There are two mechanisms for administering discipline whenever a player, team official, match official, or administrator has been cautioned (received a yellow card), dismissed (received a red card) OR reported for an Ontario Soccer misconduct (See Procedure 9.0)

• Discipline by Review (DBR - see 5.3)
• Discipline by Hearing (DBH - see 5.4).

Deciding if You Should Request a Hearing

Take the Following Steps:

1. Determine "why" you were dismissed.

The referee should have listed a reason using a red card code in the R column on the game sheet. If this code is missing, or if you would like to confirm the reason for the dismissal before the dismissal report is made available to your Club and Team Official online then contact the EODSL.

Following each game the Match Official's dismissal report is made available on the EODSL website to the Team Officials and the Club. The reason for the dismissal as well as a description of the incident(s) will be included.

Note that Dismissals will be passed on to the District Association if the dismissal was for Game Official assault or involves issues related to registration. If it has been sent to the District, you should contact your District Association directly.

2. Determine if you Agree or Disagree with the Dismissal

Once you have verified the reason for dismissal you may disagree with the charge and/or referee’s report and should at that time request a hearing. Requesting a hearing is done by submitting a Request in writing which can be sent to the EODSL office by Express Post or registered mail, or can be e-mailed or hand delivered to the EODSL Office. The Request must be accompanied by the $50.00 request for hearing fee, in the form of cash, or cheque.

If you discover that you agree with the dismissal and the referee report then you should not request a hearing and will accept the mandatory penalty as outlined in the OSA Discipline Policy. At this time there is nothing you need to do except wait to find out your penalty; if there is a suspension you will be notified through your Club which games you are suspended for.

Suspensions

• Where disciplinary action results in a suspension, the suspension shall not commence prior to seven (7) calendar days from the issue of the notice of discipline. The only exceptions to this are if a suspension is requested by the suspended party to begin earlier OR in the event of a carry over suspension from a previous season which will be applied to the first games of the new season.
• Suspensions received in League play do not carry over into tournaments or other competitions. However, suspensions received in competitions outside of League play that are not served in their entirety by the conclusion of the competition do carry over into League play.

Team Official Season Carry Over Suspensions

As Approved by the EODSL Operations Committee - April 23, 2014

Season carry over suspensions for Team Officials who are no longer affiliated to the team with which they received the suspension will be served with a single team at the highest level/age group eligible with which they are affiliated in the appropriate Carry over Season.

Discipline FAQ

Who Can Be Disciplined?

Discipline action may only be taken against a registrant of the OSA. A registrant is a person who, or an organization which, is named on the register of a governing organization, in accordance with OSA published rules. Notwithstanding, any person acting as Coach, Administrator or Game Official shall be considered to be a registrant of the OSA regardless of whether he/she has registered to do so.

What Discipline matters fall under the jurisdiction of the District?

Red Cards in which the offence was 'directed at the Game Official(s)' fall under the jurisdiction of the EODSA. Such offences are subject to the DBR System, however, the accused has the right to request to be disciplined by the DBH System.
All misconduct types relating to registration of players, team officials & club administrators fall under the jurisdiction of District Associations.

All misconduct by a game official falls under the jurisdiction of the District Association in which the game official is registered .

How do I request a hearing?

Except in cases of O.S.A. Misconduct Type 1.3, 1.5 and 1.6, an individual who is subject to the D.B.R. System shall have the right to request to be disciplined by the D.B.H. System.

Any request for a hearing shall be submitted to the EODSL in writing within 3 days of completion of the game along with a Hearing Fee of fifty dollars ($50) in the form of cash, cheque, or money order payable to the EODSL. The hearing fee shall be reimbursed only if the Discipline Panel finds the accused person not guilty on all charges. An accused person who has requested a hearing and fails to appear for the hearing shall forfeit the Hearing Fee.

Requesting a New Hearing

Those who wish to request another hearing after failing to attend a hearing when required to do so, shall submit a written request together with the required $50.00 request for hearing fee in the form of cash, cheque, or money order. This fee is non-refundable.

How do I postpone a hearing that has already been scheduled?

Any party required to attend a hearing may request one (1) postponement of that hearing

The party must submit a Request for Postponement, in writing, to the EODSL and must state the reason for requesting the postponement. The Request for Postponement must be received no later than four (4) days prior to the date of that hearing and must be accompanied by the correct Request for Postponement Fee of $50.00.

The EODSL shall have full discretion to refund the Request for Postponement Fee if sufficient reason warrants such action.

What if I don't show up to my scheduled hearing?

Failure of an accused player or Team Official to appear at a Disciplinary Hearing will result in the immediate suspension of the accused and fines shall be imposed as per the published EODSL Fines. The suspension will continue to be in effect until the accused appears before the Disciplinary Committee.

Who Can Attend a Hearing?

The accused individual or organization or his/her/its representative must attend a hearing. Anyone representing an accused must provide a signed proxy from the accused before being allowed to participate at the hearing.

EODSL Proxy Form

Adviser - a person of 18 years of age or older who provides advise to any party required to attend a Discipline Hearing or to the Discipline Hearing Panel. An accused less than eighteen years of age must be accompanied by an adult, who shall act as an adviser, failing which the hearing will not proceed and the accused shall be suspended until the hearing is held.

Observer - is permitted to attend a Discipline Hearing in order to ensure that a specific party receives a fair and constitutional hearing. Each party required to attend a hearing is entitled to have a maximum of 2 observers.

Club Representative - Each Club is entitled to send a representative to a Discipline Hearing at which one of its players, coaches or administrators has been charged with a Misconduct Type. A Club Representative may serve as an adviser.

Witness - Each party required to attend a Discipline Hearing is entitled to bring witnesses. Witnesses must appear in person. Written reports by witnesses are not acceptable. There is no limit to the number of witnesses but they must be able to add new testimony and the panel has the right to limit the number if the testimony is repetitious.

Can I appeal the decision made at a hearing?

Except for discipline decisions rendered under the D.B.R. System, any party directly affected by a decision has the right to appeal that decision, in accordance with their Rights of Appeal.

The timelines for appealing a decision shall only go into effect after the affected party has received a written copy of both the decision and the “Rights of Appeal Information”. The discipline decision shall remain in effect pending the result of the appeal.