Grand River Soccer Club
DISCIPLINE SYSTEM
IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT EVERY TEAM DISCUSS THE FOLLOWING WITH THEIR PLAYERS AND THAT ALL MEMBERS UNDERSTAND THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURES:
Grand River Soccer is a Member of Ontario Soccer and Southwest Soccer. We have been delegated by Southwest Soccer the responsibility to conduct Discipline Hearings for certain types of misconducts. All Discipline will be conducted using the Discipline by Review (DBR) System when possible. Some cases, such as those involving the physical assault of a Match Official, shall be handled as per the Policy of Ontario Soccer. Members charged have the right to request a Discipline by Hearing (DBH). These requests must be submitted in writing to Grand River Soccer’s Discipline Coordinator via email to [email protected] within 74 hours of the start of the match in which the dismissal was received except in cases of Ontario Soccer Misconduct Type 1.3, 1.5, and 1.6. An administrative Hearing Request Fee of $100.00 must be submitted at the time of any DBH request. If found not guilty, the fee will be refunded. Discipline decisions made under the Discipline by Review system may not be appealed.
As per Ontario Soccer Policy, Grand River Soccer publishes the dates on which it holds Regularly Scheduled Hearings. Grand River Soccer may publish the name of its members, the Ontario Soccer charge, and any corresponding suspension and/or fine on the Club website. Correspondence detailing any suspension and/or fine will be issued to the member and their team representative; as well as, other members or third parties if applicable. It is the member’s responsibility to request a hearing. It is the responsibility of each member to serve any suspension and pay any fines by the due date. It is the responsibility of all members to ensure others adhere to any discipline issued by the Club or a Higher Governing Body.
STANDARD PENALTIES FOR MISCONDUCT: Ontario Soccer – Section 12 Discipline
A) DISCIPLINE BY REVIEW SYSTEM (DBR)
All misconducts will be dealt with by Discipline By Review where permitted under Ontario Soccer Policy.
The Discipline Committee will review all misconduct reports based on the Match Official’s report and any other supporting evidence in-order to render a decision without a formal hearing. Grand River Soccer will issue a notice to the Member stating the Committee findings; as well as, any accompanying suspension and/or fine. The notice may come in the form of an invoice to the Member. There is a non-refundable administrative fee of $60 for all DBR cases.
Decisions made under the Discipline By Review System may not be appealed.
B) DISCIPLINE BY HEARING SYSTEM (DBH)
For all other types of misconduct, the Member or their designated representative (with a proxy signed by the Accused) must appear before a Discipline Hearing Panel either in person at the Grand River Soccer office or online through a virtual meeting as arranged by the Club on the scheduled discipline date as published on the Grand River Soccer website. The accused must remit payment of the Discipline Hearing Fee of $100.00 at least 24 hours in advance. If payment is not received the hearing will not go ahead and the Member will have been deemed to have failed to attend. If found not guilty, the fee will be refunded.
Decisions made under the Discipline By Hearing System may be appealed to Southwest Soccer or higher Governing Body.
C) FAILURE TO ATTEND DISCIPLINE BY HEARING:
Failure to attend a discipline hearing by a Member charged with an offence or a Member or third-party involved with a case will result in the immediate suspension of Membership with the Club. The Member’s suspension from all Club activity will remain in place until a Request for Missed Hearing is submitted to Grand River Soccer’s Discipline Coordinator via email to [email protected] along with payment of the Request for Missed Hearing fee of $100.00, and the subsequent hearing is attended. The Request for Missed Hearing fee of $100.00 is non-refundable and in addition to the Hearing Request fee of $100 which is refundable if found Not Guilty.
D) RIGHTS OF THE ACCUSED:
All parties required to attend a Discipline Hearing have the right to receive, within 48 hours of submitting a written request to Grand River Soccer’s Discipline Coordinator via email to [email protected], a copy of all documentation which will be considered by the Discipline Hearing Panel.
Witnesses, advisors, and observers are entitled to attend, but they must appear in person or online. Written statements from a witness will not be considered. The Club is not responsible for notifying or having witnesses attend a hearing.
Requests for postponement of a Discipline Hearing must be submitted in writing; and be received by to Grand River Soccer’s Discipline Coordinator via email to [email protected], no later than 96 hours prior to the scheduled start of the hearing.
Additional information on hearings and appeal is available on the Southwest Soccer website (www.swrsa.ca) and the Ontario Soccer website (www.ontariosoccer.net)
E) OVERDUE FINES:
Ontario Soccer policy stats that any registrant failing to pay a fine, fee or bond imposed by a Discipline Hearing Panel shall be subject to an additional monetary penalty if still unpaid, shall be subject to suspension and shall remain under suspension until imposed penalty (plus the original fee, fine, bond) is paid.
If a fine is not paid by the due date of the invoice the Member will be suspended from participating in any Club activity until the outstanding amount is settled. Any Member that fails to pay a fine, fee or bond imposed by the Club may be subject to an additional monetary penalty of up to $200.00 if the original fine, fee, or bond is not received within 60 days of the original due date. If a fine, fee or bond remains unpaid past 60 days of the original due date membership will be cancelled for non-payment and shall remain cancelled and unrenewable until the imposed penalty plus the original fee, fine, or bond is paid in full. The Club may send unpaid accounts to a third-party collection agency after 90 days.
Grand River Soccer Club Discipline Hearing Dates
Discipline hearing will be held every Tuesday beginning at 7:00pm unless there are no cases to be heard.
| Games Played | Scheduled Discipline Date |
| October 27, 2024 to November 2, 2024 | November 5, 2024 |
| November 3, 2024 to November 9, 2024 | November 12, 2024 |
| November 10, 2024 to November 16, 2024 | November 19, 2024 |
| November 17, 2024 to November 23, 2024 | November 26, 2024 |
| November 24, 2024 to November 30, 2024 | December 3, 2024 |
| December 1, 2024 to December 7, 2024 | December 10, 2024 |
| December 8, 2024 to December 14, 2024 | December 17, 2024 |
| December 15, 2024 to December 21, 2024 | December 24, 2024 |
| December 22, 2024 to December 28, 2024 | December 31, 2024 |
| December 29, 2024 to January 4, 2025 | January 7, 2025 |
| January 5, 2025 to January 11, 2025 | January 14, 2025 |
| January 12, 2025 to January 18, 2025 | January 21, 2025 |
| January 19, 2025 to January 25, 2025 | January 28, 2025 |
| January 26, 2025 to February 1, 2025 | February 4, 2025 |
| February 2, 2025 to February 8, 2025 | February 11, 2025 |
| February 9, 2025 to February 15, 2025 | February 18, 2025 |
| February 16, 2025 to February 22, 2025 | February 25, 2025 |
| February 23, 2025 to March 1, 2025 | March 4, 2025 |
| March 2, 2025 to March 8, 2025 | March 11, 2025 |
| March 9, 2025 to March 15, 2025 | March 18, 2025 |
| March 16, 2025 to March 22, 2025 | March 25, 2025 |
| March 23, 2025 to March 29, 2025 | April 1, 2025 |
| March 30, 2025 to April 5, 2025 | April 8, 2025 |
| April 6, 2025 to April 12, 2025 | April 15, 2025 |
| April 13, 2025 to April 19, 2025 | April 22, 2025 |
| April 20, 2025 to April 26, 2025 | April 29, 2025 |
| April 27, 2025 to May 3, 2025 | May 6, 2025 |
