Please review and adhere to the following guidelines for general participant eligibility, restricted participants (professional, varsity, and club-level athletes), eligibility challenges, team penalties for eligibility violations, greek organization eligibility, the rules protest procedure, and administrative appeals.

GENERAL PARTICIPANT ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES

A. Current FSU Students
To be eligible to participate in an Intramural Sports activity, a student must be:

• Actively registered for an academic class at Florida State University in the term in which the Intramural Sports activity occurs AND
• Classified as a FSU Main Campus (Tallahassee) student for the purposes of tuition & fee assessment including the Main Campus Activity & Service fee

In general, students who are classified as Distance Learning students whose program of study is designed to be completed exclusively online are not eligible. Study Abroad students are not eligible for IM activities on the Tallahassee campus during the terms in which they are actively studying away from Tallahassee on a Study Abroad campus.

B. Other Local College Students
Tallahassee State College (TSC) and Florida A&M (FAMU) students are NOT eligible for participation in FSU Intramural Sports. Correspondence students, high school students, and transient students (when taking classes NOT at FSU) are NOT eligible. Students dual-enrolled at FAMU and FSU who consider FAMU their home school from which they will receive their diploma are also NOT eligible for participation in FSU Intramural Sports.

C. Continuing Students
FSU Main Campus (Tallahassee) students who are not enrolled classes during a semester but are eligible to continue as an FSU student in the next semester may purchase a Campus Recreation Continuing Student Membership which provides access to all Campus Recreation facilities and programs during the purchased semester. Memberships are available for purchase at the Leach Center front desk. Additional restrictions may apply.

D. Faculty and Staff
Active, salaried faculty and full-time staff members, classified as A&P or USPS, are eligible for participation in Intramural Sports. An hourly-wage, non-student staff member with OPS job classification is not eligible. Contact the Intramural Sports Office for clarification of employee classification or status.

E. Spouses
All student, faculty and full-time staff member spouses may participate in Intramural Sports by paying an activity use fee through Campus Recreation Member Services. Additional facility fees may be required for other Campus Rec and University facilities.

F. Withdrawals and Terminations
A participant who terminates his/her ties with the University immediately relinquishes his/her right to participate in the Intramural Sports program.

G. Proof of Identification
Participants must present a currently validated FSUCard, IMLeagues app ID, or other valid government ID in order to participate in all Intramural Sports games and events.

H. Co-Ed Classification
Per Florida Statutes 1006.205, an Intramural Sports participant shall be classified as a male or female based on the gender appearing on the participant’s official birth certificate as filed at or near the time of the participant’s birth. Each participant shall maintain responsibility for self-identifying by this standard.

ID POLICY

Each participant must present his or her current, valid FSUCard, ID in the IMLeagues app, or other valid government ID prior to each game / match of participation in all IM sports and events to check-in. Campus Recreation staff may conduct random in-game identification checks. Therefore, each participant shall be able to present his / her FSUCard at the game site upon request. Just because a participant is signed in without his/her FSUCard does NOT mean that person is legal to play. If it is determined that the given information or FSUCard number is invalid, the game may be forfeited for use of an ineligible player.

FRAUDULENT USE OF AN ID

Participants attempting to register or sign-in for a contest when using a different person’s FSUCard, digital app, or other form of identification will be barred from participating in the contest. Both the participant attempting to use such card and the actual student pictured on the card will face an indefinite suspension from all intramural activities and must apply for reinstatement to the Intramural Sports program by completing the Ejected Participant’s Reinstatement Procedure.

GREEK ORGANIZATIONS

The policies in this section are in addition to the general eligibility requirements set forth in General Participant Eligibility Requirements for all intramural sports participants.

A. Official Organization Roster
Official rosters for organizations competing in the fraternity or sorority intramural sports leagues will be comprised of those organizational members properly registered through the FSU Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life and the Office of Student Organizations and Involvement. Policies and procedures established and administered by the Office of Student Organizations and Involvement, the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life , and its affiliated councils/organizations will govern the registration process. No additions or deletions to an organization’s roster may be made through the Intramural Sports Office.

B. Receipt of Official Roster
Each organization that participates in a fraternity or sorority league should be ready to submit a copy of its official membership roster during the fall and spring semesters by the official roster submission date as determined by the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life . The roster shall include all current members and pledges. Pledges or new initiates shall be clearly indicated on the roster. Failure to properly submit or update a roster may result in the immediate suspension of the organization from participation in all intramural activities beginning the next business day following the roster submission date. Once the official roster is properly received, eligibility for participation for the organization will be restored beginning on the next business day following the day the roster is submitted.

