Disciplinary Policy

 

Contents of the DC Policy :

 

EDJSA Disciplinary Chairman's Advice 2004

Elizabeth & Districts is here to provide organised soccer games for teenagers and young children in a safe and friendly environment, it's our legal "duty of care".

Please do not allow our children to be exposed to physical violence, implied violence, foul language or offensive behaviour by any adult or child in yours or the opposing team. There is no place in junior soccer for anyone who wants to act in this way.

Please report any instances of this type of behaviour to your club immediately it happens. Your club should then write to the General Secretary of Elizabeth & Districts Junior Soccer Association PO Box 888 Salisbury 5108 with the details so that they (EDJSA) can take any actions deemed required. In some instances it may be easier for you to write down the details and pass them to your club.

Don't leave all reporting to the Referee, sometimes the Referee does not see what happened and so does not report anything, in a lot of cases it can be very helpful for the DC to have more information.

Having fun, leaning the skills of the game and teamwork are all more important than winning in junior soccer. As far as I have seen "winning at any cost" is the prime reason for violent and offensive behaviour by adults, where with players it is mainly frustration at not being able to consistently perform the skills required.

Any adult suspended by the EDJSA DC must serve the punishment as laid down, failure to do so can result in heavy fines being placed on the Club concerned. If the EDJSA DC has to fine Clubs under these circumstances they will be advising the Club concerned to request that the member of their Club who has incurred this fine pays this fine, and, that this member be banned from their Club until the fine is paid. These fines will range between $150.00 and $500.00 for each willful breach of the EDJSA DC punishment. Remember both the Club and the adult concerned have a responsibility to the children to ensure that any punishments handed out are fully complied with.

Lets all be vigilant and keep all our junior soccer games as safe and friendly as our children deserve. Adults do have the power to make this happen. The following pages outline the minimum penalties which will be metered out to players, coaches, Club Officials, parents and spectators if they breach the applicable FIFA rules of soccer, the EDJSA Constitution and By-Laws or the EDJSA DC policy statements as shown below.

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EDJSA DC Player Policy 2004

The Send Off Offences (Red Card)

Send Off Offence Automatic Suspension Extra Matches
   Violent Conduct 1 1
   Seroius Foul Play 1 1
   Offensive Insulting or Abusive Language 1 1
   Deny a Goal by Deliberate Foul 1 1
   Deny a Goal by Deliberate Handball 1 0
   Persistent Misconduct (2 Yellow) 1 0

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Yellow Cards and Players

Yellow Card Accumulation Automatic Suspension Extra Matches
   3 Yellow Cards 1 0
   Any Subsequent 2 Yellow Cards 1 0

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Players & Clubs

All players booked by referees and who's name and/or number are written on the match card will receive the mandatory punishment as stated above unless;
(a) The player is pleading innocent;
     or
(b) The club has decided to prove the booking of the wrong player.

In both the above cases the Club must forward a written report stating reasons to EDJSA. Clubs should remember that the automatic suspension of any booked players will occur, so with this in mind reports should be received in accordance with EDJSA By-Law 26(e). Mail any reports to "EDJSA Secretary, Att'n DC Chairman, PO Box 888 Salisbury SA, 5108".

Any player appearing before a DC hearing on disciplinary charges can expect to receive punishment as seen fit to be laid down by that DC hearing, and by default that punishment will be greater than those defined above.

The DC Chairman will officially notify clubs of player suspensions, notwithstanding that any player receiving a red card is not eligible to play in the next competitive game.

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Coaches and Match Cards

Coaches should check the match card for any referees statements or notes of player bookings before signing the match card. The act of signing the match card merely indicates that the coaches are satisfied with the content of the card, player names and final scores as well as having taking note of any relevant player bookings.

If a coach disagrees with the booking of a player as it appears on the match card he should then contact his Club who will inturn submit to the DC Chairman a written report outlining the incident details including names and numbers of any players concerned. Any statement along the lines of "The player named on the match card didn't do it and we don't know who did" will not be an acceptable defence.

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Coaches Policy

Dissent report by EDRA/EDJSA official    -   The club is warned, the Coach banned from games and coaching for 7 days and a possible $150.00 fine.

2nd dissent report by EDRA/EDJSA official    -   Club $150.00 12 month RPF, the Coach banned from games and coaching for 14 days and possible $150.00 fine.

3rd dissent report by EDRA/EDJSA official    -   Club $250.00 fine & $250.00 12 month RPF, the Coach banned from games and coaching for 28 days.

