Discipline will be conducted by either Discipline by Review (DBR) or Discipline by Hearing (DBH).  Please refer to the attached “League Discipline Procedures” chart for the standard OSA Misconducts handled by the OCSL.  This chart also indicates by which method (DBR or DBH) the Misconduct will be dealt with.

Players receiving a dismissal

Any Player that is reported to have received a red card, and has not requested a hearing within 3 days of the incident will serve the penalty established by the Ontario Soccer Association.  He/she shall be subject to at least the mandatory minimum penalty as outlined in OSA Discipline Policy, Standard Penalties for Misconduct.  Discipline shall be rendered using the Discipline by Review (DBR) system and in accordance with OSA Discipline Policies, unless a hearing is requested following the appropriate guidelines. Note that there is no appeal process of a decision done by review.

Individuals who have been red carded are to wait until the club receives notification of their suspension from the League before serving the suspension.  It is the Club’s responsibility to communicate the information to the appropriate coach and/or player.  Please note there are no automatic suspensions as a result of receiving a red card.

The notification of player suspension(s) will indicate the number of games and the game number that the player is under suspension for.  The game numbers specified on the notification are the assigned games and must be served accordingly.  In the event that one of the assigned games is to be rescheduled, the player will still be required to sit the assigned game number.

He/she (or their Club) shall be levied an administrative fee of $50.00 for each misconduct that results in a suspension (per the attached chart).  Failure to pay will result in the individual remaining under suspension until the administrative fee is paid.  Players who resume play without paying the $50.00 administrative fee are considered ‘ineligible’ and are subject to disciplinary actions.

If a competitive team receives 25 yellow cards, or a recreational team receives 20, or either receives four (4) red cards in a single season, it will be required to attend a Team Misconduct meeting.  If a team receives five (5) or more red cards in a single season, it will be required to attend a discipline hearing and will be subject to corrective action.

Request for Discipline Hearing

            Please refer to the attached Guidelines with regards to requesting a discipline hearing.

Suspended Players and club officials

It is the player’s/team’s/Club Official’s/Club’s responsibility to ascertain their status with regard to discipline matters such as the date when the individual becomes eligible to participate or the number of cautions (yellow cards) accumulated, etc.

The coach of any team having a player serving a suspension will be required to include that player’s name on the game sheet with the notation “UNDER SUSPENSION” or “SUSPENSION” beside the name.  Suspended players listed on the game sheet without either notation beside his/her name will be considered to have participated in the game and will be subject to disciplinary action.  Suspended players not listed on the game sheet are not considered to have sat out the game - the player’s name must be listed on the game sheet as noted above in order for the suspension to be considered served.

Club Responsibilities

Each Club is responsible for the conduct of their players, coaches, administrators, and spectators (OSA Discipline Policy 5.2).

Clubs are responsible for ensuring that coaches and players are made aware of the above information.  They must also be aware of this information and the discipline status of their players and other Club officials.

Additional OCSL Penalties and Fines

            Ineligible players

           
Further to the OCSL Rules and Regulations, Section IV, Articles 5 and 6:

“5) Any team playing a player not registered in accordance with the OSA Published Rules or one who is ineligible to compete at the level of the team, or a player who is serving a “time suspension’ as a player or from all soccer activity, or is specifically suspended for the game(s) in question shall forfeit all games in which he/she participates.

Any player listed on the game sheet is deemed to have played in the game, except if a line is struck through the player’s name or the words “suspended”, “suspension” or “under suspension” are written beside the player’s name.  Where a suspended player’s name appears on the game sheet without the above notation the player will not be able to claim that he/she sat out a game of his/her suspension.

Any team playing such an ineligible player will be subject to corrective action in addition to the forfeiture of points.  The case will be referred to the EODSA, which will impose further penalties as warranted against Club and Team officials as prescribed by OSA discipline regulations.

“6) Any team playing an ineligible player under the name of one of its registered players will be subject to the above fine as well as possible expulsion from the League Competition”

           

            Cardchecking

Further to the OSA Policies and Guidelines, proof of registration (i.e. player cards) must be available to be checked prior to every game.  The checking of player cards by the referee is mandatory prior to kickoff for all OCSL games. Teams and coaches must allow sufficient time prior to the game starting to facilitate this verification process and not cause a delay in the start of the game.

