Eastern Ontario District Soccer Association

Discipline & Appeals

The EODSA conducts all disciplinary matters in accordance with the Ontario Soccer Policies and Procedures.

Click here for the Discipline Roles within the EODSA. (Updated April 2019)

⇒ Those required to attend a hearing will be notified by email.  In the case of players and team officials being required to attend a hearing, the club to which they belong will be notified.  It is then the responsibility of the club to notify the appropriate parties.

Attendance at a Discipline Hearing

The accused individual or Governing Organization or their representative must attend a hearing. Anyone representing an accused must provide a signed proxy from the accused before being allowed to participate at a hearing.

An accused may choose to be accompanied by another adult who may act as an adviser. 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.

If the accused does not appear, the hearing will not proceed, the accused will be fined in accordance with the “Schedule of Fees, Fines, Bonds and Penalties” as published by the Governing Organization, and the accused will be suspended from all soccer related activities until he/she requests in writing and attends a hearing.

Observers

Each party required to attend a Discipline Hearing is entitled to have a maximum of two observers in attendance at the Discipline Hearing. They may not act as a witness nor provide any testimony but may speak at the discretion of the Discipline Hearing Panel.

Discipline By Review (DBR)
Red Cards

If you receive a red card, you will be subject to the D.B.R System

Anybody who has received a red card may request a hearing within 48 hours of receiving the Red Card to the EODSA along with the request for hearing fee of $100.00.

DBR decisions may not be appealed

Did you know that you can appeal red cards?

If you received a red card during a game and disagree with the charge, you can request a hearing.
The accused shall submit a written request to the League within 3 days of receiving a dismissal.

  • Within 48 hours contact the league in which you got the Red Card to find out "why" you were dismissed. They will inform you if the Dismissal has been passed on to the District. Note that Dismissals will be passed on to the District if the incident was directed at a Game Official or involves registration issues. If it has been sent to the District contact the District to find out why you were dismissed.
  • Once verifying why you were dismissed, you may disagree with the charge and can at that time request a hearing. Requesting a hearing is done by submitting a Request in writing which can be sent to the EODSA office by Express Post or registered mail, or can be hand delivered to the EODSA Office. It must be traceable. The Request should be accompanied by the $100.00 request for hearing fee.
  • If you discover that you agree with the dismissal and the referee report then you will be accepting the mandatory penalty as outlined in the Ontario Soccer Rules and Regulations. At this time there is nothing you need to do except wait to find out what games you are suspended for.

Click here for Discipline FAQ's

Appeals

Anyone affected by a decision rendered by a governing body (i.e. club, league, District Association, Ontario Soccer) has the right to appeal that decision to the next higher governing body. Provided that decision was not made under the Decision By Review method of Discipline.

List of Discipline Dates 2022

  • Thursday, May 25 2023
  • Thursday, June 1 2023
  • Thursday, June 8 2023
  • Thursday, June 15 2023 
  • Thursday, June 22 2023
  • Thursday, June 29 2023
  • Thursday, July 6 2023
  • Thursday, July 13 2023
  • Thursday, July 20 2023
  • Thursday, July 27 2023
  • Thursday, August 3 2023
  • Thursday, August 10 2023
  • Thursday, August 17 2023
  • Thursday, August 24 2023
  • Thursday, August 31 2023
  • Thursday, September 7 2023
  • Thursday, September 14 2023
  • Thursday, September 21 2023
  • Thursday, September 28 2023
  • Thursday, October 5 2023
  • Thursday, October 12 2023
  • Thursday, October 19 2023
  • Thursday, October 26 2023
  • Thursday, November 2 2023
  • Thursday November 9, 2023
  • Thursday November 16, 2023
  • Thursday November 23, 2023
  • Thursday November 30, 2023
  • Thursday December 7, 2023
  • Thursday December 14, 2023
  • Thursday December 21, 2023

Witnesses

Each party required to attend a Discipline Hearing as well as the Governing Organization hearing the case, 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 allowed, but they must add new testimony and the Discipline Hearing Panel can restrict the testimony of witnesses if the testimony given becomes repetitious.

Right to Request Postponement

Any party required to attend a hearing may request one (1) postponement of a hearing. The party must submit a written request which must be received by the Governing Organization no later than four (4) days prior to the date of that hearing, stating the reason for requesting the postponement. All such requests must be accompanied by the correct fee in the form of a recorded payment. Should the request be denied, the fee shall be refunded. The Governing Organization shall have full discretion to refund the “Request For Postponement Fee" if sufficient reason warrants such action.

Documentation

The accused has the right to receive within 48 hours upon submitting a written request to the organization, a copy of the Report(s) of Misconduct and all documentation which will be considered by the Discipline Hearing Panel.

Discipline by Hearing (DBH)

All other offenses will be dealt with by means of the D.B.H System

It is the responsibility of the club to inform the accused of their discipline hearing. Parties required to attend must appear at the hearings. Clubs will be informed of discipline hearings via email.

Any decision may be appealed to the next higher governing organization.

If you agree with the Charge, you will be penalized according to the Ontario Soccer Published Rules:

  • You WILL be fined the amount of $50.00 which must be paid prior to returning to play and can be made out to the EODSA (Cash/Visa/Cheque)
  • You WILL be suspended for a set amount of games (to be determined on the basis of what you have been dismissed for). In most cases, there is a 3 game suspension.

Ontario Soccer defines "soccer related activities" as:

  • Any act excepting disciplining and appealing but including administering, coaching, managing, playing, practicing, or officiating in any activity that falls under the jurisdiction of Ontario Soccer by any party either in person or by proxy)

Suspensions are to be served in accordance with the rules and regulations governing suspension in the competition in which the misconduct occurred.
A player suspended within a specific League's jurisdiction is eligible to compete in other competitions such as tournaments, cups or other leagues.

Appeals of club or league decisions must be submitted to the EODSA in accordance with the EODSA Rights of Appeal Information. The EODSA Application to Appeal form can be found here.

Appeals of EODSA decisions must be submitted to Ontario Soccer in accordance with the Ontario Soccer Rights of Appeal Information. The Ontario Soccer Application to Appeal form can be found here.

Carry Over Suspensions

Ottawa Carleton Soccer League (OCSL): click here.