between the end of the third quarter and start of the fourth quarter, whilst a player injury was dealt with by medical staff. Henry Richardson #25 | 15th November 2026 v Heriot-Watt Wolverines |
Hertfordshire Hurricanes | After scheduling shenanigans over the venue location, due to unavailability of Hertfordshire’s regular field, this game was played at Herts but on a grass rugby field instead. Lines were marked in red alongside white rugby and green soccer markings. Despite the scramble, the field was excellently marked and actually much more visible than their normal field, plus no wire! No team areas, or coaching lines marked. Andrew Murrell #608 | 15th November 2026 v Birmingham Lions |
Kingston Cougars | Balls required inflation. Changing room was not lockable and was shared with other sports officials. Long walk from changing room to field. Goals were not in alignment with the endline until two linemen lifted a tall DB to grab them and then use him to rotate them. Down box was shorter than the box operator. Only four officials assistants were requested from the team as a BAFRA official was serving as box opperator. Leaves on the field made one end line slightly harder to see. Showers warm. Ben Gadsby #564 | 8th November 2026 v QMBL Vipers |
Lancashire Rams | Well-marked 100-yard field in dark blue. No limit lines or numbers. Coaching and team areas were marked with cones for both teams. An additional person was added to the chain crew for the second half to operate the chain clip as the down box operator was struggling with this during the first half. Steve Hall #512 | 29th November 2026 v Leeds Beckett |
Leeds Beckett | 80-yard artificial field marked in yellow. Numerous other sports markings in various colours. No three-yard marks, nine-yard marks, or numbers. Team areas were marked out in cones, although game management had to be asked to mark team area for visitors. Game balls required inflation before the game. The officials’ changing room was tight for a crew of fibe, but was clean. Dave Black #574 | 6th December 2026 v Northumbria Mustangs |
Leeds Gryphons | 80-yard artificial field marked in yellow. There were multiple other sports markings in various colours. No three-yard marks, nine-yard marks, or numbers. No team areas or coaching boxes so they were marked with cones at the officials’ request. Game balls required inflation prior to use. Ian Rogers #625 | 15th November 2026 v LJMU Fury |
Loughborough Students | 90-yard field. No three-yard mark. No team areas marked. Two sets of hash marks present - one at IFAF-width, one at NFHS-width. Brian Yates #29 | 8th November 2026 v Durham Saints |
MMU Eagles | On arrival, the home team found that the field had been incorrectly marked by the venue, resulting in an 80 yard field. It was determined that, under exception 2 of rule [1-2-1-a-3-a], the game could take place as this was an "error in field marking that cannot be rectified before the scheduled kickoff time". However, it will need to be addressed before the next home game. The short yard-line extensions at the sidelines were also missing but these were painted on prior to kickoff to allow the game to take place. No team areas marked. Officials were provided with two small changing rooms, that were not locked, and a classroom where pre-game could be completed. Kickoff was delayed by 30 minutes by mutual agreement of the head coaches due to MMU's bus not turning up. Both teams played in blue, LJMU with teal shoulders, MMU with orange. There were no issues in discerning between the teams during the game. Chain set broke once and had to be repaired. Jed Brookes-Lewis #395 | 8th November 2026 v Leeds Gryphons |
QMBL Vipers | Multiple issues with the field markings and goalposts. Both endzones were only five yards in length, as the posts had been placed there on a marked line. The end line was a further five yards back. It was not possible to move the goalline to extend the field of play as this would have left an 80-yard field. No team areas or coaching boxes. No nine-yard marks or field numbers. The hash marks were marked at NFL-width. All markings were in blue and some were faint. Both coaches were informed that we could only make a legal field by either having both sets of posts relocated to the correct end line, or if this was not possible to have them completely removed. Both coaches agreed to play under either scenario. Ground staff were unable to remount the posts, so the kickoff was delayed by an hour for both posts to be taken down and the mounting holes fully filled in and made safe using turf, soil and sand. Officials assistants were supplied quite late within this hour delay so there was a further five minute delay to allow the completion of the chain crew briefing after the coin toss. QMBL have two sets of chains, both did not match the field markings for ten yards in length so large cable ties were used to adapt them. The chain sets were previously from University of East London, so they may have been measured with enough chain length for IFAF yards. Because of the delays all four quarters were reduced to eight minutes in length. Field surface was quite soft and as the day progressed got more muddy, but there was still plenty of grip for studs. The medical cover had only been booked until 15:00, but she kindly agreed to stay beyond this time. QMBL head coach will make the SU aware of all the items that need rectifying prior to their next home fixture. Phil Clarke #262 | 15th November 2026 v Brighton Panthers |
Swansea Titans | Field marked out to 100 yards with five-yard end zones. Field of play reduced to 90 yards with ten-yard end zones. Field markings in blue. No team areas marked. Two game balls got stuck in netting after field goal attempts and could not be retrieved during the game. Thankfully, four game balls were provided by game management. Euan Paterson #165 | 6th December 2026 v Southampton Stags |
Swindon Storm (U16 - Associate) | There were several holes that needed filling with earth before the game. The team played on a well-marked field on the existing 11-a-side field. Simon Ryan #408 | Unknown |
Warwick Wolves | Warwick failed to reply to multiple emails before the game. Keith Wickham #423 | 15th November 2026 v Cardiff Cobras |
Outstanding items from previous weeks | ||