4th dissent report by EDRA/EDJSA official     -   Club $500.00 fine, and coach suspended for 12 months.

OIAL by coach in modified rules     -   Club $500.00 fine and coach suspended for 12 months and may not coach modified rules in the future.

OIAL by coach    -   Club $150.00 fine, $150.00 12 month RPF and the Coach banned from games and coaching for 14 days.

2nd OIAL by coach    -   Club $500.00 fine, $250.00 12 month RPF and the Coach banned from games and coaching for 28 days.

3rd OIAL by coach    -   Club $500.00 fine and coach suspended for 12 months.

Violent Conduct    -   Club $500.00 fine and coach suspended for 12 months.

Physical Violent Conduct by coach    -   Club fined $500.00 and coach banned from holding any EDJSA official position for life.

Notes for Coaches:
   * RPF = Refundable Payable Fine.
   * If the same coach re-offends any outstanding RPFs are forfeit.
   * OIAL = Offensive, Insulting or Abusive Language
   * These reports carry over for two seasons.
   * All RPFs are payable. (fines and RPFs are indicative only)
   * Any coach suspended for 12 months must re-apply to EDJSA for a coaching position. Coaches can also
     expect to attend the next highest level of coaching course up to level 1 before being re-considered for a
     coaching position within EDJSA.

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Parent/Spectators Policy

Dissent report by EDRA/EDJSA official    -   Club is warned, parent/spectator banned for 7 days and $150.00 fine.

2nd dissent report by EDRA/EDJSA official    -   Club $150.00 12 month RPF, parent/spectator banned for 14 days and $150.00 fine.

3rd report by EDRA/EDJSA official    -   Club $250.00 fine & $250.00 12 month RPF, parent/spectator banned for 28 days.

4th report by EDRA/EDJSA official    -   Club $250.00 fine, parent/spectator banned for 12 months.

OIAL by parent/spectator    -   Club $250.00 fine, $150.00 12 month RPF and parent/spectator banned for 14 days.

2nd OIAL by parent/spectator    -   Club $500.00 fine, $250.00 12 month RPF and parent/spectator banned for 28 days.

3rd OIAL by parent/spectator    -   Club $500.00 fine, and parent/spectator banned for 12 months.

Groups of parents/spectators dissenting or using Foul and Abusive Language    -   Up to the discretion of the DC based on the seriousness of the offence. These listed penalties can be used as guidelines.

Violent Conduct by parent/spectator    -   Club $500.00 fine, and parent/spectator can be banned for life from EDJSA authorised events.

Notes for Parents/Spectators:
   * RPF = Refundable Payable Fine.
   * If the same persons re-offend any outstanding RPFs are forfeit.
   * OIAL = Offensive, Insulting or Abusive Language
   * These reports carry over from season to season.
   * All RPFs are payable. (fines and RPFs are indicative only)

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General EDJSA DC Policy

  • All hearings if required (DC Chairman's decision) are to be heard at a preset time and night before the next competitive game.
  • Failure to attend a DC hearing will result in automatic suspension of teams, players, Club Officials, coaches or parents.
  • All Clubs have the right to see the match card and Referees reports concerning their teams, players, members, officials, parents or spectators.
  • Any coach, Club Official, parent or spectator proven to have used violent conduct, foul and abusive language or threatening behaviour to, or in the immediate vicinity of, minors (EDJSA and EDRA players or officials [this includes club Referees Assistance - linesmen] under the age of 18) can be suspended from holding an official position with any EDJSA Club and/or attending any EDJSA sanctioned events.
  • Under the EDJSA Executives "duty of care" this Executive cannot allow minors (persons under the age of 18) who are officials or players of this Association or of the EDRA to be placed in known physical or moral danger therefore any Club asked to front the Association on DC related matters in some instances, as decided by the EDJSA Executive, may be directed to stand down from all EDJSA authorised events any team, players, members, officials, coaches, parents or spectators until a resolution of the matter has been decided.
             e.g.
                Team    -   Suspended from competition.
                Player    -   Suspended from playing.
                Coach    -   Suspended from coaching.
                Official    -   Must stand down from the Club.
                Single Parent    -   Banned from Club & games.
                Single Spectator    - Banned from Club & games.
                Multiple Parents    - Team withdrawn from competition.
                Multiple Spectators    - Team withdrawn from competition.
  • Any team suspended from EDJSA competition pending the outcome of a DC matter will forfeit all games until the DC decision is handed down. If the matter is proven then those forfeited games will stand and points and goals allocated as per the EDJSA constitution.
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Jim Wildman
EDJSA Disciplinary Chairman 2004