Our Rules & Regulations

MIDDLESEX TABLE TENNIS ASSOCIATION 

RULES AND REGULATIONS (updated 27th July 2024)

1 NAME AND GEOGRAPHICAL AREA

 

1.1 The Association shall be called the Middlesex County Table Tennis Association.

1.2 The county’s geographical area shall include the following London Boroughs: Barnet, Brent, Camden, Ealing, Enfield, Hackney, Hammersmith & Fulham, Haringey, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Islington, Kensington & Chelsea, Tower Hamlets and additionally the City of London and the City of Westminster.

 

2 STATUS AND RELATIONSHIP WITH TABLE TENNIS ENGLAND

2.1         The Association recognises the English Table Tennis Association Ltd, which trades as ‘Table Tennis England’ (referred to in this constitution as ‘the Company’) as the National Governing Body for table tennis in England.

2.2         The Association shall be the County Association for the area defined in the Company Articles and Regulations as the County of Middlesex.

2.3         The Association shall comply with the Company Articles and Regulations. This Constitution is to be read as being consistent with the Company Articles and Regulations and, in the event of any conflict arising, the Company Articles and Regulations shall prevail with the hierarchy of the Articles taking priority over the Regulations.

2.4         The objects of the Association shall be to fulfil the functions of a County Table Tennis Association and to further the objects of the Company in the County.  In particular the Association shall act as the controlling and governing body for the sport in the County subject to any overriding decisions of the Board, assist and encourage the formation of table tennis leagues and clubs in the County and promote the sport in every possible way.

2.5         In this Constitution and any Regulations made hereunder words and phrases defined by the Company Articles and Regulations and not otherwise defined in this Constitution shall have the meaning assigned to them by the Company Articles and Regulations unless the context precludes such an interpretation.

2.6         No alteration to this Constitution shall take effect until approved by the Board.

2.7         In the event of the dissolution of the Association, any surplus assets remaining after discharge of liabilities shall automatically vest in the Company.

 

3             AFFILIATION

3.1         Every Affiliated Organisation which the Board determines is within the jurisdiction of the Association shall affiliate to the Association unless exempted by the Board.

3.2         No individual or organisation may affiliate to the Association unless affiliated to the Company.

3.4         Every league or club applying for affiliation shall complete the current membership form which shall be signed by an official on its behalf.

3.5         Every organisation affiliated to the Association shall send to the Association not later than 30 September a copy of its current Rules.

 

4             AFFILIATION FEES

4.1         Affiliation Fees shall be determined by the Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary General Meeting.

4.2         Directly affiliated clubs shall pay a fee that is calculated on the same basis of those clubs that are affiliated through their league, as decided by the Annual General Meeting or by an Extraordinary General Meeting.

4.2.1     Affiliation Fees shall be paid not later than 31 October.

 

5             RECOGNITION

5.1         The Association shall recognise and cooperate with organisations recognised by the Company and with any County Schools Table Tennis Association, Schools League or School Club which is within its county area.

 

6             OFFICERS

6.1         The Officers of the Association shall be: Chair, Vice-Chair, General Secretary and Treasurer.

6.1.1     The officials of the Association shall be  County Match Secretaries, Inter-League Championship Secretary, Tournaments Secretary, Coaching Secretary, Umpires Secretary, Development Officer, Press & Website Secretary and any other person who, in the opinion of the Management Committee, will be able to assist the Association in its management functions. Any casual vacancy may be filled by a nominee of the Management Committee

6.2         The Officers & Officials shall be elected by the Annual General Meeting and shall serve from the end of the meeting at which they are elected until the end of the Annual General Meeting following; they shall be eligible for re-election.

 

7             NATIONAL COUNCILLOR AND DEPUTY NATIONAL COUNCILLOR

7.1         In accordance with the Table Tennis England Articles and Regulations, between 1 May and 15 June in each year, the [managing committee] shall elect a National Councillor and may elect a Deputy National Councillor to represent the County from the next Company AGM to the following one, after considering all nominations submitted to them by affiliated leagues, clubs and individuals.

7.2         The Association shall send the election result in the form the Company prescribes, signed by the General Secretary or another member of the committee if the General Secretary position is vacant and one other person who shall be its Chair, Vice-Chair or Treasurer, to reach the Company by 20 June.

