Lower Rhine Football: Some Teams Begin the New Season with Penalty Points Deducted
The upcoming season in Germany's Kreisliga is shrouded in a unique set of circumstances, as several teams face point deductions and withdrawals. These occurrences, regulated by local football associations under the umbrella of the Deutscher Fußball-Bund (DFB) and regional associations, can significantly impact a team's standing and the league structure.
Points Deductions
Points deductions can be the result of various infractions, such as forfeited matches, financial or administrative penalties, playing ineligible players, or repeated disciplinary issues. The exact scale of the deductions varies by local association, with some teams losing points only from the match in question, while others may suffer overall negative points.
Team Withdrawals
If a team withdraws mid-season, their results can be annulled, or upcoming matches counted as forfeits, depending on when they withdraw. Early withdrawals mean their fixtures are removed from the schedule, potentially causing fewer matches for remaining teams. Withdrawals often lead to automatic relegation and possibly fines or restrictions on future participation.
Impact on Upcoming Season
The reshuffling of teams due to point deductions, relegations, or withdrawals can significantly affect the competitive balance, title races, relegation battles, and promotion spots. It may also necessitate adjustments to the schedule and promotion/relegation processes to ensure balanced competition.
For instance, in the Kreisliga B in Essen, there will be no fixed relegated team, and some teams are starting the season with a points deduction due to match cancellations in the final games of the previous season. In the Kreisliga A1, TV Jahn Hiesfeld is starting with three negative points, while TuS Mündelheim II has already withdrawn their team.
Specific Cases
In the Kreis Essen, the Kreisliga B is particularly extreme, as there will be no fixed relegated team. Meanwhile, in the Kreis Wuppertal-Niederberg, TSV Beyenburg II, FC Rot Weiss Heiligenhaus (Kreisliga C), ASV Wuppertal, and Sportfreunde Siepen II (Kreisliga B) must start with three negative points. In Staffel 3 of the Kreisliga B in Essen, SV Teutonia Überruhr II is not starting, while FC Blau-Gelb Überruhr II is starting with three negative points.
In the Kreisliga C, VfL Wedau II is starting with three negative points, and in the Kreisliga A1, there is one fixed relegated team. SV Rot-Weiss Mülheim II's team has also been withdrawn from the Kreisliga B, and Stella Azzurra Velbert has already withdrawn from the league. In Staffel 2 of the Kreisliga B in Essen, Tusem Essen has withdrawn their third team, and Essener SG II has also withdrawn from the Kreisliga B in Essen. No team can be relegated from the Kreisliga B division.
Implications for Clubs
Clubs in the Kreisliga must maintain compliance to avoid point deductions or forced withdrawals, as this affects not only their current standing but also the structure of the league in the upcoming season. Teams with financial or disciplinary issues might be denied licenses to compete in the Kreisliga next season.
As the new season in amateur football is about to begin, it's essential for teams to be aware of the rules and consequences surrounding point deductions and team withdrawals to ensure a fair and balanced competition.
- The upcoming points deductions for various infractions, such as playing ineligible players or financial penalties, could significantly impact the standing of a team in Germany's Kreisliga.
- The withdrawals of several teams, with potential annulment of their results, might lead to reshuffling of the league structure and create imbalances in the competition, as in the Kreisliga B in Essen where no fixed relegated team is set.