Teams playing without the required player cards will be subject to corrective action in addition to the forfeiture of points. Any player without a valid player card and /or permit (if applicable) CANNOT PLAY; such players must change out of their uniform or leave the playing area.

Games should not be played and will not be rescheduled if player cards are not at the field.  Games not played as a result of no player cards being present at the game could result in the offending team being fined as previously stated and a win being awarded to the other team. 

If the legitimacy of any player card or permit presented at the field is questioned, it should be noted by the referee, and the player concerned MUST SIGN THE GAME SHEET and the matter will be looked into by the League office upon receipt.  Discipline action and fines may be assessed as required.

Players who arrive after the start of the first half, but before the second half starts, may play in the game. Their player card must first be shown to the opponent’s coach/manager before they enter the field of play.  Once the player presents his/her card, the player may then enter the field of play during the first half.

Please note that referees have the right to refuse to officiate a game where player cards are not present.  The referee will submit a special incident report in this regard and possible discipline action may be taken against both teams as deemed necessary.

A zero tolerance approach will be applied to players, coaches, and teams who fail to follow the OCSL’s Card Checking Procedures. Fines and/or other disciplinary measures will be applied. NO CARD = NO PLAY.

            
            Postponement and unplayed games

Section XVI, Article 3, states that:  “Clubs/teams must notify the OCSL office in writing at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled kick-off time if they are not able to field a team.  Otherwise, they shall be fined. Defaulted games will not be rescheduled.”

Section XIV, Article 1a, states that:  “Any team which fails to field the allowable minimum number of players within 20 minutes after the scheduled kickoff time shall be considered to have failed to appear and they shall default the game.  Defaulting team(s) shall be subject to fines.  In all categories the score will be recorded as 2 - 0 for their opposition.”

If both teams fail to appear, both teams will be subject to corrective action.  There shall be no points and no score for the game but each team will have one loss added to its record.

            
            Trophy return

Section XXIII, stipulates that “Each club must ensure that all League property presented to a representative of their Club is returned to the OCSL prior to July 1^st of the following season.

Failure to do so will result in the Club being fined an appropriate amount per trophy, cup or shield or the cost of replacing the trophy, cup or shield (whichever is higher).

            
            Protests

Protests of games must be submitted within 24 hours of the game and accordingly to Section XXIV of the current OCSL Rules and Regulation.  Protests will not be accepted on grounds regarding to referee conduct and decisions, field conditions, goal posts, crossbars, ball, colours, etc.  Protests must be noted on the game sheet.

According to Section XXIV, Article 4a, “Protest fee shall be as established by the LMB and must accompany any protest.”

            Discipline

Regarding player red cards, any player receiving a red (dismissal) or an accumulation of yellow (caution) cards which results in a suspension (as per OSA Discipline Policies) and not requesting a hearing shall be subject to at least the mandatory minimum penalty as outlined in the OSA Published Rules. Discipline shall be rendered using the Discipline by Review (DBR) system.  The Club shall be levied an administrative fee for each misconduct that results in a suspension.  Failure to pay the fee and/or present the book will result in the player remaining under suspension.

            
            Failure to attend a hearing

Failure of a person to attend a scheduled hearing will be charged a $100.00 administrative fee and will be suspended until a hearing is requested and heard.

Failure of a Club to appear at a Team Misconduct Meeting or a Discipline Hearing (without valid reason) will result in a fine of $250.

Notification will also be sent out to the Club stating that failure to agree to reschedule the hearing within ten (10) days of the date of the letter will result in the Club’s suspension from all soccer activities until a hearing is requested.

           
            Game Sheets

            The OCSL Constitution Section XII, Article 1, states:

                        “OCSL Game Sheets (signed by the designated coach present at the game) with attached permits, etc, must be provided to the game official prior to the start of the game.  These sheets must contain a hand printed or typed list of all registered players’ full names (first and last names) together with their shirt numbers and game related information (Division, Date, Team Names, and location etc).  Any player listed but not in attendance must have a line through their name or he/she is deemed to have played that game.  Any player under suspension must have the word “suspension” printed besides his/her name on the game sheet or he/she is not considered to have sat out the game.  Failure to identify players under suspension may result in disciplinary action by the OCSL.”

