UNDERGRADUATES
All undergraduate students who are affiliated with a residential college and are currently enrolled in classes at Yale University are eligible to participate for their college in undergraduate intramural athletics, subject to the following restrictions:
1. Any undergraduate athlete who is currently practicing or playing in a sport on a intercollegiate varsity, junior varsity, or graduate-professional is ineligible to participate in the associated IM sport.
a. “Currently practicing or playing” a varsity, or junior varsity level is defined as an individual practicing, playing or listed on the active roster with the team after the date designated on the specific intramural sport rules.
b. Inner tube water polo, broomball, and pickleball have significant enough competitive balance rule and/or equipment changes that they are no longer considered “associated” with traditional water polo, hockey, or tennis/squash/badminton. Therefore, varsity, junior varsity, and club athletes are eligible to participate.
2. Any varsity players are ineligible to participate in the sport in which they played, or in any associated sports. However, undergraduate varsity players may regain eligibility in their awarded or related sport after a one year absence from current varsity practice or playing status.
3. The following sports are declared associated:
a.Tackle football with intramural flag football.
b. Cross country and track running events with intramural cross country
c. Court volleyball with intramural court volleyball.
4.Any undergraduate athlete who has competed at the Olympic, professional, or world-ranked amateur level is ineligible to participate in that sport or any associated sport.
5. Any undergraduate who is currently practicing or playing on a club sport team that is the highest level of its sport at Yale and received funding from the Club Sports Office is ineligible to participate in that intramural sport while a member of the club team.
a. In the event of a protest, whether or not a player is “currently practicing or playing” shall be determined by interviews with the player and the club team captain.
6. All sports shall be classified men’s, women’s, mixed-gender, or open and competition shall be categorized as round-robin, double round-robin, tournament, invitational or special events. No man shall be eligible to participate in a woman’s sport, and no woman shall be eligible to participate in a man’s sport. In mixed-gender sports with individual events, no woman shall play in a man’s spot, and no man shall play in a woman’s spot.
a. Intramurals gender-eligibility participation is based on one’s self-identified gender, and that it is done in good faith and is consistent with a player’s expressed gender identity. A participant’s gender identity will be applied when there are gender-specific rules or player-ratio requirements for co-rec activities. Transgender or non-binary individuals may compete in the role that best matches their self-identified gender identity. Such students are encouraged to communicate their gender identity to the referee(s) or supervisor(s) prior to the start of play. Should the player not feel comfortable working with the on-site IM staff, the individual can contact the intramural director, and inform him/her of their status at least two business days prior to the contest.
7. In men’s basketball a player has the option to participate in the beginning of the season at the various levels before determining his ultimate league selection. The following guidelines should be followed:
a. A player may participate during the fall portion of the season in any A, B and C games. Once the season resumes in January his participation in a game in either league denotes his league choice.
b. If a player does not participate in the fall portion of the season he may participate in both A, B, or C leagues (not against the same opponent). Then participation in his second game in any league denotes his league choice.
c. No player who chooses A league may, thereafter, play in a B or C league game.
d. No player who chooses B league may, thereafter, play in a C league game.
e. No player who chooses a lower league may play in higher league after his original team’s final regular season.
f. Any B or C player may, prior to his team’s final regular season game, elect to move to a higher level of play, but, once he participates at the higher level he must remain there for the remainder of the schedule.
8. To be available to participate in any league’s playoff or championship game an athlete must have played in at least one regular season game (appeals/exceptions must be presented to the Director for approval at least one day prior to the contest). To be eligible to participate any invitational, tournament or special event an athlete must meet general and sport specific eligibility rules.
9. In team sports where no or limited substitutions are available only one non-undergraduate may compete during the contest. Currently these sports include: Badminton, Mixed-Gender Court Tennis, Mixed-Gender Table Tennis, Mixed-Gender Bowling, Men’s and Women’s Squash, Mixed-Gender Billiards, Mixed-Gender Swimming, and the Borsodi Golf Tournament.
10. In sports where an unlimited number of team members may compete but a limited number affect the scoring more than one non-undergraduate may participate but only one non-undergraduate’s result may affect scoring. Currently these sports include: Cross Country and Golf.
OTHER ELIGIBLES
The following non-undergraduates are eligible to participate in intramural athletics, provided they meet the undergraduate eligibility regulations. Please note, if intramurals are held in Payne Whitney Gym and the participant is not a gym member, they will need to pay the guest fee or join the gym.
1. The residential Heads of Colleges, Deans, and their partners.
2. College Fellows and Associate Fellows with current Yale ID, exempting Graduate Fellows.
3. All participants must have passed a complete physical exam within the last three years, have proper health insurance, and agree to participate at their own risk.
INELIGIBLES
The following people are ineligible to participate in undergraduate intramurals. Any appeals regarding eligibility must be made one day prior to the contest in which the player is hoping to play.
1. Partners and children of undergraduates and fellows.
2. Graduate and professional students.
3. Alumni.
4. Employees of the University.
5. Students not currently enrolled in classes.
6. Any player participating under an assumed name.
7. Any player who has been ejected or suspended and has not met with the Intramural Director and Head IM Secretary to discuss the circumstances.
8. Anyone else not specifically declared eligible.
ENFORCEMENT
The Athletic Secretaries and team captains are responsible for ensuring that all players meet the eligibility regulations before participating in any contest. Therefore, in order to preserve the integrity of the system it is permissible for any Athletic Secretary or team captain to challenge the eligibility of any player on any team. An official challenge may be made at any time before 24 hours after the team’s last regular season game. The challenger must submit, in writing to the Intramural Director, the suspected ineligible’s name and reason for ineligibility.
The Intramural Director will then investigate the viability of the claim. If they find the player ineligible, they will inform the challenged college of the protest. If they cannot reach a conclusion about the player’s ineligibility due to extraordinary circumstances, they will convene an eligibility committee of themself, the Head Intramural Secretary, and 3 other non-involved secretaries. This committee will decide upon the ineligibility of the player. When the committee has reached a decision the Director will inform the challenged college of the protest. Once informed, the challenged college will be allowed 36 hours to appeal any decision.
Appeals must be made in writing to the Intramural Director with reason for the appeal. If the reasons are sufficient, the matter will be discussed and decided by the Intramural Secretaries Council. Each college, except for the challenging and appealing colleges, shall be given one vote. The decision of the Council will be final.
Any team which is found using an ineligible player shall forfeit all games in which that individual participated or is presumed to have participated and the individual and team may be suspended from further competition.
Absolutely no alcohol consumption or illicit drug use will be tolerated before or during any Intramural event.