BRITISH AMERICAN FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION
FOOTBALL RULES
AND INTERPRETATIONS
2007 EDITION













                                Foreword




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 2007
(Exception:
leagues whose regular season began before 1st March 2007 will continue
to use 2006 rules until the end of their season).




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:




Keith Alldritt
Phil Cottier
Russell Newton
Peter Parsons
Paul Sutton









                           Table of Contents




Rules changes..........................................................4
Points of emphasis.....................................................6
The Football Code......................................................8
BAFA Disciplinary Code................................................11
Rules and Interpretations.............................................14
Field Diagram.........................................................16
  Rule 1 -- The Game, Field, Players and Equipment....................19
  Rule 2 -- Definitions...............................................37
  Rule 3 -- Periods, Time Factors and Substitutions...................54
  Rule 4 -- Ball in Play, Dead Ball, Out of Bounds....................69
  Rule 5 -- Series of Downs, Line to Gain.............................73
  Rule 6 -- Kicks.....................................................78
  Rule 7 -- Snapping and Passing the Ball.............................90
  Rule 8 -- Scoring..................................................107
  Rule 9 -- Conduct of Players and Others Subject to Rules...........117
  Rule 10 -- Penalty Enforcement.....................................134
  Rule 11 -- The Officials: Jurisdiction and Duties..................145
  Rule 12 -- Instant replay..........................................146
  Rule 13 -- Standards for Game Management...........................150
  Rule 14 -- Football variants.......................................160
Summary of penalties.................................................170
Officials' Signals...................................................177
Appendix A: Guidelines for Game Officials to Use During a Serious On-Field Player Injury179
BAFRA Terms and Conditions...........................................180
Index of Rules and Interpretations...................................187






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Editor: Jim Briggs, BAFA/BAFRA Rules Committee


rules@britishamericanfootball.org