Final standings in abandoned leagues

[Matt Mackenzie]

.

As for established protocol where leagues are abandoned, the problem with all sports is that the most recent precedents are from 1939

Well, the most recent British precedents perhaps.

For instance

Due to the 2019 Chilean protests, the competition was suspended since mid-October with six matchdays still left. After a failed attempt to resume normal activity that saw only one match fully played, on 29 November 2019, ANFP's Council of Presidents voted to conclude the season. Thus Universidad Católica, who were leading the competition at the time of the suspension, won their fourteenth title. No teams were relegated to the Primera B this season

Well, fans of a certain PL side will be hoping this precedent is followed.

[JustinHorton]

Well yes, but that's the easy part. (What is to be done about promotion and relegation? What about play-offs? How will you handle games in hand?)

[Matt Mackenzie]

Well yes, which is why I think its more problematic here than in Chile

[JustinHorton]

Well yes, I'm guessing that the Chilean example might suit English chess more than English football

[Mick Norris]

As for established protocol where leagues are abandoned, the problem with all sports is that the most recent precedents are from 1939. At some point it may become appropriate for the ECF Board to provide guidance, but it currently has more pressing decisions to take.

That may be true for professional leagues, but no doubt there are local leagues that have been massively affected by flooding (Ramsbottom United's pitch is often under water), foot and mouth etc;

Actually I gather that Bolton Wanderers didn't play a competitive match between 8 December 1962 and 16 February 1963 (they've often been not competitive recently, but that's another story) and some lower-level competitions did not complete the season; 94 horse racing meets were cancelled

[JustinHorton]

and some lower-level competitions did not complete the season

Was there automatic promotion and relegation between any of these back then? (I'm familiar with the situation between the Football League and non-league prior to 1987, but much less so when it comes to leagues lower down what was not, then, the pyramid.)

[Mick Norris]

I don't know Justin, before I was born! My experience with lower leagues (very limited, but likely to increase if Bury ever start playing football again) is that relegation and promotion can be a bit fluid anyway, with clubs not meeting ground standards, not wanting to travel too far, or not wanting the financial risk (e.g. there's a league reorganisation going on with the North West Counties, which may assist Bury AFC in getting the place we have applied for if there's a next season)

[JustinHorton]

Here's some unreliable tables

[David Sedgwick]

perhaps one lasting consequence of this virus is that leagues will introduce rules addressing situations of necessary abandonment. At least chess does not seem to be behind anyone else in this respect.

Since the virus may operate for a while, I wonder if there might indeed be a case for just having two weekends to finish the current 4NCL season over next season. With any luck the timings will work and if they don't, better to arrange just one or two weekends than to have to deal with many more, and to have two different seasons unconcluded would seem particularly unhappy. If it turns out that we cannot conclude this current season even over next season, there will at least be broad agremment for then abandoning it and voiding it, maybe permitting voluntary relegation and promotion for those who were last in the appropriate positions.

I emphasise that I came up with this on the back of a envelope just now.

There's definite logic to what you say, my selfish perspective would raise the concern over the rule regarding duration of tournament for title norms tobe valid:

1.14 Leagues and national team championships may last longer than 90 days, but not more than one year. Normally for individual tournaments, a period of at most 90 days is permitted but the QC Chairman may give prior approval to tournaments of a longer duration.

but hopefully common sense would prevail if the 2019-20 seasons finishes more than a year after the start. Whilst Division One didn't start until Jan 2020 it may be that the date of Division Three/Four in November would be the date from which the year rule is enforced.

I definitely agree though that it is far preferable for the current season to be completed in the format which it started with. How the 2020 European Club Cup places will be decided is a matter for others!

See https://www.fide.com/news/443.

[JustinHorton]

The 2010/11 Syrian Premier League was abandoned just over halfway through.

Since the season was suspended, no league champion was awarded for 2010-11. To decide which team would represent Syria in the 2012 AFC Cup besides cup winner Al-Ittihad, a play-off tournament was organized. Initially three teams were involved: Al-Wahda, Al-Jaish and Al-Shorta. Al-Wahda later withdrew, so Al-Jaish and Al-Shorta played two games to determine the winner.

Al-Shorta won 1–0 on aggregate and qualified for the 2012 AFC Cup group stage.

[JustinHorton]

The 1972/3 Honduran League

was cancelled after nine weeks completed. It's unclear how Club Deportivo Olimpia and C.D.S. Vida obtained berths to the 1973 CONCACAF Champions' Cup.

[JustinHorton]

The Hungarian League was left unfinished in 1956

[Brian Valentine]

Here's some unreliable tables

My fading memory as an occasional match supporter of my next door neighbour's team was that the team (in the Reading Combination) ended up playing nearly every day in April to complete their fixtures. But that's probably more unreliable than your source.

[LawrenceCooper]

perhaps one lasting consequence of this virus is that leagues will introduce rules addressing situations of necessary abandonment. At least chess does not seem to be behind anyone else in this respect.

Since the virus may operate for a while, I wonder if there might indeed be a case for just having two weekends to finish the current 4NCL season over next season. With any luck the timings will work and if they don't, better to arrange just one or two weekends than to have to deal with many more, and to have two different seasons unconcluded would seem particularly unhappy. If it turns out that we cannot conclude this current season even over next season, there will at least be broad agremment for then abandoning it and voiding it, maybe permitting voluntary relegation and promotion for those who were last in the appropriate positions.

I emphasise that I came up with this on the back of a envelope just now.

There's definite logic to what you say, my selfish perspective would raise the concern over the rule regarding duration of tournament for title norms tobe valid:

1.14 Leagues and national team championships may last longer than 90 days, but not more than one year. Normally for individual tournaments, a period of at most 90 days is permitted but the QC Chairman may give prior approval to tournaments of a longer duration.

but hopefully common sense would prevail if the 2019-20 seasons finishes more than a year after the start. Whilst Division One didn't start until Jan 2020 it may be that the date of Division Three/Four in November would be the date from which the year rule is enforced.

I definitely agree though that it is far preferable for the current season to be completed in the format which it started with. How the 2020 European Club Cup places will be decided is a matter for others!

See https://www.fide.com/news/443.

Thanks, I was sent that link and saw it after posting here. I'm none the wiser on the points raised above though other than asking Alex H which I tend to do anyway!

[NickFaulks]

I'm none the wiser on the points raised above

You should be wiser. Team events which manage to play fewer that eight games will not get norms. For precisely eight, a concession will be offered which may be of some value.

It is obviously too early to make full rules for the season being extended by more than six months, but if that looks a plausible outcome there will be updates.