C. Member Eligibility
Those persons listed on the roster will be eligible to compete for their organization as long as they: (1) remain properly registered as a member of the organization and (2) remain a valid, fee-paying student at Florida State University. Once a student becomes inactive at Florida State University (through graduation, dismissal, etc), that student is immediately ineligible for intramural sports competition.

D. Pledges and New Initiates – IFC / Panhellenic
Pledges and other new initiates are eligible to compete for a Greek organization the first day following the conclusion of the official rush period for each semester. These new organizational members must appear on the official roster on the roster submission date for the applicable semester. Persons competing for Greek organizations during this early semester grace period – end of rush through roster submission date – who do not appear on the official roster when received by the Intramural Sports Office for the respective semester will cause that organization to forfeit all games and events in which the ineligible player participated. Teams will be subject to the forfeit point-penalty for overall points standings for each forfeit.

E. Finalization of Roster – IFC / Panhellenic
Rosters are finalized on the official roster submission date as determined by the Office of Greek Life. No additions may be made following these dates during their respective semesters. Only those students appearing on the fall roster are eligible for play on fraternity or sorority teams during the fall semester and through the end of rush week of the spring semester. Only those students appearing on the spring roster, and remaining eligible as a student, are eligible for play on fraternity or sorority teams during the spring semester and through the end of rush week of the fall semester.

F. New Member Eligibiilty – NPHC / MGC
Initial rosters for NPHC and MGC groups are confirmed through the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life on its official roster submission date. Additions may be made throughout the year following a new member presentation (probate, showcase) with new members eligible on the day following a presentation. Appropriate roster updates with the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life are required within 7 days of a presentation. Only those students properly appearing on these rosters are permitted to participate for the organization in specific NPHC / MGC leagues.

ELIGIBILITY CHALLENGES

Any person or organization may challenge the eligibility of a player by notifying the Intramural Sports Office. Eligibility challenges must occur within 7 days of the date of the player’s participation in an intramural game or event. Challenges will be reviewed by the Intramural Sports administrative staff.

In sports with a regular season and postseason, eligibility protests for regular season participation may be made by any team participating in the same division of the sport AND must be submitted by 12 Noon on day of the first scheduled date of any playoff contest in that sport (regardless of league or division). For postseason tournaments beginning on a Sunday, eligibility challenges must be received by 12 Noon on previous business day (typically Friday).

During postseason tournament play, eligibility challenges may be made of an opponent by the scheduled opponent OR the most recent opponent AND in both cases must be made by 12 Noon on the business day following the date of the game in which the ineligible player participated.

At the game site, a participant may initiate an eligibility challenge by contacting an Intramural Sports Supervisor and completing the appropriate form. Otherwise, eligibility challenges are accepted via online form or via email to imsports@fsu.edu with the sport, team name, player name, date of participation, and reason for challenge noted.

Challenges will be reviewed by the Intramural Sports administrative staff.

A. Individual Appeals
If an individual feels that they have extenuating circumstances that should allow them to be exempt from any or all of the intramural eligibility guidelines, they can make a written appeal stating their reasons for exemption from the rules. Appeals are accepted via online form or via email to imsports@fsu.edu. This appeal will be reviewed by the administrative staff.

B. Individual Penalties
As soon as an individual violates any of the eligibility rules, they shall thereafter be considered ineligible for ALL intramural activities. Violation of this suspension will result in further or permanent suspension from the intramural program and possible disciplinary action by the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards.

C. Team Appeals
If a team feels that they or a member of their team has been ruled ineligible incorrectly, the team captain can make a written appeal within 48 hours of the ruling stating the team’s reasons for review or exemption from the rules. Appeals are accepted via online form or via email to imsports@fsu.edu. The appeal will be reviewed by the Intramural Sports administrative staff.

PARTICIPATING WITH AN INELIGIBLE PLAYER

A. Team Penalties for Game Site Violations
A team which is discovered to be participating with an ineligible player (according to General Guidelines and Restricted Participants sections of the Fair Play principle and Individual Participants & Team Participation and ID Policy sections of the Participation principle) by Intramural Sports staff at the game site shall immediately forfeit the game or match. This includes failure to produce valid FSUCard upon request of an Intramural Sports staff member before, during, or after an intramural contest. Forfeited games during the playoffs result in the violating team being immediately eliminated from the playoffs.

