TOPIC:

I imagine this will cause some discussion

IMPORTANT FOOTBALL NEWS
Proposed changes to WAAFL by-laws

At last Wednesday’s WAAFL Workshop, a Working Party formed to investigate a “Points System” and tackle player remuneration tabled a report which was accepted by about 90% of clubs present. The report had 22 recommendations and it would appear some or most of these recommendations will be accepted by the WAAFL board and implemented as early as season 2016.

Details of the “Points System” will be released before the start of next season to enable registrar’s and team managers to comply with the new team selection process.

There is a proposal that a Competition Integrity Committee of 3 persons be formed to investigate any matters that may undermine the integrity of the competition. Special interest will be shown on players transferring to another club.

A recommendation of the working party is that the by-laws be changed and penalties for offending clubs are increased substantiality to include relegation of 2 grades and be unable to play finals in the following season and fines of up to $40,000 with a Whistleblower Policy where $10,000 would be paid on a successful prosecution to a person dobbing in a club for paying players. Players found guilty of receiving money are also subject to considerable penalties.
If a player is found guilty of receiving money then the club may also be deemed guilty under the proposed by-law. In the extreme this could lead to the extinction of clubs that cannot pay the fines for breaching the by-laws.

The WAAFL is serious about protecting its brand as an “Amateur Competition”. Clubs and players need to be aware of the penalties for not complying with the by-laws.

The report of the Working Committee is:
General Principles:
1. We are committed to maintaining the amateur status of the WAAFL.
2. We believe that a significant number of clubs are operating outside of the rules of the competition, and that a major cultural change is required if we are to improve perceptions of competition integrity.
3. We believe that this cultural change needs to be supported by improve-ments to the competition rules and By-Laws, implementing a range of strategies in parallel, and with increased penalties for non-compliance.
4. We believe that this change needs to be underpinned by improved com-munications between all stakeholders and a clear commitment to increasing the transparency of the player transfer system.
5. We were not consulted about the WAAFL’s “Statutory Declaration” process in A and B Grades this season, and believe that the way this process was run actually did more harm than good to perceptions of competition integrity.
6. We believe that the Competition Integrity Committee should be expanded to three independent persons immediately, and that members of this Commit-tee should have a broad scope to investigate any matters that they believe may undermine the integrity of the competition.
7. We believe that the Board should give due consideration to funding the ac-tivities of the Competition Integrity Committee and/or appointment of a Com-petition Integrity Officer, with the extent of such funding to be determined in consultation with the clubs.
8. We believe that the focus of integrity efforts needs to be less on players and more on weeding out rogue administrators from the competition.
9. We believe that the time of registration / transfer is the most important time to educate players as to their obligations and the rules of the competition.
10. We believe that clubs should be incentivised to invest in developing local talent, for their long-term sustainability and growth.
By-Laws:
11. We believe the By-Laws should be amended to include deeming provisions whereby if a player is found guilty under By-Law 1.3.1 then their club may also be deemed to be guilty under By-Law 1.3.
12. We believe that the penalties for clubs outlined in By-Law 1.3 should be increased substantially, with offending clubs to be relegated two grades and be unable to qualify for finals in the following season, the introduction of a minimum fine of $15,000 for a first offence and an increase in the maximum fine of up to $40,000.
The By-Laws should also provide for even more severe penalties for any club that is found guilty of repeated breaches.
13. We believe that the statutory declaration compliance process should be expanded to “club officials” and “coaches”, and not just focus on players, as is contemplated by By-Law 1.5.
Strategies:
14. We believe that a range of strategies need to be implemented in parallel, and communicated to all relevant stakeholders, in order to send a clear message of cultural change — “we are serious about preserving the amateur status of our competition and we are going to do whatever is required to change perceptions of competition integrity for the better”.
15. We believe that the player reinstatement process should be reintroduced immediately for any player who seeks to transfer into the WAAFL from AFL, WAFL, Interstate or Country Leagues (ie. competitions where player payments are allowed).
16. As part of this player reinstatement process, we believe that any player who seeks a clearance/permit from a "paid" competition into the WAAFL should be required to sign a statutory declaration to confirm their amateur status before they begin playing in the WAAFL competition.
17. We believe that a whistleblower policy should be introduced prior to the 2016 season.
Incentives of $10,000 for a successful prosecution could be offered, with payments to be funded by the proceeds of fines from clubs who are found to be guilty of breaching the amateur status provisions in By-Law 1.
18. We believe that the WAAFL needs to work with the WACFL and WAFL clubs, to encourage the clubs to report alleged inducements being offered to players to transfer from their paid leagues into the WAAFL system, potentially in breach of the amateur status provisions in By-Law 1.!
19. We believe that player education is crucial!
We cannot rely on tick-a-box field in the online registration process. Instead, we must ensure that educational information is displayed prominently within clubs’ environment, and provide players with an independent and confidential resource (eg. hotline) to discuss any concerns, and report potential breaches under the whistleblower policy, without the fear of persecution.!
20.We believe that a points system needs to be introduced for the 2016 sea-son, in parallel with the other strategies outlined above.
We expect that the points system will evolve over time, with at least the initial version to be designed by the Amateur Status Working Party working in con-cert with the General Manager and the Board.
Working Party:
21. We believe that the Amateur Status Working Party has been a very useful exercise, with this open forum promoting increased communications between the clubs and their respective delegates, and also with the General Manager and the Board.
22. We believe that the Working Party model should be extended into future seasons, with a call for delegates from clubs to focus on key issues from competition integrity and the strategic direction of the competition, to promoting shared learning between clubs and highlighting the positive contributions that our clubs make to society.