Failure of a team to properly fill in a game sheet as noted above will result in the team being subject to corrective action.

Please be advised that the foregoing provides an outline of the additional fees and penalties that can be administered by the OCSL, and is not the complete OCSL Constitution or Rules and Regulations.  Therefore, it is recommended that you refer to the current Constitution and Rules and Regulations for any further questions.

First Level Discipline

The following is a table of the misconducts for which the leagues can issue discipline.

Standard penalties for misconduct by a Player:

Standard Penalties for misconduct by a Coach or Administrator:

All of the above misconducts can be dealt with by the Leagues and in accordance with the published rules of the OSA.

If you receive a Red Card the following will apply!

Decisions By Review

If you refer to the Discipline Chart above you will see that Decisions By Review occur for most of the Misconducts listed on this chart.  If the Misconduct you have committed appears as being done by review but has (DBH) beside it also, then you have the right to request a hearing.

Please see the next section on Requesting a Discipline Hearing.

If you choose to accept the penalty as indicated on the Discipline Chart on Page 5 then you are accepting the suspension or fine and your case will go to Decision By Review.

Decisions by Review are made by a three-person panel that will review the case and decide if the individual is guilty or not guilty.   The Panel will advise the Club of the accused within two days of the Decision By Review meeting of the outcome of the review.  The League will indicate the specific games for which the accused is suspended.

Please note that the same rules apply for Decisions By Review done at the District Level.

Note that you are NOT suspended until you are notified by your club that you are suspended.

Requesting A Discipline Hearing

If you are dismissed from a game within your league you have 3 days after the incident to contact your league to determine the reason for the dismissal and to submit a letter requesting a hearing if you wish to dispute the call.  Note that the letter must be hand delivered or sent by Registered mail and must be accompanied by the $100.00 ‘request for hearing’ fee.  If your league indicates that the dismissal was sent to the District the same rules apply; you have 2 days to request a hearing in the same manner indicated above accompanied by the $100.00 ‘request for hearing’ fee.

Appealing a Discipline Hearing Panel Decision

Please refer to Section 10.0 of the OSA’s Published Rules for guidelines on appealing an OCSL Discipline Hearing Panel decision.


Filing a Complaint

If you have a complaint, which you would like to file against a player, coach, referee, or manager, please forward the complaint to the league so that they are aware that you are filing a complaint.  The league will then review the complaint and determine if it is within their ability to take action.  The league may only take action if the complaint falls within the Discipline listed on the chart on page 5.  The League must forward all referee complaints to the District.  Please note that when filing a complaint if the League or District determines that a hearing is warranted then the complainant will be required to attend the hearing.  Should the complainant refuse to attend a discipline hearing then the hearing cannot take place.


Suspensions

If you know that you are going to be suspended either by the District or the League you must wait until you are notified of the dates and time lines of your suspension before serving it.  If you are going to be suspended for three games you must wait until the league or the District notifies you of the games which you are going to be suspended from.  You should not assume that you are automatically suspended for your NEXT game, as it will not count towards your suspension unless you have been notified that it is one of the games for which you are suspended. In other words, your suspension may not be processed by your next game, in which case you do not need to sit that game out.  (For example, if you get suspended in game #35 and you sit out game #36, but the League sends you a notice after this game indicating that only game #37 is to be sat out, you MUST sit it out  game #37 regardless of whether or not a game has already been served.)

Please note that the only exception to being automatically suspended is Game Official Assault.  If you have committed Game official Assault you are automatically suspended from all soccer-related activity and you will be contacted by your Club and the District notifying you of such conditions.

Please note that if you are suspended from all soccer related activity you cannot participate in any soccer activities under the scope of the OSA.   This includes administering, practicing, coaching, playing, officiating, or any other activity related to soccer under the OSA guidelines.

Please note that when the District suspends you under the Decision By Review system you are charged an administrative fee of $50.00.  This must be paid in order to return to play after a suspension.