PHILOSOPHY OF RULE VIOLATIONS AND PENALTIES: The strength of the WIAA lies in the willingness and ability of the membership to support the rules and regulations adopted and, if necessary, to support the penalties placed upon members, if it is determined that those same rules and regulations have been violated.  AFFIRMATION OF GOALS # 2, 3, 5, 6 THEREFORE:

27.1.0        SELF REPORTING RULE VIOLATIONS BY MEMBER SCHOOLS - When a school becomes aware that a rule has been violated, the offending school principal (or designee) must report the infraction and any action taken by the school in writing within five (5) school business days to: 1) the superintendent of the offending school, 2) the league of school membership for review and action, and 3) the appropriate WIAA District.

                   27.1.1                 The offending school may appeal any league actions, first to the appropriate WIAA District for review and action and, following WIAA District action, to the WIAA for review and action in accordance with Article 26.0.0.

27.2.0        RULE VIOLATIONS INVOLVING SCHOOLS OR STUDENTS - Reports of students or schools in alleged violation of WIAA Rules and Regulations shall be handled as follows:

                   27.2.1                 Schools have the responsibility to report possible eligibility infractions or school violations of WIAA rules and regulations in writing to the principal of the school involved, with copies sent to the involved school's superintendent, the appropriate league and WIAA District Secretaries at the earliest possible date for the principal's investigation and response to the notifying school.

                   27.2.2                 The principal of the school involved in the alleged violation shall reply to the notifying school principal within five (5) school business days the results of the investigation.

                   27.2.3                 Copies of the investigation report, including action taken, shall be sent to the involved school's superintendent, appropriate league, WIAA District Secretary and the notifying school's principal.

                   27.2.4                 After five (5) school business days of receipt of notice of an alleged violation, upon receipt or absence of the investigation report, the league shall hear the allegations and determine the penalty, if any, in accordance with the WIAA School Due Process Procedures.

 

27.3.0        USE OF INELIGIBLE PARTICIPANT -  The use of an ineligible participant shall result in forfeiture of contests in which that participant took part, except in situations in which it is determined that the participant/parent/guardian provided the school with false information which caused the school to declare the participant eligible.  In such cases, the participant will be declared ineligible for interscholastic competition for a period of one (1) year.

Should a member school determine that a participant is ineligible after that student has participated in one or more interscholastic competitions, that student may apply for eligibility through the process outlined in WIAA Rule 19.  Should the participant be declared eligible during this process, the forfeiture(s) due to this participation shall be voided.

27.4.0        PENALTY FOR USE OF INELIGIBLE PARTICIPANT - The penalty for use of an ineligible participant is as follows:

                   27.4.1                 In the team sports of baseball (including the pitching limitation rule), basketball (including violations of the quarter rule), football, soccer, softball and volleyball, the school must:

                                A.             Forfeit all contests involved.

                                B.            Adjust its place in league standings and/or relinquish its place in tournament standings.

                                C.            Return team and individual awards.

                   27.4.2                 In the individual sports of cross country, golf, gymnastics, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, and wrestling, the school must:

                                A.             Eliminate all matches, places, points, scores, etc., of involved student as an individual, and eliminate all contributions made by involved student toward team score.

                                B.            Reduce team points (score) and adjust league standings and/or tournament places.

                                C.            Return awards of individual(s) and, if appropriate, after adjusting standings, team awards.

27.5.0        PENALTIES FOR VIOLATION - Violations of the rules of this Association shall render the offending school liable to a penalty by the action of the school, league, WIAA District or the WIAA Executive Board.

                   27.5.1                 Probation - The school is placed on probation for a specified time by the league, WIAA District or WIAA Executive Board.  An official letter shall be sent to the concerned school warning against further actions that are contrary to the aims and philosophy of the league, WIAA District or WIAA.  During the probationary period, a school may participate in all interscholastic activities unless stipulated otherwise by the league or WIAA.

                   27.5.2                 Restriction - As a condition of probationary status, the league, WIAA District, or WIAA Executive Board may take action that would restrict participation in league, WIAA District or state level activities.  The restriction may be applied to an individual, team, group or school.  Authority to impose one or more of the following restrictions is vested in the entity indicated as follows:

 

                  

                   27.5.3                 Suspension - All rights and privileges of member schools of the WIAA are withheld for a specified period determined by the WIAA Executive Board.  The WIAA Executive Board may suspend a school in a particular sport or activity or in all sports and activities for a sports season or school year.

                   27.5.4                 Expulsion - The school's membership in the WIAA is terminated.

                   27.5.5                 Member schools violating the regular season games, meets or match limitation shall be ineligible for any post-season participation in that sport.

                   27.5.6                 Other Penalties - A major penalty may be invoked as deemed appropriate by the WIAA Executive Board (i.e., a fine, loss of games, loss of tournament participation.)

                                  A.           If a student who has been declared ineligible is permitted to participate in interscholastic competition because of a court restraining order and/or injunction again the school or WIAA, and if such restraining order and/or injunction subsequently is dismissed, stayed, reversed or the school or WIAA prevails at trial, one (1) or more of the penalties outlined above may be taken in the interest of restitution and fairness to other member schools.

                                  B.          If a student participates under a court order and then the Association prevails at trial, or the participant dismisses his/her action/lawsuit, or the injunction, restraining order, action/lawsuit is subsequently overturned or dismissed, the participant shall become immediately ineligible and shall remain ineligible for the period of time equal to that for which the student was allowed to participate under the restraining order or injunction.

                                C.            When the WIAA is involved in legal cases, the Executive Board may seek to recover attorney costs when found to be the prevailing party.

27.6.0        SUMMARY OF RULINGS - At the conclusion of each school year a summary of rule violations and actions taken by schools, leagues and WIAA Districts shall be forwarded to the WIAA Office by each WIAA District Executive Board.