What a waste of time that meeting was, points system won't happen while those blokes are running the waafl.

If there not going to let clubs pay players then the point system is ABSOLUTELY pointless it will only harm clubs and even more so take away the rights of a player to choose which club he plays football for. AFL would loose players from the game altogether. players change clubs for alot more reasons than $$$$$ These dudley do rights need to give it up and get a life

If I understand the proposed changes to the by-laws then player payments across the board will be not be tolerated in any grade.

Maybe it is time to loose the Amateur tag and bring in a salary cap.

The integrity committee will have their work cut out for them.

Until whistle blowers (no not umpires) step up and provide evidence and examples are then made of a couple of clubs then nothing will change.

If they can't stop clubs paying players (and coaches), how would they ever supervise a salary cap?

Up to $10,000 if you dob a club in should bring some things out of the woodwork.

Interesting that, IF you believe the rumours, most of the clubs on the working party are rumoured to pay players - some quite handsomely apparently (again, if you believe the rumours).

Birdman u ran the working party and have been pushing for the points system for years not sure wat your agenda is and no idea wat your trying to prove but for the 30 odd yrs ive been involved in footy the AMATEUR comp has never been amateur and its only been since the sunday league folded and clubs like maddington and kelmscott have done well that is seems to be a problem.
Why in the last 5 or so years has paying players in the waafl been talked about so much ???? Maybe it's because of forums like this now exist and the minority of green eyed people get on here and run there mouths !!!!

King wrote: Birdman u ran the working party and have been pushing for the points system for years not sure wat your agenda is and no idea wat your trying to prove but for the 30 odd yrs ive been involved in footy the AMATEUR comp has never been amateur and its only been since the sunday league folded and clubs like maddington and kelmscott have done well that is seems to be a problem.
Why in the last 5 or so years has paying players in the waafl been talked about so much ???? Maybe it's because of forums like this now exist and the minority of green eyed people get on here and run there mouths !!!!

Is Birdman a WAAFL Board member...because the Amateur Stautus Working Party was formed and run by them.
What's your agenda King? Protect a club operating outside of the competitions by-laws? This issue of player payments has become more prevelant over the last few seasons as $$$ offered and number of clubs and players involved have increased dramatically (allegedly) but seeing as you have said its been around for at least 30 years then let's take that as correct. It's got nothing to do with Kelmscott or Maddington unless of course they are operating outside of the rules...
Competitions across Australia have or are implementing player point systems for the same reasons put forward by the Working Party. Why the resistance to it for the WAAFL?

Redlegs i have no agenda mate im not involved with a club these days just a football supporter . Cant say i know everything about the point system the only league i know it is used is the sth west comp where it has worked well but thats NOT an amateur comp so it serves a purpose. The waafl comp especially A and B grades has gone from strength to strength with talent and quality football and honestly i dont know y people want to destroy that because if this issue is pushed players will go to country clubs or even interstate for there football. Im not sure how many amateur comps there are in Australia but my guess theres possibly not many because im sure most comp boards want the best competition possible with the best players. players and probably even more so good players put in alot of time and commitment to fitness , training and preparation. Yes its against the rules to reward players but why are people against changing it

Spot on King! Standard of football in both A and B grade is very good, and it's attractive for good players. If there paid so be it, I think people will be surprised at the amount of quality players who come into the amateurs this year because a lot of country comps are not as attractive as they used to be. Rumours are already circulating with one club signing 3 ex wafl premiership players.