Welsh Petanque Association

To be admissible, any complaint must be made to the Umpire. As soon as the game is finished, no complaint can be made.

Each team is responsible for checking of the opposing team (licences, category, terrain, boules, etc.).

At the time of the draw and the announcement of its result, the players must be present at the control table. A quarter of an hour after the announcement of these results, the team which is absent from the terrain will be penalised one point which is awarded to their opponents. This time limit is reduced to 5 minutes in games that are timed.

After this time limit, the penalty accrues by one point for each five minutes of the delay.

The same penalties apply throughout the competition, after each random draw and in the case of a re-start of games after a break for any reason whatsoever.

The team which does not present itself on the playing area within the hour of the start or restart of games is declared to be eliminated from the competition.

An incomplete team has the right to start a game without waiting for its absent player; nevertheless it does not use the boules of that player.

No player may absent him/herself from a game or leave the terrains of play without the authorisation of the Umpire. For time-limited games, the player wanting to leave must have already played all his boules in the ongoing end. If permission is not granted, the provisions of this article and the next apply.

If, after an end has started, the missing player arrives, he or she does not take part in this end, he or she is accepted into the game only as from the following end.

If a missing player arrives more than one hour after the start of a game, he or she loses all rights to participate in that game.

If his or her team-mates win this game, he or she will be able to participate in that which follows provided that he or she was originally registered with that team.

If the competition is played in leagues, he or she will be able to take part in the second game whatever the result of the first.

An end is considered as having started when the jack has been placed on the playing area in accordance with the Rules.

For non-observation of the rules of the game the players incur the following penalties

1. Warning;
2. Disqualification of the boule played or to be played;
3. Disqualification of the boule played or to be played and the following one;
4. Exclusion of the guilty player responsible for the game;
5. Disqualification of the team responsible;
6. Disqualification of the two teams in case of complicity.

The teams that argue during a game, who show lack of sportsmanship and respect towards the public, the organisers or the Umpires, will be excluded from the competition. This exclusion can incur non-confirmation of the possible results, as also, the application of penalties set out in Article 38.

The player who is guilty of bad behaviour, or worse, violence towards an official, an Umpire, another player or a spectator incurs one or several of the following penalties, depending on the seriousness of the offence.

1. Exclusion from the competition.
2. Withdrawal of licence.
3. Confiscation or restitution of expenses and prizes.

The penalty imposed on the guilty player can also be imposed on his or her team-mates.

Penalty 1 is imposed by the Umpire.

Penalty 2 is imposed by the Jury.

Penalty 3 is imposed by the Organising Committee which, within 48 hours, sends a report with the expenses and prizes retained to the Federation’s Organisation which will decide on their destination.

In all cases, the Chairman of the Committee for the Federation concerned will make the final decision.

Decent dress is demanded of every player. All players that do not observe these rules will be disqualified from the competition after a warning from the Umpire.

The Umpires designated to control the competitions are charged to be on the watch for strict application of the rules of the game and the administration rules which complete them. They have the authority to disqualify from the competition any player or any team who refuses to comply with their decision.

The spectators with valid or suspended licences, who, by their behaviour, are the origin of incidents on the terrain of play, will be the subject of an Umpire’s report to the Federal executive. The latter will summon the guilty party or parties before a competent Disciplinary Committee who will decide on the penalties to apply.