CP football words · Intermediate

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I · Intermediate · 35 words · Step 2 of 2

General terms

International Federation of CP Football

The governing body for the sport, formed in January 2015 when CP football became independent after 37 years under the Cerebral Palsy Sport and Recreation Association (CPISRA). It is recognised by the International Paralympic Committee.

Also called: IFCPF
See also: CP football

Women's CP football

The same sport played with extra modifications to grow women's participation: five a side, a smaller pitch and 25-minute halves. The aim is that all players will eventually play to the same rules.

Players and classes

Class rules on the field

If an FT1 player is dismissed the team need not replace them. If the FT3 player is dismissed, an FT3 substitute may replace an FT1 or FT2 player if the team has a substitution available, but the team must still have an FT1 on the field. A team with the wrong number of any class is treated as having extra persons on the field and the head coach is cautioned. The fourth official checks.

Substitutions

Each team may use at most five substitutes in three substitution opportunities, with injury substitutions counting as an opportunity. Half-time substitutions do not count as an opportunity. Where both teams change at the same moment it counts as one opportunity for each. The numbers are the same in women's CP football.

Extra time substitutions

In extra time each team gets one more substitute and one more opportunity (so up to four opportunities and six substitutes), and may change before extra time and at half-time in it without using an opportunity. Women's teams already have the maximum number of substitutes.

Temporary concussion substitute

A player brought on while a player with a suspected concussion is assessed. The substitute may play for at most ten minutes, after which they leave, stay on as a permanent replacement, or the team plays a player short. A player taken off for medical transport is not a temporary removal.

Player eligibility

Players must be 15 on 1 January of the tournament year (14 for women), and under-21 competitions are for players 14 to 20. National teams are separate for men and women at world and regional level, though mixed teams are allowed at participation and development level.

Supportive equipment

Non-dangerous supports such as taping, strapping, splints and orthotics of soft, light padded material are allowed once approved by the IFCPF chief classifier and referee manager. On the upper body they must match the main colour of the sleeve and on the lower body the colour of the shorts.

Field and match

Goal area and penalty area

The goal area reaches 4 m from the inside of each post and 4 m into the field. The penalty area reaches 11 m from the posts and 11 m out, with the penalty mark 9 m from the goal and a 7 m arc outside the area. Women's CP football has smaller areas and a mark 7 m from goal.

Kick-off and free kick distance

Opponents must be at least 7 m from the ball at a kick-off, free kick, penalty kick or corner (6 m in women's CP football).

Free kick restriction

An attacking player may not be inside the opponent's goal area when a free kick is taken for a direct or indirect offence. If one is, the defending team gets an indirect free kick anywhere in the goal area.

Rolling throw-in

A player may roll the ball in at a throw-in instead of throwing it. It must touch the ground within 1 m of the point where the throw-in is taken.

The ruleCan you roll the ball in at a throw-in in CP football?

Video review

Used only if the organiser provides equipment at the scorekeeper's table or field level, and only for a clear and obvious error or serious missed incident: goal or no goal, penalty or no penalty, a direct red card, or mistaken identity. Only the video the organiser provides can be used.

Penalty shootout

Each team takes three kicks, stopping early if one team can no longer be caught, and then kicks continue in pairs until one leads. If a team has more players than the opponents they must reduce to the same number, and the match is not abandoned if a team falls below four (three for women). An FT1 player can be excluded only if the opponents have no FT1 kicker available.

Competition

Group stage and points

Tournaments are played in groups where each team plays the others once, three points for a win, one for a draw and none for a loss. Groups are ranked by points, goal difference and goals scored, then by the same measures in the games between tied teams.

Goal difference cap

At most ten goals count towards goal difference in any one match, but the final result is recorded in full. An 11-1 win counts as ten goals scored and one conceded in the table, a goal difference of 10.

Team conduct score

A tie-break after the other criteria: minus 1 for a yellow card, minus 3 for an indirect red (two yellows), minus 4 for a direct red and minus 5 for a yellow and a direct red, with only one deduction per person per match. The highest score ranks first, then lots are drawn.

The ruleHow are CP football groups decided?

Extra time

When a winner is needed and the score is level, two periods of ten minutes (eight for women) with a five-minute interval before extra time, but none between the two periods. If still level there is a penalty shootout.

