Zero Tolerance Policy

 

Sporting FC Soccer Club is a strong supporter of making sport safe for our youth. Sporting FC  Soccer Club supports the following program to help ensure the safety and enjoyment of soccer for all.

Policy

Any coach, parent, grandparent or guardian judged by the Discipline Board to be guilty of abusive conduct toward a referee during a Club’s House League game will be reprimanded in writing. A second conviction, during the same season will result in the member being restricted from all services rendered by the Club including attendance at all soccer activities within the Club. In extreme cases, as determined by the Discipline Board, a member may be reinstated subject to a review hearing.

Policy Procedures

When a referee feels that they are being abused, as per the scope of this policy, by either a coach or supporter, the referee is allowed to suspend the playing of the game. If the abuse is physical, the game official is advised to inform the coaches that the game has been abandoned and then proceed with step 4.1.

The Referee will then verbally advise both coaches that the game has been stopped due to the abuse and inform both coaches as to the source of the abuse.  If the source is one of the coaches, the referee will advise the coach that the next occurrence of a similar nature will result in an abandonment of the game and that a report to the Club’s Discipline Board will be sent in for review.  If the source is a supporter, the appropriate coach will provide the referee with the name of the supporter and the coach must advise the fan that the next occurrence of a similar nature will result in abandonment of the game. A report to the Club’s Discipline Board will be sent in for review.  If the supporter is not associated with either team, both coaches are asked to speak to the supporter and ask the individual to leave.

Once the prescribed action has been completed, the game will restart with a dropped ball between the two teams at the location where the play was stopped. If the abuse continues, the referee will be allowed to stop any further playing of the game and advise the coaches that the game has been abandoned and that a Special Incident Report will be forwarded to the Club’s Discipline Board. The official must clearly indicate on the game sheet that the game was abandoned due to abuse and if abandoned:

4.1 The game official must contact either their Referee Coordinator or a member of the Executive to verbally report the incident within 24 hours.

4.2 A Special Incident Report, with the assistance of the Referee Coordinator or a member of the Executive, if required, must then be forwarded to the Club within 72 hours.

4.3 The Club’s Discipline Board will then review and deal with the report as per their guidelines.

4.4 If the game was abandoned due to the conduct of a fan not associated with either team, the Executive will determine the status of the game.