CLAIMS OF WRONGFUL DISMISSAL
(a) A Player and his Club may seek to limit the disciplinary consequences of the dismissal of a
Player from the Field of Play by demonstrating to The Association that the dismissal was
wrongful.
(b) A claim of wrongful dismissal may be lodged only for on-field offences which result in a
sending off, except for two cautions leading to a dismissal.
(c) The Regulatory Commission that considers a claim of wrongful dismissal is concerned with
only the question of whether any sanction of a suspension from play is one which should
be imposed in view of the facts of the case. This role is not to usurp the role of the Referee
and the dismissal from the Field of Play will remain on the record of the Club and the Player,
will remain the subject of the administration fee and will accrue the appropriate number of
penalty points for a first team sending off.
(d) The Club on behalf of the Player must, by 1pm on the next working day following the game,
notify The Association in writing (by fax or e-mail - Fax 0844 980 0626 or e-mail Disciplinary@
324 DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES
TheFA.com) of their intention to submit a claim. The claim will NOT proceed if this deadline
is not met. The evidence upon which the claim is founded (which must include a video and/
or DVD recording showing the incident from all available angles), must be submitted by
the Player concerned or his Club, together with the relevant fee, by 1pm on the second
working day following the incident. The relevant fee, to be paid by cheque to The Football
Association Limited, for clubs in each league is as follows:
FA Premier League £1,500
Football League Championship £750
Football League 1 £500
Football League 2 £350
Football Conference National Division £300
Important - forfeiture of fee for late withdrawal of a claim. It should be noted that where a
claim is withdrawn after 5.00pm on the next working day following the game, any fee that
has been submitted to The Association in respect of the claim WILL NOT be refunded. If the
relevant fee has yet to be paid, the claimant will still be required to pay it to The Association.
Failure to pay the fee in these circumstances will result in disciplinary action against the
claimant.
Where a claim is withdrawn before the 5.00pm deadline, if any fee has been submitted, it
will be refunded. If the relevant fee has yet to be paid to The Association the claimant will
not be required to pay it.
(e) The Claim will be determined based on video and/or DVD and written evidence only.
None of the Match Officials nor the Club or Player are entitled to be present or represented
at the Regulatory Commission.
(f) Players and Clubs should note that the time limits set out above are strict. Only complete
claims submitted before the relevant deadlines will be considered by The Association.
(g) Once the claim is lodged with The Association it will confirm that the video and/or DVD
shows the incident as reported by the Referee/Assistant Referee and the claim has
conformed with the criteria.
(h) Prior to the commencement of the suspension, a Regulatory Commission will be convened
to decide the matter on any relevant documentary and video and/or DVD evidence
submitted. The following procedures will be used at a Commission unless the Commission
thinks it appropriate to amend them:
The Commission Secretary will produce:
I. (i) The Referee’s report, reports from any other Match Official and any other
evidence supporting the Referee’s action.
(ii) All statements and video and other evidence provided in support of the
claim, including details of the Player ;
II. After considering the evidence, the Commission will decide whether the claim
should be rejected or successful.
III. If the Commission’s decision is to reject the claim, it will, in every case, go on to
consider whether or not the player’s punishment should be increased.
If the Commission considers that the rejected claim had no prospect of success
and / or amounts to an abuse of process, the Commission shall have the discretion
to increase the penalty up to twice the standard punishment set out in this
Memorandum.
In all other cases, the Player reported by the Referee shall serve the standard
punishment as set out in this Memorandum. In all cases where a claim is rejected
the fee shall be retained.
DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES 325
IV. If the Commission’s decision is that the claim is successful, the standard
punishment set out in the Memorandum is withdrawn and the fee returned. The
dismissal will not be counted for the purposes of paragraph 8(g) below.
The decision shall be conveyed to the Commission Secretary who shall
prepare Minutes of the decision of the Commission and communicate
the decision to the Club that day. The Club must provide the Commission
with contact details.
(i) Should a Club have two FTCMs with no, or insufficient, working days in between for the
claim for wrongful dismissal to be notified, lodged and heard by a Regulatory Commission,
the following will apply:
I. Where there are no working days between two matches and a Club wishes to
make a claim for wrongful dismissal, the Club shall notify The Association by fax
and e-mail (using the contact details as set out in (d) hereabove) within 24 hours
of the dismissal. If, and only if, this notification is appropriately submitted, the
Player will be eligible to play in the second match. Submission of evidence and
the fee will still be required by 1pm on the second working day as set out in (d)
hereabove.
II. Where there are insufficient working days between two matches for a Regulatory
Commission to decide on a claim for wrongful dismissal, the timetable for
notification and submission as set out in (d) hereabove will still apply. However,
a Player will be eligible to play in matches prior to the decision of the Regulatory
Commission, provided the claim for wrongful dismissal has been appropriately
notified.
In respect of these specific circumstances, particular attention should be paid to
(h) III. here above, in respect of claims brought which had no prospect of success
or amounted to an abuse of process.
Should a Player play in a match without the appropriate notification having been
lodged as set out hereabove, this shall constitute Misconduct.
(j) As a general guide, the following schedule will apply:
Match Day
Fri/Sat/Sun
Notice of Claim
Monday
Claim Lodged
Tuesday
Commission
Thursday
(k) In the event that a Club submits a notification of their intention to claim wrongful dismissal
but fails to complete the claim or withdraws a complete claim prior to it being considered
by a Regulatory Commission, and The Association believes that the notification or claim of
wrongful dismissal had no prospect of success or amounted to an abuse of process, The
Association may issue a charge of misconduct under FA Rule E3.
(l) The decision of the Regulatory Commission in relation to a claim of wrongful dismissal is
final and binding on all parties and is not subject to appeal.