7.3         Prior to the Company holding a general meeting, or company members electing a director, the National Councillor and the Management Committee shall consult, and wherever possible agree, how the National Councillor will vote.

7.4         The National Councillor or Deputy National Councillor shall report to the next meeting of the [managing committee] on matters discussed at Company general meetings and National Council meetings, including how they voted.

 

8             MANAGEMENT

8.1         The affairs of the Association shall be managed, subject to the control of the Annual General Meeting, by a managing committee, which shall be called the [Executive Committee], consisting of the Officers, National Councillor and [one] representative appointed by each Local League.

8.2         The Management Committee may co-opt not more than [three] other members of the Association.  Co-opted members [shall] have the right to vote.

8.3         The Management Committee may fill a casual vacancy in any Office or on the [managing committee] until the next Annual General Meeting.

8.4         The Management Committee shall meet [at least quarterly].

8.5         At least [seven] days’ notice in writing of the place, date and time of every meeting shall be sent to every member of the Management Committee.

8.6         The quorum of the Management Committee shall be [five].

8.7         In the absence of Chair and Vice-Chair the [managing committee] shall elect one of its members to take the chair for the meeting.

8.8         Every question at a meeting of the Management Committee shall be determined by a majority of the members present and voting, each member having one vote.  In the case of an equality of votes the chair of the meeting shall have a second or casting vote.

8.9         The Management Committee may make Regulations to cover such matters not dealt with in this Constitution as it thinks fit.

8.10      The Management Committee may appoint such sub-committees as it thinks fit and may delegate any of its duties and powers to them.

 

9             ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

9.1         The Association shall hold an Annual General Meeting (AGM) in [May, June or July].

9.2         The General Secretary of the Association shall give at least fourteen days’ notice in writing of the place, date and time of a General Meeting together with the Agenda, to the Officers, the National Councillor, the Deputy National Councillor and the General Secretary of each affiliated organisation.

9.3         Each Local League shall appoint an Accredited Representative to attend each General Meeting and cast its votes.

9.4         The Officers, National Councillor and Accredited Representatives of Local Leagues may attend, speak and vote. All other Members may attend and, with the permission of the Chairman, speak but may not vote.

9.5         The following items shall be included in the AGM Agenda: (1) Minutes of the previous AGM (2) Minutes of any EGM held since the previous AGM (3) Annual Report of the [Executive Committee] (4) Statement of Accounts (5) Propositions (if any) to alter the Constitution (6) motions of which the General Secretary has received notice in writing not later than [twenty-eight days] before the meeting (7) Election of Officers (8) Election of [managing committee] Members (9) Appointment of a suitable person to check the accounts in accordance with Section 11.4.

9.6         Motions not included in the Agenda shall not be voted upon except with permission of the chair.

9.7         Voting may be by show of hands of those entitled to vote but before or immediately after a show of hands vote any person entitled to vote may require voting to be by poll instead.

9.8         When voting is by poll [each Officer and the National Councillor shall have one vote and each Local League shall have one vote].

 

10          EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING

10.1      An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) shall be convened on a resolution of the [managing committee] or within 28 days after receipt by the General Secretary of a requisition signed by [two Local Leagues] stating the business to be transacted at the meeting.

10.2      Section 9, except clauses 9.1 and 9.5, shall apply to an EGM.

10.3      An EGM shall transact only such business as is specified in the resolution or requisition convening it.

 

11          FINANCE

11.1      The funds of the Association shall be kept at a Bank or invested in a Building Society or other security approved by the Association.

11.2      The [managing committee] shall appoint the persons authorised to sign cheques etc, drawn on Bank, Building Society and other accounts and they shall be signed by at least two such persons.

11.3      The Financial Year of the Association shall end on [31 May].

11.4      The AGM shall appoint a suitable person, who is not a member of the [managing committee], to check the accounts of the Association annually and report on them to the next AGM.

11.5      All income and property of the Association from whatever source derived shall be applied solely to the promotion of the objects of the Association.

 

12          DISCIPLINE

12.1      The regulations governing the circumstances under which the Association may take disciplinary action against an organisation or member affiliated to it and the procedures for doing so are set out in Annex 2 of Part D of the regulations (Disciplinary Action by Affiliated Organisations).

 

13 RIGHT OF APPEAL

13.1      The circumstances in which an Affiliated Member may appeal to the Association and the way the appeal shall be conducted shall be as set out in the Company’s Articles and Part E of its regulations (Right of Appeal).