Chichester Spitfires | The crew arrived to the field to find that the markings were inadequate. The field was hand marked 90 yards with two unequal end zones, both shorter than 7 yards. The width of the field exceeded 176 ft. Any attempt to adjust the field would have required complete re-painting and adjustments that could not be accommodated on the day. Scott Castle #626 | 6th December 2026 v Sussex Saxons |
Kent Falcons | Crew dropped to 4 before game started. 90 yard artificial field with multi sport markings using various colours, the American Football markings are predominately red apart from where they share a line with another sport, team areas marked with cones and rugby lines used to approximate the 9-yard marks. The field could do with completely repainting as visibility of the red on green markings is quite hard as the sun is getting lower in the BUCS season, especially with 15:00 kickoffs. Phil Clarke #262 | 29th November v Brighton Panthers |
Leicester Longhorns | Although a very well marked field, the inbounds lines were NFL width, cones were used to approximate the correct ones. Team areas marked with cones. One change of chain crew at half time. Brian Yates #29 | 22nd November 2026 v Coventry University Jets |
MMU Eagles | 100 yard field marked in dark blue, missing 3 yard mark, 9 yard marks and numbers. No team areas marked nor were cones used to approximate. Goal line/end line pylons had no weight to them so could not stand up and some were occasionally blown away from their position. University of Manchester did not use same jersey design; most players had purple background with yellow numbers but a few had yellow background with purple numbers. Despite this being brought up by the referee pre-game and team assuring us they wouldn't be used it was apparent on arriving on the field that several players had been dressed in this alternate jersey and saw the field on several occasions. Andrew Swift #403 | 8th November 2026 v Leeds Gryphons |
Oxford Brookes Panthers | Game kick off 15 minutes later than the scheduled kick off time. One member of chain crew replaced in the second half. Despite the atrocious weather well attended event and included stadium announcer. Andrew Murrell #608 | 29th November 2026 v Hertfordshire Hurricanes |
SGS Pride | Changing rooms would be comfortable for a crew of 4 at most, and were accessed by other sports officials without our knowledge - however, they do have a shower and toilet separate to teams. Robert Cornwell #105 | 8th November 2026 v Bournemouth University Bobcats |
Sheffield Hallam Warriors | 90-Yard field marked in faint orange with lines less than 4 inches wide. Team areas marked with cones although these were soon lost due to the wind as were the yard markers. Changing facilities were more than suitable for a crew of 6. Dave Black #574 | 6th December 2026 v Derby Braves |
York Centurions | An exceptionally well marked field although mostly in dark blue. 100 IFAF yds with 10 yd endzones. No numbers or coaching boxes. End lines used rugby markings and were white. Officials changing rooms were only accessible 75-minutes before kick off once site staff arrived and as the allocated room was too small for a crew of 5, we moved to a nearby room which was larger and included one working shower. Toilets were within the same building and plenty of coat hooks were available. This room however had a broken lock which meant the crew were unable to get access at HT for drinks. The LJ hat blew off whilst walking to the field before the game due to the strong winds and unfortunately landed in a nearby stream that ran parallel with the field. Due to the lock issue with the changing rooms, the LJ was left wearing a freezing cold wet hat. Given the conditions, the field condition was remarkably good for a natural grass field. Ian Rogers #625 | 8th November 2026 v Manchester Tyrants |
York St John Jaguars | Exceptionally well marked field although mostly in dark blue. Late in the game, the setting sun made it very difficult to see the hash marks. 100 IFAF yds with 10 yd endzones. No numbers or coaching boxes. End lines used rugby markings and were white. After issues accessing our changing room in game 1 of this double header, site staff were contacted by one of the officials using a phone number found on google and we managed to gain access although the door to the changing room had to be wedged open whilst we were on field which posed a security risk. At half time one of the chain crew came to the officials to advise they were all going home so replacements were sought from the home team. Ian Rogers #625 | 22nd November 2026 v Sunderland Spartans |
PLAY OF THE WEEK: | |
New this week | Play: 4th and 10 at Team A’s 25-yard line. Team A is in a legal scrimmage kick formation. Punter A1 receives the snap, fakes a kick, and runs straight toward the neutral zone. As A1 feels pressure from defender B99, A1 punts the ball at Team A’s 28-yard line. Just after the ball is kicked, B99 forcibly contacts kicker A1’s plant leg, taking them to the ground. The kick rolls out of bounds at Team B’s 30-yard line.
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Last week | Play: 4th & 10 at the A-35. At the snap, A23 is illegally in motion. A11 then punts. While the kick is airborne well beyond the line, B55 illegally blocks below the waist at the A-45. The kick is caught by B20 on the B-30 and advanced to the B-40.
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MECHANICS: | |
New this week | Game Situation: During the coin toss, officials who have no direct responsibility for carrying out the coin toss or escorting the captains should stand anywhere on their sideline, provided they can see all the players, coaches, and team personnel.
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Last week | Game Situation: Prior to the game, when visiting the home team Head Coach they inform the Referee and Umpire that if their team are to kick-off at the start of the game they will be attempting an onside kick. At the Coin toss the visiting team wins and elects to receive; should the crew move to onside kick positions? Answer: No. It is not “obvious” that an onside kick will be attempted. An onside kick is only likely or obvious if it is late in the game and the team kicking off is behind in the score (M9.1.a.1). While the crew may be expecting an onside kick, outside observers (including the receiving team) will not be. Switching to Onside Kick positions at a time when it is not obvious could “tip off” the receiving team and grossly disadvantage the kicking team. |
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. |
