UKU Terms & Conditions of Tournament Entry

Please read these Terms and Conditions carefully before entering any UK Ultimate Tournament.

Your confirmed entry into and continued presence at these Tournaments is conditioned on your acceptance of and compliance with these Terms. These Terms apply to all Players, Teams, Clubs, Team Coaches, Team Managers and Spectators of Teams who enter or attend any UK Ultimate event.

By entering any UKU Tournament, you accept and agree to be bound by the terms and provision of this agreement.

OUTLINE

Overview

Definitions

Non-Compliance to the Terms & Conditions of Tournament Entry

Specific Tournament Requirements and Conditions

Official Tournament and Competition Rules Documents

Membership and Insurance

Entry Deadlines

Payment

Cancellation of Team Entry

Responsibilities of UK Ultimate

Responsibilities of Teams and Individuals

Team Accommodation

Food Provision

Lost Property

Car Park

Unavoidable Circumstances

Weather and Adverse Conditions

Venue Cancellation

Lack of Team Entries

1. Overview

1. This document will outline what is required of you as an individual when attending or entering any UKU events, as well as the requirements for the Team that you are entering into a Tournament and/or are rostered and/or connected to.
2. These Terms & Conditions will also outline what UK Ultimate is responsible for regarding UKU events.
3. When these conditions are not adhered to and/or complied with by individuals or Teams, UK Ultimate has the right to refuse the party entry into any UKU events and/or terminate such party’s involvement in any UKU events.

2. Definitions

1. “Club” is a group of people that have agreed on a defined committee or organised structure for the primary purpose of playing ultimate. A Club has some control over its own definition and may be quite flexible from year to year.
2. “Competition” means any UKU event including Outdoor, Indoor, Beach, University, Junior and Club events in all divisions.
3. “Entry” means the confirmation of a Team’s participation in any UKU event through the completion of the event entry process, including payment of the Tournament Entry fee associated with the specific Tournament, and the accepted allocation of their spot at the event.
4. “Individual” means any person attending a UKU event, including but not limited to, Players, coaches, and Spectators.
5. “Member” means an individual who has paid for and holds the current year’s Membership.
6. “Membership” means the UKU annual subscription that provides members with access to UKU Competitions. Details regarding the membership options can be found here: http://ukultimate.com/join 
7. “Player” means an individual member of a Team that is competing in any UKU event.
8. “Spectator” means an individual that is attending any UKU event and not taking part competitively, with a connection to a Team entered into the event, for example, family member, friend or associated Club member.
9. “Team” means either a specific instance of a Club entering an event, or a group of otherwise-unaffiliated individuals (Players) that choose to enter an event together.    
10. “Tournament” means the same as Competition in this instance and can be used interchangeably within the document.
11. “UK Ultimate” means the National Governing Body for the sport of Ultimate in the United Kingdom, in some instances abbreviated to “UKU”.  
12. “UKU event” means a Tournament or Competition organised by UK Ultimate.

3. Non-Compliance to the Terms & Conditions of Tournament Entry

1. When entering any UKU event, all players and Teams entered into the Tournament must abide to these Terms & Conditions and the implications of any non-compliance are outlined in section 1.3.

4. Specific Tournament Requirements and Conditions

1. Any specific information and/or requirements for the individual event shall be included on the UKU website event page or otherwise communicated to participants, and should be adhered to alongside these Terms & Conditions.
2. In the event of conflicting conditions and/or requirements, the information and rules relating to the specific event shall prevail.

5. Official Tournament and Competition Rules Documents

1. Upon agreeing to the terms and conditions outlined in this document, all persons also confirm that they will agree to follow the rules outlined in the UKU Tournament Rules  and Event Specific Appendices where applicable that are in force at the time of the tournament.
2. In the instance that these Terms & Conditions and any Rules documents conflict, any official Rules document takes precedence.
3. By entering any UKU event, you are agreeing to adhere to the anti-doping rules of UK Ultimate: https://www.ukultimate.com/about_uk_ultimate/antidoping 
4. In addition to the adherence of Spirit of the Game rules outlined in the Official WFDF Rules of Ultimate, all Players agree to the UKU Spirit of the Game Policy.

6. Membership and Insurance

1. All UK-resident Players are required to hold a Membership at the level suitable for their needs and for the Tournament they are participating in (full details here: https://www.ukultimate.com/join)
2. All non UK-resident Players must have public liability insurance in place for the event that they are taking part in.

1. It is the Team’s responsibility to confirm that all non-UK resident Players on their Team have adequate and appropriate public liability insurance.  This may be in place through membership of another country’s National Governing Body for the sport of Ultimate.

3. UK-resident Players are insured by the UKU personal liability insurance as long as they hold a Membership.
4. Players representing an institution that has UKU Schools Affiliation are competing on the basis that they are covered by the personal liability insurance of that institution.
5. If Players take part in any UKU event and do not meet the membership and insurance requirements (6.1-6.4 above), they are ineligible to play and may be subject to an individual fine of £50, team fine of £200, team disqualification, or other appropriate remedy at the discretion of UKU.  