 

14          MATTERS NOT COVERED BY THE CONSTITUTION

14.1      Any question or matter arising which is not provided for in this Constitution shall be dealt with by the Management Committee.

 

15          ALTERATION OF THE CONSTITUTION

15.1      This Constitution may be altered only by decision of an AGM or of an EGM convened for the purpose and the amendment shall then be subject to the approval of the Board of the Company.

15.2      Propositions for such alteration to be considered by the next AGM shall be submitted in writing to reach the General Secretary not later than [1 May].

15.3      All propositions so received shall be circulated to all Local Leagues and Directly Affiliated Clubs affiliated to the Association not later than [31 May].

15.4      Amendments or alternative propositions dealing with the same subject matter shall be accepted for consideration by the AGM if submitted in writing and received by the General Secretary not later than [14 April].

15.5      Propositions for such alterations to be considered by an EGM shall be submitted to the General Secretary in writing together with the requisition for the EGM.

15.6      Before any resolution altering this Constitution shall be declared carried at least [two thirds] of the total votes cast must be in favour of that resolution.

 

MIDDLESEX INTER-LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS REGULATIONS

General

1 (a) The competitions shall be known as the Middlesex Inter-League Championships.

(b) Any additions or alterations or revision of the Regulations must be made at an Annual General or Special General Meeting convened for the purpose. Any proposed amendments to the Regulations shall be submitted to the General Secretary not later than 15th May, for an AGM, or together with the demand for an SGM.

(c) No resolution submitted under 1(b) shall be declared carried unless at least three fifths (i.e. >60%) of the total votes cast are in favour.

(d) Voting: Each local league shall be entitled to one vote for each team which fulfilled its fixtures in the Championships in the immediately preceding season. No directly affiliated club or directly affiliated individual is entitled to vote. Proxies shall be admitted but only if they have been given in writing and record a specific decision on a specified proposal, in which case they shall be open to inspection by the Chairman.

2(a) There shall be four competitions:

The Victor Barna Competition (for Senior Men)

The Norman Pegg Competition (for Senior Ladies)

The Russell Grant Middlesex Competition (for Juniors)

The Ted Connell Competition (for Veterans)

(b) The winning team in each competition shall be entitled to hold the trophy for that competition for one season

3(a) In all competitions there shall be a First Division and as many other Divisions (Second, Third, etc.) as are necessary.

(b) (i) a player participating in the Russell Grant Middlesex Competition must be 18 years of age or under on  31st December during the current season.

(ii) a player participating in the Ted Connell Competition must be 40 years of age or over on 1st January during the current season .

4 Leagues may enter as many teams as they wish, but not more than two shall participate in the First Division. Should it be necessary to restrict entry, no League’s 2nd team shall have precedence over any League’s 1st team, or 3rd team over a 2nd team and so on.

5(a). Leagues shall register with the Inter-League Championships Secretary (ILCS) the players for each competition one month before the commencement of that competition, indicating the order of playing standard. additional players can be registered with the ILCS in order of playing standard at any time but may not play in a match within 7 days of that registration being received. A team’s order can be altered on the 1st of each month following advance agreement from the ILCS. No player may play for teams representing more than one League in any one season or for different Leagues in successive seasons, unless the last League represented ceases to enter the Inter-League Competitions or the General Secretary of that League has given permission in writing to the ILCS. All players must be duly registered members of the respective League and of Table Tennis England. Registered players shall be entitled to represent their league if:

(i) They have played in 50 per cent or more of their club’s league matches, to be calculated at the time of playing of each Inter-League match in question; or

(ii) They have represented the League in a previous season, subject to not having subsequently played for another League; or

(iii) They are permanently resident in the area controlled by, and available to play for, the Middlesex Table Tennis Association, and have not represented any League in the competition in any previous season.

(b) The annual subscription shall be £5 .00 per team entered in any of the Competitions.

  1. Fixtures in all competitions may be played on a weekday evening or at the weekend at the discretion of the ILCS and more than one match may be played concurrently at the same venue. The ILCS shall consult in advance with team captains and League Representative Match Secretaries to ascertain the availability of players and venues and will circulate the seasonal fixture list to each team captain and League Representative Match Secretary by the end of October.

