The Legionary football is a tough form of football that originated in 12th century. Players were mostly then king's own soldiers and warriors, that became known as "Legionary Football" (Ludus Peditatus Legionarium).
History[]
The official rules of Legionary football were published for the first time in 1599 by Giovanni delle Bande Rosse, a Sammarcense mercenary strategist and count. It was played in teams of 27, using both feet and hands. Goals could be scored by throwing the ball over a designated spot on the perimeter of the field. The playing fields were initially the Parade Squares, sand pit with a goal running the width of each end.
Later, Legionary football calcio was reserved for aristocrats, who played every night around Christmas and Easter.
The sport was not played from 1821 to 1935; it has been revived in the twentieth century when organized games began again in 1935. Today, there is an official Sport Federation, which organizes regular leagues and matches. The modern version allows tactics such as head-butting, punching, elbowing, and choking, but forbids sucker punching and kicks to the head.
Game Rules[]
A standard gamefield.
The games have a duration of fifty minutes and are played on a rectangular field covered with sand, a white line divides the field into two identical squares. On both sides of the bottom is mounted a net above the fence surrounding the entire perimeter of the gamefield. On this field face two teams, composed of twenty-seven players on each side. The twenty-seven players are divided into the following roles:
- Four Goalkeepers
- Three Backs
- Five Wreckers
- Fifteen Runners.
At the center of the net is mounted to the bottom of the tent of Captain and Ensign, which have a duty to intervene in fights to pacify the minds of their players.
The meeting is led by Senior Judge, assisted by six Linesmen and the Judge Commissioner who sits outside the field, however. Above all is the Field Marshal who oversees the smooth running of the game, and intervenes to restore order and maintain discipline in the event of scuffles on the playing field.
The game begins with the launch of the ball by the Field Marshal on the center line and the next "shot" of culverins that greet the opening of hostilities. From this point on, players from both teams try any means to bring the ball down to the bottom of the enemy camp and deposit it in the net marking the point.
It is important to shoot with great precision because if the ball ends up, after a wrong shot or a deviation of the defenders, over the network, is assigned half goals on the opponent. For every goal the teams will have to change field. The winner will be the team that at the end of 50 minutes of play scores the highest number of goals.
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The Jinavian Legionary Football Federation (JFLF) is the governing body of legionary football in Jinavia, and the Crown Dependencies. It was formed in 1936, and is the oldest national legionary football association in the whole Jinavian sphere of influence. It is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the game of legionary football in Jinavia, both professional and amateur.
The JFLF sanctions all competitive legionary football matches in Jinavia, either directly (at a National Level), or indirectly (at a local level through Regional Committees). It runs numerous competitions, the most famous of which is the annual Emperor's Own Award. It is also responsible for appointing the management of the men's and youth national legionary football teams.
The JFLF is a member of International Association of Legionary Football (IALF) and holds a permanent seat on the International Legionary Football Association Board (ILFAB) which is responsible for the laws of the game.
All of Jinavia's professional teams are members of the JFLF. The JFLF is responsible for the appointment of the management of the Jinavian national teams and the organization of the Emperor's Own Award Tournament. The other leagues are self-governing, although the JFLF has veto power.
The JFLF has the power to restrict transfers and deduct points from clubs, most commonly for clubs going into administration or experiencing financial irregularities.
The game is controlled at the local level, by 28 Regional Committees dependent on JFLF but with responsibilities for organising and running football activities in their area. A hierarchy of leagues operates throughout the game, each taking responsibility for the administration of their own activities, such as membership, fixtures and registrations, under the general guidelines issued by the JFLF.
The Federation owns and runs both Imperial National Stadium and the National Legionary Football Centre.