7. Entry Deadlines

1. All Teams that enter before the closing date will be provided a space subject to the entry criteria and capacity for that event or series.  
2. In the absence of event-specific criteria, Teams entering prior to the closing date will be selected on the following basis should the event be oversubscribed

1. UKU-Affiliated Clubs, at the time of the entry deadline, will have priority before other criteria are applied (does not apply to Uni events)
2. Where 9.4 is applicable, those Teams will moved to the bottom of the list and all other criteria will be applied first.
3. The Teams that finished in the top half of the same event in the previous year will qualify for the specified Tournament.
4. To fill any remaining spaces at the Tournament, the remaining Teams who have not already been awarded a place will be selected by random draw.

3. If a Team wants to enter a Tournament after the closing date (entry deadline) then there is no guarantee that the Team will be awarded a place.

1. If the Tournament is oversubscribed then the Team will be placed on a waiting list to be awarded a space should one become available due to a drop out.
2. Late entries may be charged an additional £30 fine. Any Teams entering less than two weeks before any of the Tour Series Tournaments may be fined an additional £50 by UKU.

8. Payment

1. Upon entering your Team(s) for a specified Tournament, you agree to make payment of the full Team entry fee by the stated payment deadline.

1. This may be done at the time of event entry via the GoMembership Azolve website, or through the invoice process.

2. For any Team that does not send payment by the deadline and/or the payment has not been received, their place can be cancelled and awarded to the next Team on the waiting list at the discretion of the UKU Events Team.
3. Where the Team entry fee has not been received for a previous Tournament entered by that Team and/or for Teams that repeatedly pay late and miss the deadline, the Team or associated Club can be refused entry into any UKU event at the discretion of the UKU Events Team.
4. Exceptions where late payment is allowed are;

1. When a late entry into a Tournament has been accepted and/or a Team on a waitlist has been offered a spot by the UKU Events Team and payment needs to be made.
2. When an invoice has been required and the processing time results in payment being received after the deadline.

5. When spaces in the Tournament are placed on a first come first served basis, the DATE of payment will be the deciding factor, unless otherwise determined by UKU.

1. If several Teams send payment on the same date, a random draw will be carried out to decide which Team is awarded the place.
   

9. Cancellation of Team Entry

1. In the absence of event-specific criteria, Teams are allowed to pull out following the entry deadline and prior to the Tournament, however, a penalty will occur.

1. Teams that drop out after the entry deadline date will be liable for 50% of the fees.
2. Teams that drop out in the 3 weeks prior to the Tournament will be liable for the full Team fee and will not be refunded.
3. Even if Teams have not paid the Team fee before they drop out, due to the agreement whereby the Team has confirmed that they would pay the stated Team fee by the payment deadline date, the Team is still liable to pay UKU the outstanding amount (either 50% or 100%).

2. Teams will only be allowed to drop out from the Tournament with no penalty if that condition is explicitly stated in the entry information or if otherwise agreed in writing with the UKU Events Team.
3. If the payment deadline date is different from the entry deadline date then the penalty timeline will begin from the former unless otherwise stated.
4. Teams that show a pattern of dropping out of Tournaments or who do not pay any liable fees once they have pulled out may have additional restrictions placed on their entry requirements or may be excluded from future Tournaments, at UKU’s discretion.

10. Responsibilities of UK Ultimate

1. UK Ultimate will provide the following at UKU events to ensure that Players are given a safe playing environment for the Competition with minimum requirements being met;

1. UKU will seek to ensure that the venue is suitable for use.
2. Access to a reasonable supply of potable water sources will be provided to ensure Players have the ability to stay hydrated throughout the Tournament.
3. Players will be given access to toilets, in accordance with the expected number of attendees - including Spectators.
4. Playing fields will be checked to seek to ensure they are suitable for the game of Ultimate. All known hazards will be addressed in such a way as to reduce any residual risk to an acceptable level.

1. Players and Teams should understand that whilst UKU will seek to ensure that playing areas are free of material defects, playing areas may contain defects such as holes, sprinkler heads, mud, rocks, broken glass and other foreign materials which the organiser may not have the resources to fully inspect before each Activity.
2. Players and Teams should ensure that areas are safe prior to playing on them, and should take mitigating action if necessary or choose not to play if the risks are too great.

5. Playing field markings will be marked to clearly indicate the playing field to the dimensions specified in the applicable Rules of Ultimate.
6. Risk assessments will be carried out prior to the Tournament for all required areas, such as the venue and use of certain equipment, where there is considered to be a significant individual hazard.
7. The health & safety requirements of all Tournaments will be met, including ensuring that an appropriate medical plan is in place.
8. UKU Tournament formats and schedules will be written with impartiality, with input and oversight from the UKU Competitions Committee and UKU Scheduling Committee.  

11. Responsibilities of Teams and Individuals

1. When entering any UKU event, there are areas where UKU holds no responsibility and as such, it is a matter for the Team or individuals to be responsible for.
2. UKU may assist in some of these areas but is not required to ensure that they are accounted for and/or available at all of the events and/or accessible to all individuals.