(a) If team captains are delegated to arrange matches between them within a prescribed period, at least 14 days before the commencement of the period scheduled for a match, the home League Representative Match Secretary shall submit to the away League Representative Match Secretary two weekday evenings and may in addition offer one week-end date, and the away team shall accept one of these dates at least 7 days before the commencement of the said  period. The home team shall notify the ILCS of the agreed date at least 3 days before the commencement of the said period.

(b) Should it prove impossible to agree a date in a scheduled period for a match, the match may be postponed subject to the following: Not later than the last day of the scheduled period, both League Representative Match Secretaries shall notify the ILCS of the date agreed for the match. The match shall then be played on this date and should either team subsequently be unable to play on this date the match shall automatically be awarded to the other team.

(c). A match not played during its scheduled period for which the ILCS has not been advised of the agreed date in accordance with the above, or has not received a claim for points be default, shall be declared void.

  1. In all competitions:

(a) Each set shall be the best of five games.

(b) Any player not available to play when his set is called shall forfeit that particular set. The order of play may be altered by agreement of the captains before the commencement of the match.

(c) A League not fielding a full team in a match will be liable to a fine of £5 per player short.

(d) A League whose team concedes a match shall be liable to a fine of £10.

(e) A player having played twice for any higher team shall not be eligible to play for any lower team. No player may play below his or her ranked position.

(f) Any set won by an unregistered player shall be awarded to the opposing team. If players in a team play out of ranked order, any set won by such player against an opponent he would not other-wise have played shall be awarded to the opposing team.

(g) It is the responsibility of the home team captain to ensure that the completed match result sheet be sent to the ILCS within 48 hours of the match being played.

(h) at the end of the season the team having the greatest number of points in each division shall be declared the Champion Team of the division. In the event of a tie, the positions of the teams shall be decided on (i) the greatest number of matches won, (ii) the best sets difference and (iii) the best games difference. The bottom team in Division 1 shall be relegated to Division 2, and the top team in Division 2 shall be promoted to Division 1, subject to 4 above. This principle shall regulate the promotion and relegation in all other divisions.

8(a) Victor Barna Competition

(i)  A team shall consist of three men, and a match shall consist of nine sets. A, B, C shall be the home men; X, Y, Z the away men, the order of play being A v X, B v Y , C v Z, B v X, A v Z, C v Y, B v Z, C v X, A v Y.

  1. ii) Three points shall be awarded to the winning team where the result is 9-0, 8- 1, 7-2, or 6-3, but if the result is 5-4 the winning team shall be awarded two points and the losing team one point.

(b) Norman Pegg Competition

(i)A team shall consist of at least two women, and a match shall consist of five sets. A and B shall be the home women, and X and Y the away women, the order of play being A v X, B v Y, Doubles, A v Y, B v X.

(ii) Three points shall be awarded to the winning team where the result is 5-0 or 4-1, but if the result is 3-2, the winning team shall be awarded two points and the losing team one point.

(c) Russell Grant Middlesex Competition

(i) A team shall consist of three boys, who must play in order of merit and one girl, and a match shall consist of nine sets. A, B, C, shall be the home boys in order of merit and X, Y, Z the away boys in order of merit, the order of play being B v X, C v Z, A v Y, Mixed Doubles, B v Z, Girls’ Singles, Boys’ Doubles, A v X, C v Y. No boy shall play in more than three sets.

(ii) Three points shall be awarded to the winning team where the result is 9-0, 8-1, 7-2, or 6-3, but if the result is 5-4 the winning team shall be awarded two points and the losing team one point.

(d) Ted Connell Competition

(i) A team shall consist of three men, who must play in order of merit, and one woman, and a match shall consist of ten sets.

(ii) A, B, C shall be the home men in order of merit and X, Y, Z the away men in order of merit, the order of play being B v X, C v Z, A v Y, Mixed Doubles, B v Z, Women’s Singles, Men’s Doubles, A v X, C v Y Mixed Doubles. No man shall play in more than four sets. Five points shall be awarded to the winning team where the result is 10-0, Four for 9-1 or 8-2 (1 to the losing team), three for 7-2 or 6-3 (2 to the losing team), two for a draw.

  1. The Management Committee shall decide on all disputes concerning the contravention or interpretation of any of the foregoing Regulations, and shall have power to impose sanctions as they may deem necessary. The Management Committee’s ruling on all points shall be final and binding.