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 19, 2025 to October 25, 2025 | October 28, 2025 |
| October 26, 2025 to November 01, 2025 | November 04, 2025 |
| November 02, 2025 to November 08, 2025 | November 11, 2025 |
| November 09, 2025 to November 15, 2025 | November 18, 2025 |
| November 16, 2025 to November 22, 2025 | November 25, 2025 |
| November 23, 2025 to November 29, 2025 | December 02, 2025 |
| November 30, 2025 to December 06, 2025 | December 09, 2025 |
| December 07, 2025 to December 13, 2025 | December 16, 2025 |
| December 14, 2025 to December 20, 2025 | December 23, 2025 |
| December 21, 2025 to December 27, 2025 | December 30, 2025 |
| December 28, 2025 to January 03, 2026 | January 06, 2026 |
| January 04, 2026 to January 10, 2026 | January 13, 2026 |
| January 11, 2026 to January 17, 2026 | January 20, 2026 |
| January 18, 2026 to January 24, 2026 | January 27, 2026 |
| January 25, 2026 to January 31, 2026 | February 03, 2026 |
| February 01, 2026 to February 07, 2026 | February 10, 2026 |
| February 08, 2026 to February 14, 2026 | February 17, 2026 |
| February 15, 2026 to February 21, 2026 | February 24, 2026 |
| February 22, 2026 to February 28, 2026 | March 03, 2026 |
| March 01, 2026 to March 07, 2026 | March 10, 2026 |
| March 08, 2026 to March 14, 2026 | March 17, 2026 |
| March 15, 2026 to March 21, 2026 | March 24, 2026 |
| March 22, 2026 to March 28, 2026 | March 31, 2026 |
| March 29, 2026 to April 04, 2026 | April 07, 2026 |
| April 05, 2026 to April 11, 2026 | April 14, 2026 |
| April 12, 2026 to April 18, 2026 | April 21, 2026 |
| April 19, 2026 to April 25, 2026 | April 28, 2026 |
| April 26, 2026 to May 02, 2026 | May 05, 2026 |