Final list and start list

Four weeks before a tournament a team sends a final list of at most 14 players (10 in women's tournaments), and only listed players can take part. A start list goes to the technical delegate at least 75 minutes before each match, with at most five staff members.

Shirt numbers

Players wear set numbers from 1 to 99, shown on the front and back of the shirt and the front of the shorts. Number 1 is reserved for a goalkeeper. A team must have two full outfield kits and two goalkeeper kits, and a spare goalkeeper shirt with no name or number.

Abandoned matches

A match abandoned after 45 minutes keeps its score. One abandoned earlier is restarted from the same point. If the referee abandons it because of a team's actions, including having fewer than four eligible players (three for women), the opponents are awarded 10-0.

Weather rules

Play is suspended if lightning and thunder come within 30 seconds of each other, and cannot restart until 30 minutes after the last such flash. Heat stress is measured by the wet bulb globe temperature, with cooling breaks (90 seconds to 3 minutes) possible above 32 degrees C. Altitude of 2,000 m or more is the threshold for acute mountain sickness.

Only the captain

A protocol the referee can start at any time by saying 'captains only', after which all communication with the officials goes through the team captain. A player other than the captain who enters the captain-only zone is warned, and repeated offences can bring yellow cards.

Discipline

Offence codes

Offences are coded: C1 to C7 are cautionable offences such as unsporting behaviour, dissent, persistent infringing, delaying a restart and entering without permission. S1 to S7 are sending-off offences such as serious foul play, violent conduct, spitting, denying a goal by handball and a second yellow card.

Fines and suspensions

Sending-off offences carry a minimum fine (for example 50 euros) and a minimum suspension (1 match for serious foul play, 2 for violent conduct, 3 for spitting). A direct red card means automatic suspension from the next match. Fines must be paid within 24 hours.

Yellow card accumulation

A player or official who receives two yellow cards in different matches within one stage is suspended for the next match. Single yellow cards are cleared at the end of a stage, as told at the first technical meeting.

Discipline committee and appeals

A committee of a match officials representative, a local organiser and an IFCPF technical delegate hears disciplinary matters at tournaments. A nation may appeal within 24 hours, telling the technical delegate within one hour, with a fee of 100 euros (the fine only is returned if the appeal is upheld).

Intentional misrepresentation

A disciplinary offence: an athlete deliberately misrepresenting their skills, abilities or the degree or nature of their impairment during evaluation or afterwards. It can lead to disqualification and a sanction of one to four years.

Classification

Eligible impairments (CP football)

The impairments are hypertonia, ataxia or athetosis (with a medical diagnosis such as cerebral palsy or a related neurological condition). Players must have a verifiable, permanent neurological impairment that disadvantages them in regular football and affects fundamental football skills.

Classification stages

A player is evaluated in three stages: the physical assessment, by a medical or physiotherapy classifier (eligible impairment and minimum impairment criteria); the technical assessment, by a sports technical classifier in small-sided games; and observation in competition, after which a class and status are given.

Minimum impairment criteria (CP football)

For hypertonia, for example, spasticity grade 2 in one lower-limb muscle, or grade 1+ in two muscle groups of the same leg. For ataxia the criteria use balance tests and a SARA score. A player who does not meet them is Not Eligible.

Technical assessment

A video-recorded evaluation on a pitch of passing and shooting, offensive and defensive skills, dribbling, running and change of direction, and jumping and heading. It looks at coordination, balance, symmetry, range of movement and arm impairment. Goalkeepers are tested on skills such as side-stepping, dropping and standing, trapping aerial balls and punching.

Profiles A, B and C

The three profiles used to allocate classes: A for bilateral spasticity (diplegia), B for athetosis, dystonia or ataxia (all four limbs, with coordination impairment as the key feature), and C for unilateral spasticity (hemiplegia).

Modified Ashworth scale

The scale from 0 to 4 (with a 1+ grade) used to grade spasticity, from no increase in muscle tone to rigid. The class reference scores use grades such as 2 and 3 in the calf, hamstrings and adductors.

Sport class status (CP football)

After observation in competition a player's class is Confirmed, Review, or Review with a Fixed Review Date. The competition rules require the medical diagnostics form eight weeks before a player's first international classification.

All CP football words