ARTICLE 7

700.         PARTICIPATION

                All competition in CIF-approved sports, in which high school students participate as representatives of their high schools, shall be                 conducted under the auspices of a CIF-member high school, CIF league or Section, and with the approval, if necessary, of the State CIF and the National Federation (See Bylaws 703-705). Only students enrolled in, and teams representing, CIF-member high schools or otherwise approved schools (See Bylaws 502.A., 703-705) may participate in such athletic competition.

                (Revised May 2003 Federated Council)

701.         JOINT SANCTIONING SPONSORSHIP

                Assistance from outside organizations may be secured by the sponsoring high school, but the high school must direct and manage the                 event, or high school section of an “open division competition” event, and be fully responsible. To ensure that high school competition is                 conducted in accordance with CIF rules, the following guidelines must be followed:

                A.            Any interstate or international event involving two (2) or more schools which is co-sponsored by or titled in the name of                                               an organization outside the school community

                B.            Samples of information bulletins, invitations and entry forms must be submitted for sanctioning approval to the NFHS (See                                          Bylaws 703-705) at www.nfhs.org,

                C.            The host school event manager is responsible for accessing the NFHS on-line sanctioning page and completing all necessary                                           information and fees.

                D.            Any event program published in connection with a CIF-sanctioned activity must indicate the name of the host high school, league                                 or Section, and that CIF sanction has been issued.

                E.             Management and control of all finances connected with the activity shall remain with the host high school, league or Section. If                                      requested by the State CIF Office, a financial statement indicating all high school, league or Section revenues and expenditures                                        must be filed with the State CIF Office.

                F.             If the title of a California host event includes the name of an outside organization, the title must be preceded by the name of the                                     sponsoring high school, league or Section.

                                (Approved May 2009  Federated Council)

702.         ADMINISTRATION OF JOINT SANCTIONED EVENT

                A.            If a CIF high school, league or Section sponsors a sanctioned CIF invitational event at the same time and place where an “open                                      division competition” event is being held, the high school competition must be administered by a CIF high school, league or                                           Section.

                B.            The high school event must be limited to entries from CIF-member schools whose athletes are eligible under CIF rules. Any                                           other entries must receive the approval of the State CIF Office, as specified in Bylaws 703-705.

                C.            A high school student who has any eligibility left at a high school shall not participate in any “open division competition” event.

                D.            The “open division” event management is requested not to accept an entry from an ineligible high school student, unless the                                          student has already completed eight semesters of eligibility, or unless the student is beyond CIF age requirements.

                E.             CIF high school event sanction approval will not be issued if a high school student with any                                                                                             remaining eligibility is to be invited to the “open division” section of the event.

                                (Approved May 2003 Federated Council)

703.         INTER-SECTIONAL/BORDER STATES COMPETITION

                State CIF and National Federation sanction approval is not necessary for CIF-approved sports competition conducted between member                 schools of the Sections and/or Border States .

NOTE:   For purposes of the provisions of CIF Article 70 (Sanctioned Events), the following are considered to be “ border states :” Alaska , Arizona , Hawaii , Nevada , and Oregon .  School teams from   Canada and Mexico that meet the eligibility criteria of 705C(2) will also be considered “ border states .” 

                (Approved May 2003 Federated Council)

704.         INTERSTATE COMPETITION

                A.            “Dual” competition (involving two schools only) in CIF-approved sports does not require sanction approval by the State CIF                                      and/or National Federation when a CIF-member school competes against a member school from another state association;

                B.            All competition in CIF-approved sports, involving any of the following requires a sanction:
                                1.             Any interstate or international event involving two (2) or more schools which is co- sponsored by or titled in the name of an organization outside the school community

                                2.              Events in non-bordering states if five (5) or more states are involved.

                                3.             Events in non-bordering states if more than eight (8) schools are involved.

                                4.             Any event involving two (2) or more schools that involves a team from a foreign country.                                                                                                 The exceptions to this rule are Canada and Mexico which are considered “bordering states” by the National Federation of High Schools and the California Interscholastic Federation.

                                                (1)           Host School Procedures

                                                                In applying for all necessary approval (as described above) of such an event, the host school event manager                                                                     must access and register and follow all sanctioning deadlines as listed at www.nfhs.org no later than 60 days                                                                    prior to the event.  Completion of the registration, application and appropriate fees can ONLY be                                                                                    completed electronically at www.nfhs.org. Late fees will be accessed for application filed less than 60 days prior to the event.

