1.1 The registration right of an eligible player is attached to a club playing in one or more competitive leagues organised by the Finnish Cricket Association (henceforth Cricket Finland or the FCA). The registration right allows the club, subject to additional conditions and limitations, to register the attached player to play in a match in competitions organised by Cricket Finland.
1.2 First attachment of registration right
1.2.1 The registration right of an eligible player is attached to a club when they are fielded as a part of the team for the first time in a match in any competition organised by Cricket Finland with club-based participation.
For clarity, participation in a hobby series organised by Cricket Finland or in a match sanctioned but not organised by Cricket Finland does not result in a first attachment of the registration right.
1.2.2 The registration right of a player younger than 18 years of age is first attached to a club in the first match where the player is fielded as a part of the team during the outdoor season on the calendar year the player turns 18.
1.2.3 For the attainment of overarching development goals of the FCA, the registration right of female players is not attached to a club in open competitions.
1.2.4 The registration right of female players is attached to a club in competitions where participation is restricted to female players.
1.3 Expiration of registration right
1.3.1 If a player, whose registration right has been attached to a club, is not fielded as a part of the team in a match in any competition organised by Cricket Finland for 24 consecutive calendar months, the attachment Is considered to be expired.
1.3.2 The attachment of a player’s registration right does not expire during a suspension of the player under the Cricket Finland Code of Conduct or the Finnish Anti-Doping Code.
1.4 Transfer of registration right
1.4.1 Any player, whose registration right is attached to a club, must receive a permission from Cricket Finland for the transfer of the registration right to another club.
1.4.2 An application must be filed with Cricket Finland by the club the player wishes to transfer to (the new club). Cricket Finland shall give further instructions on the content and delivery of the application. The application process shall be digital.
1.4.3 The FCA Board shall establish a non-refundable transfer fee, payable to the FCA by the new club, for which a receipt must be attached to the application when the application is filed for it to be processed.
1.4.3 After receiving the transfer application, the League Organisation shall inquire from the club the player’s registration right is currently attached to (the old club) whether they have a valid objection to the transfer being completed. A valid objection to a transfer can be, for example, unpaid playing fees or an unexpired contract, but the validity is interpreted narrowly.
1.4.4 If the old club does not answer the League Organisation’s inquiry within a reasonable timeframe set by the League Organisation, does not object to the transfer, or the objection is deemed invalid by the League Organisation, the Organisation shall issue a decision granting the transfer of the registration right. The practicalities of the transfer shall be conducted by the FCA, with both the new club and the old club required to provide all requested assistance to give effect to the transfer.
1.4.5 Unless the transfer has been approved to be executed later, the transfer of a player’s registration right is deemed to have taken place when the League Organisation has made the decision and notified the player, the old club, and the new club of the decision.
1.4.6 The player cannot be fielded in any competition organised by the FCA for 21 days from the day after the date the transfer application was submitted. If the transfer has been approved to be executed later, the 21-day waiting period starts from the day the transfer is executed.
1.4.7 The 21-day waiting period does not apply when no FCA-organised competitions are underway. Only competitions which the player can play in are considered for this purpose. For clarity, transfers approved to take place at the juncture of seasons that follow each other without a day separating them are free of the waiting period.
1.4.8 A player may only transfer once during a season. For this purpose, a season is understood to include, for the summer season, the period from the beginning of the day of the first outdoor match in FCA-organised competitions until the day of the last outdoor match in FCA-organised competitions, and for the winter season, the beginning of the day of the first indoor match in FCA-organised competitions until the day of the last indoor match in FCA-organised competitions. If seasons overlap, the League Organisation shall determine in advance whether a juncture of the seasons can be established.
1.4.9 As exceptions to the limitations above,
1.4.9.1 If a player moves their registered place of residence to a municipality outside the general commuting area, the transfer of registration right may be accepted without the 21-day waiting period.
For clarity, the player must move, for example, from Vantaa to Turku for the move to be accepted as grounds for the exception to be applied; in other words, the move must be significant in the context of league cricket. Moving from Kauniainen to Kerava or from Kemi to Kälviä does not entitle the player to rely on the exception, as in the former case the player stays within the Greater Helsinki area and in the latter case the player has not been able to participate in league cricket without their registration right already having been attached to a club outside Kemi and the situation stays the same in Kälviä. Similarly, if the player moves from elsewhere to the Greater Helsinki area and has their registration right already attached to a club in the Greater Helsinki area, the move does not entitle them to rely on the exception.
1.4.9.2 If the League Organisation is completely satisfied that exceptional circumstances continue to exist at the time of the decision, the Organisation may approve the transfer without the 21-day waiting period, in which case the circumstances must be documented by the League Organisation.
1.4.10 A public record of approved transfer applications is kept by the FCA. The record shall be publicly viewable.
1.4.11 Instructions on the practical transfer process will be issued by Cricket Finland.
1.4.12 An appeal may be lodged against a decision on a transfer application with the FCA Dispute Resolution Committee by an affected party within seven days of the communication of the decision to the parties. The transfer shall not take place while the Dispute Resolution Committee considers the matter, but if the Committee decides to allow the transfer, the 21-day waiting period is considered to have begun from the date of the League Organisation’s decision. The appeal will only be considered if the appealing party pays the imposed appeal fee and attaches a receipt of the payment to the appeal. If the decision of the League Organisation is reversed or vacated by the Dispute Resolution Committee, the appeal fee is returned to the appealing party.
1.5 The FCA Management Group may adopt implementing decisions to authorise certain officers in the League Organisation to approve and reject applications for the transfers of registration rights on behalf of the League Organisation.
1.6 These rules are in force until further notice.