1. A. The MPSSAA games or tournament committees representing all of the districts shall administer and supervise tournaments in the various sports at the district, regional, and State level.
2. B. All participating schools shall abide by the rules established by each MPSSAA tournament committee.

3. C. Although certain aspects of a tournament may vary from year to year, the following basic policies shall be observed by all tournament committees:

   1. (1) The tournament may not interfere with local board of education policy.
   2. (2) A member MPSSAA school or local school system may decide whether or not to participate in the tournament.
   3. (3) A member MPSSAA school shall compete in its classification when the tournament is so structured.
   4. (4) Certified and approved officials' organizations shall be assigned games in a fair, equitable, and nondiscriminatory manner.
   5. (5) All awards and recognition shall conform to Regulation .08 of this chapter.
   6. (6) MPSSAA tournament committees shall make every effort to establish game sites to avoid extensive travel for participating teams.
   7. (7) All policy and procedure changes for State tournaments shall be subject to the approval of the MPSSAA Executive Council with the Association Tournament Committee serving in an advisory capacity. Emergency decisions on tournament policies and procedures may be made by the MPSSAA Executive Director.
   8. (8) When a student is found ineligible during the progress of a tournament, the contest last played shall be forfeited, and the team which was defeated shall take its place.
   9. (9) “All-star teams” or best “individual athlete” awards may not be selected from approved tournaments.
   10. (10) Sports at the State tournament level shall be governed by approved game rules.
   11. (11) If a team or any students participating in a State tournament contest leaves the field of competition before completion of a contest, or fails to continue play when eligible to do so, or is guilty of misconduct detrimental to the tournament, then the team, coach, or students may be suspended from further participation in the current tournament, and from the same tournament in the succeeding year, upon the determination of the tournament committee and the Executive Director.
   12. (12) The rules of the MPSSAA do not provide authority to order games replayed. Protests arising from decisions and interpretations by officials during the game will not be considered. Officials' decisions and interpretations are final.
4. D. Expansion of any sport to the State level shall be recommended by the State Board of Control of the MPSSAA and approved by the State Superintendent of Schools after consultation with local superintendents of schools.
5. E. Tournament rules and procedures established by the MPSSAA may be appealed on behalf of a student, coach, or school by a local superintendent of schools to the State Superintendent of Schools. The appeal shall be adjudicated by a committee of three local superintendents of schools appointed by the State Superintendent of Schools. The decision of the committee shall be final.

Authority: Education Article, §§2-205 and 2-303(k), Annotated Code of Maryland

Effective date: October 1, 1975 (2:22 Md. R. 1373)

Regulations .01, .04, .07A, .09A, and .12 amended effective August 4, 1976 (3:16 Md. R. 853)

Regulations .02A, F, .03B, .04, and .07C amended effective August 31, 1977 (4:18 Md. R. 1399)

Regulations .02F, J; .03B; .04B; .05; and .07C amended effective September 19, 1980 (7:19 Md. R. 1808)

Regulation .03B amended effective February 27, 1984 (11:4 Md. R. 317); August 27, 1984 (11:17 Md. R. 1493)

Regulations .03B, .04B, .06D, .07C amended effective August 10, 1979 (6:16 Md. R. 1332)

Regulations .03B and .04B amended, .05 repealed, and new .05 adopted effective October 24, 1983 (10:21 Md. R. 1903)

Regulations .03B, .05, and .09A, E, G, H amended effective August 11, 1978 (5:16 Md. R. 1260)

Regulations .03B and .11A amended effective August 2, 1982 (9:15 Md. R. 1517)

Regulations .04B, .07C, and .11 amended effective August 31, 1981 (8:17 Md. R. 1420)

Regulations .06E, .09I, and .10E adopted effective August 10, 1979 (6:16 Md. R. 1332)

Regulation .12 repealed effective August 10, 1979 (6:16 Md. R. 1332)

Chapter revised effective August 15, 1988 (15:16 Md. R. 1916)

Regulation .02 amended as an emergency provision effective August 14, 1989 (16:17 Md. R. 1882); adopted permanently effective December 25, 1989 (16:25 Md. R. 2713); August 19, 2013 (40:16 Md. R. 1345)

Regulation .02D amended effective September 12, 1994 (21:18 Md. R. 1511)

Regulation .02G amended effective August 31, 1992 (19:17 Md. R. 1608)

Regulation .02I amended effective July 3, 1995 (22:13 Md. R. 968)

Regulation .03 amended effective August 19, 2013 (40:16 Md. R. 1345); August 22, 2022 (49:17 Md. R. 790)

Regulation .03A amended effective April 21, 2008 (35:8 Md. R. 807)

Regulation .03B amended effective October 6, 1997 (24:20 Md. R. 1405); September 1, 2003 (30:17 Md. R. 1204); January 7, 2016 (42:26 Md. R. 1596); December 27, 2021 (48:26 Md. R. 1112)

Regulation .04 amended effective August 19, 2013 (40:16 Md. R. 1345)

Regulation .04A-1 adopted effective April 19, 2010 (37:8 Md. R. 618)

Regulation .04B amended effective December 24, 1990 (17:25 Md. R. 2908); August 31, 1992 (19:17 Md. R. 1608); November 29, 2010 (37:24 Md. R. 1659)

Regulation .04C amended effective December 27, 2021 (48:26 Md. R. 1112); August 22, 2022 (49:17 Md. R. 790)

Regulation .04D amended effective January 6, 2005 (31:26 Md. R. 1864); July 3, 2006 (33:13 Md. R. 1064)

Regulation .04E amended effective October 6, 1997 (24:20 Md. R. 1405); August 22, 2022 (49:17 Md. R. 790)

Regulation .04G amended effective August 22, 2022 (49:17 Md. R. 790)

Regulation .04J adopted effective July 3, 2006 (33:13 Md. R. 1064)

Regulation .05 amended effective August 19, 2013 (40:16 Md. R. 1345)

Regulation .05B amended effective July 3, 1995 (22:13 Md. R. 968)

Regulation .05C amended effective August 31, 1992 (19:17 Md. R. 1608); July 3, 1995 (22:13 Md. R. 968)

Regulation .06 amended effective August 19, 2013 (40:16 Md. R. 1345)

Regulation .06A amended effective August 31, 1992 (19:17 Md. R. 1608)

Regulation .06A, B amended effective August 27, 2018 (45:17 Md. R. 804)

Regulation .06B amended effective July 3, 1995 (22:13 Md. R. 968)

Regulation .06B, E amended effective December 24, 1990 (17:25 Md. R. 2908)

Regulation .07A, C amended effective August 19, 2013 (40:16 Md. R. 1345)

Regulation .07C amended effective July 3, 1995 (22:13 Md. R. 968)

Regulation .07E adopted effective August 31, 1992 (19:17 Md. R. 1608)

Regulation .09 amended effective August 19, 2013 (40:16 Md. R. 1345)

Regulation .09B, C, G amended effective July 3, 1995 (22:13 Md. R. 968)

Regulation .09E, H amended effective December 19, 2005 (32:25 Md. R. 1943)

Regulation .11A amended effective July 3, 1995 (22:13 Md. R. 968)

Regulation .11A, C amended effective August 19, 2013 (40:16 Md. R. 1345)