The FAW Compliance Department is responsible for administrating both on-field and off-field misconduct for teams playing in Directly Affiliated Leagues.
The department is also responsible for processing disciplinary matters concerning Wrexham, Newport County, Colwyn Bay and Merthyr Town, who all play within the English pyramid system.
Throughout the season you can access weekly suspension reports via the FAW website and on a monthly basis keep up to date with the Disciplinary League Tables.
Our 'Quick Reference Guide 2012/2013' Season is available to download from this page and provides a brief outlook of offences, thresholds and other pertinent information for players and club officials.
In recent years, social media and networking websites such as Facebook and Twitter have become a part of our everyday lives.
Overall, the use of social networking websites can be seen to be a positive influence on Welsh football. When used correctly, it can be instrumental in raising the profiles of individuals, clubs and the game itself and allows individuals to actively engage with fans and build positive relationships with their peers. In addition, social networking websites also have the power to raise awareness of campaigns and to positively encourage other individuals to watch and play the national game fairly.
As a member of a club, whether it is as a player, manager or club official, The FAW Fair Play Code encourages individuals to be ambassadors for the game in Wales and therefore they should always exercise professional judgment and common sense in their approach to anything that is written on social networking sites.
Individuals should not refrain from communicating on social networking sites – everyone has the right to express themselves online - but anything that is said / written by an individual can reflect on the club.
The FAW Fair Play Code illustrates the necessity for good behaviour and encourages the positive ‘Fair Play’ message to be adopted when using social media networking sites.
Therefore as ambassadors for the football club, individuals should learn to balance personal and professional information and should think how their actions may affect the image of the game in Wales.
As best practice, individuals should:
• Be respectful and positive, treating others as they would wish to be treated. Respect is part of the game and is fundamental to the FAW Fair Play Code. As an ambassador for the game in Wales, individuals should always be professional and polite in respect of their audience and the communities with which they interact online. Regardless of religion, race, sex or national origin, everyone deserves to be treated with the same equal respect.
• Remember that the internet is permanent and that information travels fast and easily online. Many different audiences will see a post and therefore individuals should remember that deleted tweets can always be located. Individuals should not post anything that they would not be comfortable seeing in the media.
• Be in the right state of mind when writing a post. Individuals should never post when they’re angry, upset or their judgment is impaired as this can lead to engaging in insulting behaviour and the alienation of other individuals.
• Be responsible for what is written. Every individual who is actively involved in football in Wales has a responsibility for upholding the image of the game.
Due to the nature of football, a decision made by a match official during a game can often leave club officials / players feeling aggrieved, which can lead to the individual voicing their opinion on a social networking site. In these instances, individuals should look to the guidelines above to understand the importance of exercising sound judgment.
The FAW Fair Play Code states that as officials are part of the game, they must be respected accordingly. Match officials should be allowed to conduct their job without provocation from players and management teams etc. and individuals must understand that writing anything on a social networking site regarding match officials can lead to disciplinary action being taken against them.
In general, the following types of comments may lead to the Football Association of Wales taking disciplinary action, particularly where made in respect of match officials:-
(i) Implication of bias – where a comment alleges or implies bias by another participant at any time.
(ii) Questioning integrity – where a comment calls into question the integrity of another participant at any time.
(iii) Personal / offensive – where a comment is personal in nature such that it causes, or may cause, offence at any time.
(iv) Bring the game into disrepute – where a comment causes, and/or may cause, damage to the wider interests of football and/or to the image of the game.
While social media can be seen as a positive tool in communicating with our peers, individuals should always been mindful as to what message they are sending out and to whom this message is being sent.
To reiterate, there is no reason why players, coaches, managers and club officials should not be able to use social networking sites. If good judgment and common sense is exercised, individuals can be themselves and conduct themselves respectfully.
Social Media is a powerful platform and should be used to promote a positive message which will benefit football at every level in Wales.
For social media advice and best practice please follow ‘Off The Pitch’ on Twitter: @FAW_OffThePitch
Aim
The aim of the FAW Fair Play Award is to encourage a reduction in on-field misconduct and promote the FAW Fair Play Code.
The FAW, players and their clubs have a duty to raise awareness of the Fair Play message for the good of Welsh football.
The good name of football has survived because the vast majority of people who love the game are honest and fair. Those who defend football’s good reputation deserve the recognition of the FAW.
As a result the FAW will honour and publicise these fine examples through the Fair Play Award.
The FAW will reward clubs who are making a significant contribution to improving the behavioural standards in football. Through such collective responsibility the FAW aims to promote team play through Fair Play.
Measurement
The FAW produces monthly Discipline Tables for the Directly Affiliated Leagues, which details and compares a club’s on-field disciplinary record within their league.
The FAW Discipline Tables will form the basis measurement of the FAW Fair Play Award. Clubs who demonstrate fair play on the pitch will have the best chance of winning the award.