                                                                a.             Eligibility of Participants

                                                                                The hosting entity is responsible for submitting, upon request, to its                                                                                 respective Section Office written verification of all of the following.

                                                                                (i)            All participants in the event represent only their respective schools                                                                                                of enrollment; AND

                                                                                (ii)           All participants in the event meet the provisions of the following                                                                                                                                        Bylaws: 203 (Age Requirement); 204 (Eight Semesters); 213                                                                                                (Amateur Standing); 600 (Outside Teams) and 900 (All-Star                                  Competition); AND

                                                                                (iii)          All participants in the event meet the eligibility standards of their respective state and                                                                                                       national associations, including, but not limited to, maintaining minimum progress                                                                                                 toward meeting the high school graduation requirements as prescribed by their respective                                                                                 governing boards.

                                                                b.             The respective Section Commissioner will indicate his/her action                                                                                (approval or denial) and, if approved, sign and forward the form to the State CIF.

                                                                c.             The State CIF, upon receipt and approval of the application, will process                                                                                 the form to the state associations involved, and to the National Federation (if applicable).

                                                                d.             The State CIF will be responsible for notifying the appropriate Section,                                                                                and the Section will notify the school of the final action.

(2)           Traveling School Procedures

                                                                Schools wishing to travel out-of-state to a school sponsored sanctioned event, should be aware of the                                                                              following procedures:

                                                                a.             The hosting school event manager is responsible for processing any application which invites                                                                                           California school participation in an out-of-state event involving schools from multiple state                                                                                             associations, in CIF-approved sport competition.

                                                                b.             Upon receipt of the application, the State CIF will process the request to Section offices on behalf                                                                                   of the invited schools.

                                                                c.             Following Section action, the State CIF will return the form to the National Federation for final                                                                                        approval.

                                                                d.             The State CIF is responsible for notifying the invited Section of final action.

705.         INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION

                A.            Approval of Competition

                                All international high school competition in CIF-approved sports must have the approval of the participating school’s Section                                      Office, and when necessary, the State CIF and the National Federation and the sanction of the appropriate international body                                  involved.

                B.            Sanctioning of Qualifying Trials

                                The State CIF will not sanction qualifying trials for an individual or team for the purpose of selecting undergraduates for                                                international competition. Such selection must be made on the basis of previous performance of the individual or team.

                C.            Hosting School Procedures

                                In applying for all necessary approvals (as described above) of such an event, the host school event. Manager must access and                                      register and follow all sanctioning deadlines as listed at www.nfhs.org no later than 60 days prior to the event.  Completion of the                                 registration, application and appropriate fees can ONLY be completed electronically at www.nfhs.org.

                                Late fees will be accessed for application filed less than 60 days prior to the event.

                                (1)           Eligibility of Participants

                                                The hosting entity is responsible for submitting, upon request, to its respective Section                                                                                                    Office written verification of all of the following:

                                                a.             All participants in the event represent only their respective schools of enrollment; AND

                                                b.             All participants in the event meet the provisions of the following Bylaws:  203                                                                                                                  (Age Requirement), 204 (Eight Semesters), 213 (Amateur Standing), 600 (Outside Teams) and 900 (All-Star                                                                    Competition); AND

                                                c.             All participants in the event meet the eligibility standards of their respective state and national associations,                                                                    including, but not limited to, maintaining minimum progress toward meeting the high school graduation                                                                            requirements as prescribed by their respective governing boards.

                D.            Traveling School Procedures

                                Schools wishing to travel internationally to participate in a school sponsored sanctioned event should be aware of the following                                     procedures:

                                (1)           The traveling school is responsible for the following:

                                                a.             Initiating and forwarding the completed State CIF international sanctioning form to its respective Section                                                                         Office; AND

                                                b.             Submitting to its respective Section Office written verification of the eligibility of all participants in the                                                                           event, as stipulated in (2) above; AND

                                                c.             Obtaining written approval to participate in the event from the appropriate amateur governing body and                                                                         submitting to the respective Section Office.

                                (2)           Upon receipt and approval of the completed State CIF international sanctioning form and the appropriate written                                                                 verifications referenced above, the Section Commissioner will process the application to State CIF Office.

                                (3)           The State CIF will be responsible for notifying the appropriate Section of final action.

                                                (Revised November 2009 Federated Council)

706.         PENALTY FOR VIOLATIONS

                Any violation of the provisions of Article 70 (Sanctioned Events) may be cause for refusal of sanction approval or suspension of the                 participating schools from CIF competition. The Federated Council shall determine any period of suspension. Suspended schools may apply only to the Federated Council for reinstatement.