General Sporting and Competition Rules

Age
Any minor (less than 18 years old) involved in the event/competition must be accompanied by a guardian, or a parent, or a trusted person at all times. Without anyone of such authority, the minor is not to be included in the event/competition.

Agreement
Your participation in any KnA’s sponsored event means that you have read, understood and agreed to the implied and clearly-expressed “general sporting and competition rules” written by Karenni-American Association.  Or, in the case of an illiterate person, you have been interpreted in a language that you understand.

Death
In a rare and unfortunate case that you are dead resulting from a KnA’s sponsored sport/competition, your loved one (ones) is (are) not holding Karenni-American Association responsible in any way. However, KnA can ask for charity in anyway that it can help.

Disagreement
In any dispute, KnA and its officers reserve the rights to make the unbiased final decision based on the factual information gathered at the time of the conflict. No grudge is to be held against advisors, KnA officers, referees, judges, and KnA-appointed organizers.

Discrimination
KnA is a non-profit Karenni organization, with the goals of providing educational, cultural, and social benefits to all Karenni-Americans. Therefore, any form of discrimination is prohibited.

Dress Code
Uniform is required to involve in a sporting event such as caneball, volleyball and soccer. Other sporting activities and competitions are recommended for dress code as well, however not required. If violation is found, no less than $100 but no more than $500 will be fined. Soccer shoes are supposed to be “rubber cleats,” NOT metal cleats. If found “metal cleats” in a team, the whole team is ousted from the competition.

Shin Guards are highly recommend to be worn at all times during play. Body piercings must be removed before play.

Don’t
No weapons (gun, rifle, etc.) are not allowed at any sporting venues, including other venues receiving KnND participants. Only security will be allowed to possess such a weapon if any. If you are found to have violated any “Don’t” rules, you will be asked to leave or excuse yourself from the sporting/competing premises. (Don’t drink alcohol, don’t fight verbally or physically, don’t use drugs, don’t harass, don’t drive fast, don’t cheat, don’t steal and more). Any registration fee is not to be refunded.

Fines
Yellow card = $20. Red card = $40. Red-carded players cannot play for another game (the game he is being red-carded and the next game). one linesman missing = $20.

Information Update
It is your responsibility to update yourself with the latest version of “KnA’s general sporting and competition rules” either online or offline at Shadaw Journal, or via KnA officiers, or via your local event organizers.

Injury
You are encouraged to play safe. In the event that you get injured in any shape or form, you and your team are liable. You fully understand that playing in any sports/competitions can be dangerous and deadly, and that Karenni-American Association (KnA) and any event organizers are not responsible for any kind of damage to our properties or lives. However, KnA can provide some basic first-aid kits that are available in the field.

KnA and its officers
Since Karenni-American Association is an official voice of the Karenni communities across the United States, and you are a willing participant of the KnA’s sponsored events, you are to support KnA’s mission, vision, and objectives. Any deviation from any of these is unsupported.

Misdemeanor
If you are found to commit any misdemeanor, you and/or your whole team will be removed from the sporting/competing premises. Proper authority will be notified for your forced removal. Any registration fee is not to be refunded.

Numbers
A soccer team can have up to 24 players. 3 non-Karenni players can be accepted in a team.

Other violations
Proper authority will be immediately notified for your arrest, forced removal, legal proceedings and more. Any registration fee is not to be refunded.

Outsiders-players 
Outsider-player is someone of non-Karenni-American descendants. For soccer, a team is allowed to have up to 3 maximum outside players. All 3 players can play at the same time if they wish. For volleyball, only one outside player is allowed.  Until further modification, outside players are not allowed in any other sports.

Players and Contestants
Correct spellings of names of players/contestants are required for documentation purpose. Nicknames, usernames, alias, or makeup names are not allowed. If found, the player/contestant or the whole team will be removed without any refund of the registration fees. A sport player, who has already played in a losing team, cannot join another team to play. If found, the whole team can be fined up to $500.00 excluding the registration fee, due upfront right away. For a competition, however, the contestant may compete again as long as an issue (schedule, manpower, conflict of interest, complaints, and etc) is not reported, right then and there and also that as long as KnA officers and event organizers agree to such repeated participation in competitions.

Referees and Judges
You understand that any kind of decision, made by the referees or judges, will be fully abide by your willing involvement in any sports or competitions. You also understand that their decisions are impersonal and permanent.

Registration Fees
Due to funds needed to run a successful event, the non-profit KnA collects funds (registration fees, membership fees, donations and etc) to use in so many areas (rewards, facility fees, administrative fees, legal fees and etc). Therefore, If a violation of any of the rules is found, some or all registration fees will not be refunded.

Sexual harassment
Proper authority will be immediately notified in regards to such law violation. It is above and beyond KnA’s scope of knowledge. The law will take care of its own.

Tardiness
If you are late for any event (sport, competition, agenda and etc), you and/or your whole team can be eliminated without any refund of the registration fees. (Even a minute late is considered “late”). If the team is late WITHIN the 15 minute bracket, a goal will be given to the opponent team (as a punishment). If more than 15 minutes late, the whole team is ousted for that particular game. If a team is late and not full to play (meaning, a team is missing some players), the game cannot be played yet until full team players are present. 

This document is effective until further modification, without notice. Please check with Karenni-American Association, your local representatives, KnA officers and event organizers for accuracy and clarification. (Last update, 04.19.2017/01.11.2016/9.25.2015).