B. Team Penalties for Administratively-Determined Violations
1. A team which participates with an ineligible player (according to General Guidelines, Restricted Participants, Individual Participants & Team Participation sections), as discovered through post-game administrative review, in a single regular season game shall be placed on probation for the remainder of the regular season. If the number of eligible players in such game is not enough to field a regulation team, the game will be considered a forfeit. If a team on probation participates with an ineligible player in any other regular season game, that game will be forfeited. Major or deliberate violations of eligibility may result in the team being dropped from the league following the first violation, at the discretion of the Intramural Sports administrative staff.

2. A team which participates with 2 or more ineligible players (according to General Guidelines, Restricted Participants, Individual Participants & Team Participation sections), as discovered through post-game administrative review, in a single regular season game shall forfeit that game. The forfeit fine may apply. Major violations may also result in the team being dropped from the league.

3. A team which participates with an ejected player (according to Ejected & Suspended Participants section of the Sportsmanship principle) in a regular season game shall forfeit that game. The forfeit fine may apply.

4. A team which participates with an ineligible player (all eligibility-related sections in all principles) during the playoffs or during any tournament play shall forfeit the game and will be immediately eliminated from the playoffs.

PROTESTS OF PLAYING RULE INTERPRETATIONS

A. Protests of Playing Rule Interpretations
A protest concerning the misinterpretation or misapplication of playing rules will be resolved when they arise during a game. Protests of an official’s judgment will not be accepted.
(Example) An example of a misapplication of a rule in flag football is when a false start penalty is enforced incorrectly as a 10-yard enforcement, when the correct enforcement is 5 yards.

B. Initiating an In-Game Protest
The team captain or designated team representative shall stop the game at the next opportunity, by rule, and notify the game official of their desire to protest. The captain or team representative simply needs to raise their hand and say “I want to protest.” The game will be stopped and a site supervisor will be called to the game to document and attempt to resolve the protest.

C. Documentation and Resolutions
Any time a captain or team representative declares their desire to protest and a valid protest is present, the on-site staff supervisor will fill out the proper documentation and follow the proper steps to find a resolution.
(1) If a resolution can be made on site, the game shall continue with the protested action corrected or the original decision upheld as determined.
(2) If a resolution cannot be made or the action taken by the supervisor does not satisfy the protesting team, the protest will be processed for review by the Intramural Sports administrative staff on the next business day. Additional documentation may be required.
(A) Both teams shall be informed that the game is being played under protest and the game shall continue.
(B) Both teams will receive an email on the next business day with the protest information and the decision of the Intramural Sports administrative staff.

C. Policy and Procedure Protests
A team captain may initiate a protest for the misapplication of an Intramural Sports program policy by contacting an Intramural Sports Supervisor at the game site and completing a protest report. All policy and procedure protests are reviewed by the Intramural Sports administrative staff on the next business day.

D. Eligibility Protests
Eligibility challenges shall be processed utilizing the procedure outlined in the Eligibility Challenges section.

APPEALS OF ADMINISTRATIVE DECISIONS

An individual, team, or organization may appeal a decision made by the Intramural Sports administrative staff regarding his/her/its dismissal from league or tournament play, suspension from Intramural Sports, or implementation of a probationary period for rule violations.

A. Appeals Process – League or Tournament Dismissal, Other Minor Penalties
A team must indicate its intention to appeal and submit a written appeal within 24 hours (1 business day) of a ruling by the Intramural Sports staff. Written appeals may be submitted via online form or via email to imsports@fsu.edu.

B. Appeals Process – Suspension from Intramural Sports, Other Major Penalties
A team must indicate its intention to appeal and submit a written appeal or request for an extension within 72 hours (3 business days) of a ruling by the Intramural Sports staff. Written appeals may be submitted via online form or via email to imsports@fsu.edu.

C. Suspensions and Expedited Appeals
Intramural Sports or Campus Recreation suspensions shall not be lifted or postponed during the appeal process, but may be reduced following the decision regarding the appeal. Due to the nature of scheduling intramural games and tournaments within a relatively short time period, all appeals are expedited. Should an appealing team submit its written appeal prior to the established deadline, the Campus Recreation staff will work to review the appeal and render a decision regarding the appealing party’s eligibility as quickly as possible.

D. Review Structure
Appeals of decisions made by the Coordinator of Intramural Sports shall first be heard by the Assistant Director of Sport Programs. Appeals of decisions made by the Assistant Director of Sport Programs shall be heard by an Associate Director of Campus Recreation. Intramural Sports and Campus Recreation staff may consult with the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities and other University personnel during any part of the decision-making process.

E. Results of Appeals
Previous intramural games or matches may be rescheduled as a result of an upheld appeal. Conversely, the Assistant Director of Sport Programs or Associate Director of Campus Recreation may decide to levy a penalty that is greater than that originally imposed on a previous ruling.