1. Team Accommodation

1. UKU may provide suggestions for local accommodation options, including where they are available at a discounted rate to Players.

1. Such suggestion does not imply any endorsement or recommendation of such accommodation.

2. In some instances, UKU may work alongside local Clubs and Players to organise house share options at the discretion of the local individuals.
3. UKU may give Teams assistance in finding accommodation in difficult circumstances, in the form of church halls or scout huts.
4. Camping will be offered to Players when it is available on-site, at the discretion of the venue.
5. UKU reserves the right to charge Players for a contribution towards costs associated with the use of accommodation organised through UKU or partners.
6. Individuals agree to abide to all venue/facility rules when staying at accommodation organised through UKU or partners.
7. It is the responsibility of the individuals residing in the stated accommodation to keep their belongings and/or tents there and UKU cannot be held responsible for any loss or theft of personal items.
8. UKU holds no responsibility to ensure that all Teams and/or Players have access to accommodation for the specified Tournament that they have entered/registered to take part in.

2. Food Provision

1. The venue may offer food and/or external vendors may be present on-site but UKU is not responsible for any transactions made between individuals and third parties.
2. Ultimately it is the responsibility of the external food provider to ensure that they meet health and safety guidelines/requirements and cater for allergies/dietary requirements.
3. The presence of such third party vendors at a UKU event does not imply any endorsement of such vendor by UKU.

3. Lost Property

1. UKU is not responsible for any personal belongings that are lost and/or stolen at any UKU event.
2. If lost property is collected from UKU events, it is not UKU’s responsibility to ensure that the belongings are handed back to their original owner.
3. UKU reserves the right to charge a nominal fee to send any lost property back to its owner to cover postage costs and admin fees.

4. Car Park

1. UKU is not required to offer car parking at any of their booked venues, it is at the discretion of the venue management.
2. Any cars and/or belongings in cars are left at the owner's’ risk when parked at any UKU event.
3. All individuals agree to park legally and responsibly and will adhere to any specific venue car park rules.

12. Unavoidable Circumstances

1. In certain circumstances, UKU reserves the right to cancel or significantly amend an event at short notice to ensure that the health and safety of all persons attending the event is not compromised and/or the quality of the Tournament not significantly diminished.
   

2. Weather and Adverse Conditions

1. In the event of extreme weather and/or unexpected adverse conditions, UKU has the responsibility to take action to ensure that no Players or Spectators are at risk. If such continues to occur, UKU holds the right to cancel or postpone the specified Competition until it is safe to continue.

1. Extreme weather and adverse conditions can include, but are not limited to, thunderstorms, lightning, flooding, heat waves, and strong winds.

2. When possible, UKU will ensure that the Competition structure is altered to provide the best possible outcome for the Tournament, as determined by UKU.

1. When the Tournament acts as a qualifier for another Tournament, UKU intends to prioritise the qualification matches (if possible).
2. The UKU Events Teams, alongside the UKU Competitions Committee, hold authority over the decision on how the Tournament will be structured should play be able to continue.

3. In the event that play is suspended, postponed or cancelled, UKU is not liable to provide Players and/or Teams compensation. There is no guarantee that costs will be fully or partially refunded as overheads are still required to be covered.
4. If it is decided that Players and/or Teams are entitled to compensation/a refund then they will be informed through the UKU official communication channels on how this will be processed.

1. Any decision to provide compensation or refund is at the discretion of UKU.
   

3. Venue Cancellation 

1. Should a venue unexpectedly cancel the booking for a UKU event, UKU has grounds to cancel or postpone the affected Tournament.
2. UKU agrees to try to and find another venue for the Tournament.

1. If a venue of the same size cannot be located, it may be deemed necessary to split the Tournament into ones of a smaller size.

1. It cannot be guaranteed that if the Tournament is split that the corresponding smaller Tournaments will be on the same date or in close vicinity of one another.

3. In the event that another venue cannot be located, then if appropriate, an alternative Competition may be used as a substitute in the case that the cancelled Competition was required to act as a qualifier.
4. UKU will explore viable alternatives before cancelling the affected Tournament.  
5. Should a Tournament be postponed rather than cancelled, Teams will not be refunded and their Team fee will be used for the new venue.
6. In the instance that the Tournament is cancelled, costs may be partially refunded/compensated, depending on the level of impact that cancellation has caused. UKU holds responsibility for making this decision.  
7. When considering appropriate resolutions to a postponement or cancellation, UKU will consult with Teams that notify UKU that they have been adversely affected by a postponement or cancellation. UKU is not obliged to take any specific steps with respect to such Teams.
   

4. Lack of Team Entries

1. For less established Tournaments, it may be possible that there is an insufficient number of Tournament entries for a legitimate Competition to take place.
2. If fewer than 8 Teams have entered the Competition at the closing date, UKU holds the right to cancel the Competition.        

1. In the instance that both UKU and all entered Teams agree for the Tournament to go ahead, having been informed of the number of entered Teams,  all Teams agree to pay 100% of the Team fee regardless of whether they later decide to pull out of the Tournament (superseding 9.1.1) This is to reduce the risk of an unsatisfactory Tournament for Players and Teams.