As the FAW wants to encourage player, club and fan involvement in order to deliver the FAW Fair Play message, other factors will also be considered before selecting the award winners.
Those clubs who actively take part in delivering the message of Fair Play will also see their efforts count towards being a potential award winner. It will be the duty of the club to evidence such efforts to the FAW.
Examples of player, club and supporter involvement can include displaying the FAW Fair Play message and logo on your website, in your match programmes and drawing attention to it on the day of a game.
Clubs may also wish to take part in schemes such as ‘Show Racism the Red Card’, who have given their backing to the FAW Fair Play Code. Contact details for Show Racism the Red Card are detailed in this document.
Essentially, Fair Play is something that the players, clubs and fans should “own”. It is the responsibility of each to ensure that they spread the message of Fair Play and exemplify their good work to the FAW.
There will be a dedicated page on the FAW website for Fair Play, where we will highlight the work that the clubs are doing throughout the season. ‘The Voice’, the new FAW magazine, will also be utilised to promote the FAW Fair Play Award and those clubs who are being proactive. The FAW’s social networking sites will also be used to exemplify a club’s good work.
This will provide positive exposure for those clubs and encourage others to embrace Fair Play and provide the FAW with examples of their work helping us to select the winners of the FAW Fair Play Award.
Prizes
There will be a FAW Fair Play Award winner in each division of the Directly Affiliated Leagues. Each winner, regardless of level in the pyramid, shall receive a monetary incentive worth £1,000. This prize money is to go towards equipment or ground improvements, for example. The winning clubs must provide the FAW with an invoice or quotation for the equipment or work etc. to be carried out.
Each winning club shall also be presented with a FAW Fair Play Award trophy, which shall detail the FAW Fair Play logo along with the name of the club and season. We shall also provide the clubs with a FAW Fair Play winner’s logo that can be displayed, for example, on their match programme and website. The winning clubs will also have an option to display a FAW Fair Play winners badge on their kit for the following season.
As we believe in Fair Play, and taking a proactive role in reducing on-field misconduct, the FAW is encouraging, incentivising and rewarding good behaviour.
With the conclusion of the 2011/12 season, the FAW can confirm that the final Discipline Tables have now been published.
The Tables, that form the base measurement of the FAW Fair Play Award, highlight the winners of the Award in each division of the Directly Affiliated Leagues.
With a £1000 prize on offer to each League winner, which can be used towards ground improvements and new equipment, there is certainly incentive for players, clubs and supporters alike to demonstrate positive fair play throughout the footballing season.
Launched at the beginning of the 2011/12 season, the aim of the FAW Fair Play Award is to encourage a reduction in on-field misconduct and to promote the FAW Fair Play Code. In addition, the FAW Fair Play Award aims to promote the positive ideology it wishes the footballing community to adopt.
All aspects of the FAW Fair Play Award wish to enhance the image of the game, which will subsequently benefit football being played at every level in Wales.
With this in mind, it has been a very successful and highly contested season and this is no more evident than when looking at the Discipline Tables.
Praise should be awarded to Glyn Ceiriog of Welsh National League Division One and Rhosgoch Rangers of Mid Wales League Division Two, who accumulated only 12 and 36 points throughout the whole of the 2011/12 season. Both teams more than deserve to collect the FAW Fair Play Awards in each of their Leagues for their exemplary disciplinary records.
Elsewhere, in Welsh League Division One, Bryntirion Athletic beat early League leaders AFC Porth to take the Award, while Bow Street narrowly clinched victory by a mere 2 points over Dyffryn Banw and will claim the Award in Mid Wales League Division Two. Special recognition should also be given to Overton Recreation who managed to finish the season as winners of the Welsh National League Premier Division, after ranking in 6th position at the end of February 2012.
The FAW would like to extend their congratulations to all the winners of the FAW Fair Play Award in each of the Directly Affiliated Leagues.
We wish to sincerely commend each Club’s efforts in demonstrating fair play throughout the season and taking a proactive role in reducing on-field misconduct.
Welsh Premier League
The New Saints
Huws Gray Alliance League
Llanrhaeadr
Welsh League Division One
Bryntirion Athletic FC
Welsh League Division Two
Garden Village
Welsh League Division Three
Undy Athletic
Welsh Alliance League Division One
Barmouth & Dyffryn United
Welsh Alliance League Division Two
Halkyn United
Welsh National League Premier Division
Overton Recreation
Welsh National League Division One
Glyn Ceiriog
Mid Wales League Division One
Bow Street
Mid Wales League Division Two
Rhosgoch Rangers
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Quick Reference Guide 2012.2013.pdf | Sep 14 2012 | 653.8 KB |  |
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FAW Fair Play Discipline Tables End of Dec 2012.pdf | Jan 22 2013 | 825.8 KB | |
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FAW Fair Play Code & Award.pdf | Oct 07 2011 | 322.8 KB | |
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