Club Policy Document
Effective January 2007
Semiahmoo Soccer Club

1. PURPOSE

1.1. To identify the disciplinary procedures and sanctions Semiahmoo Soccer Club (SSC) members will be subject to when the Polices and Procedures of the Club are not followed and the standard of behaviour as provided in the SSC Codes of Conduct for coaches, players and parents are not met.

2. SCOPE

3. DEFINITIONS

3.1. Code of Conduct: Basic rules and regulations that reflect the standard of behaviour which is expected of all SSC members.

3.2. Disciplinary Sanctions: Penalties or sanctions identified within this policy which are applied to SSC members who do not meet the standard of behaviour contained within the applicable Codes of Conduct or fail to comply with the Policies and Procedures of the Club.

4.1. Semiahmoo Soccer Club is committed to providing a sport environment, which is characterized by values of excellence, fairness, integrity, open communications and mutual respect.

4.2. SSC believes that these values and ideals should guide all our communications and actions, and that such conduct is in the best interest of all who participate in the sport of soccer.

4.3. SSC believes with membership come certain responsibilities and obligations, including but not limited to, complying with the Code of Conduct, policies, rules and regulations of SSC.

4.4. SSC believes the expected standard of behaviour must be clearly communicated to all SSC members and sanctions must fit the degree of inappropriate behaviour.

5. POLICY STATEMENT

5.1. SSC members will at all times conduct themselves in a manner that reflects the highest standard of behaviour arising within the business, activities or events of SSC. Members who fail to meet these standards will be subject to disciplinary sanctions.

6. PROVISIONS

Disciplinary Procedures

Minor Infractions (Misconduct)

6.1. Examples of minor infractions are shown in Appendix A. All disciplinary situations involving minor infractions occurring within the jurisdiction of SSC will be dealt with by the appropriate person having authority over the situation (this may include, but is not restricted to, an Executive member, management chair, coach, team manager or age-group co-ordinator) and the individual involved. Sanctions shall be imposed as appropriate to the level of the infraction.

6.2. Procedures for dealing with minor infractions shall be informal as compared to those for major infractions and shall be determined at the discretion of the person responsible for discipline of such infractions, provided the individual being disciplined is told the nature of the infraction and has an opportunity to provide information concerning the incident.

6.3. The following disciplinary sanctions may be applied, singly or in combination, for minor infractions:

a) verbal reprimand

c) verbal apology

d) hand delivered written apology

e) team service or other voluntary contribution to SSC

f) suspension from attendance or coaching of games/practices

g) other sanctions as may be considered appropriate for the offence

6.4. Minor infractions which result in discipline shall be recorded using the Incident

Report form in Appendix B.

Major Infractions (Gross Misconduct)

6.5. Examples of major infractions are shown in Appendix A. Any member of SSC may report to the President a major infraction using the Incident Report form in Appendix B.

6.6. Upon receipt of an incident report, the President or his/her designate shall determine if the incident is better dealt with as a minor infraction, or if a hearing is required to address the incident as a major infraction.

6.7. If the incident is to be dealt with as a minor infraction, the Director or his/her designate will inform the appropriate person in authority as described in Section 6.1 and the alleged offender, and the matter shall be dealt with according to Sections 6.2 through 6.4 of this policy.

6.8. If this incident is to be dealt with as a major infraction and a hearing is required,

The alleged offender shall be notified as quickly as possible and in any event no later than 3 working days from date of receipt of the incident report, and shall be advised of the procedures outlined in this policy.

Hearing

6.9. The President, or his/her designate, shall convene the Disciplinary Panel.

a) The Disciplinary panel shall be made up of one of the Chairs from the Committees, one member of the Executive both to be picked on a rotational basis, and one Panel member shall be selected from the peer group of the alleged offender as mutually agreed upon between the parties;

b) The Discipline Panel will consist of individuals who have no personal or professional involvement in the matter under review; and

c) Where possible the composition of the Discipline Panel should respect the language of the parties involved.

6.10. The Discipline Panel shall hold the hearing as soon as possible, but not more Than 21 days after the incident report is first received by the President.

6.11. The Discipline Panel shall govern the hearing as it sees fit, provided that:

a) the individual being disciplined shall be given 10 days written notice (by courier or fax) of the day, time and place of the hearing. The Panel may decide to conduct the hearing in person or by telephone or video conference;

b) the individual being disciplined shall receive a copy of the incident report or in the case of Harassment Complaints a copy of the Investigation Report;

c) members of the Panel shall select from among themselves a Chair;

d) a quorum shall be all 3 Panel members;

e) decisions shall be by a majority vote; the Chair carries a vote;

f) the individual being disciplined may be accompanied by a representative;

g) the individual being disciplined shall have the right to present evidence and argument;

h) the hearing shall be held in private;

i) the Panel may request that witnesses to the incident be present or submit written evidence;

j) once appointed, the Panel shall have the authority to abridge or extend time lines associated with all aspects of the hearing when it is reasonably required.

6.12. The preceding provisions may be modified, or added to, as required by the provisions of any other pertinent SSC policy such as those dealing with harassment, doping, personnel, or event specific matters.

6.13. Where the alleged offender acknowledges the facts of the incident, he or she may waive the hearing, in which case the Panel shall determine the appropriate disciplinary sanction. The Panel may hold a hearing for the purpose of determining an appropriate sanction.

6.14. If the individual being disciplined chooses not to participate in the hearing, the hearing shall proceed in any event.

6.15. After hearing the evidence presented the Discipline Panel shall determine:

a) that the complaint is without merit;

b) that the complaint was brought forward in a vexatious manner; or

c) that the complaint is valid and apply appropriate disciplinary action.

SANCTIONS

6.16. Actions:

a) the complaint is without merit, no sanctions

b) the complaint was brought forward in a vexatious manner; this is considered a major infraction and the individual bringing the complaint forward will be subject to the same sanctions had the complaint been found to be valid.

c) the complaint is valid; the Discipline Panel may apply the following disciplinary sanctions singly or in combination, for major infractions:

i. written reprimand to be placed in individual's file;
ii. hand delivered written apology;
iii. suspension from certain SSC events which may include suspension from attendance at games or practices,
from coaching or from participation in future competitions;
iv. payment of a financial fine in an amount to be determined by the Disciplinary Panel;
v. suspension of all SSC funding;
vi suspension from certain SSC activities (i.e. competing, coaching or officiating) for a designated period of time;
vii. suspension from all SSC activities for a designated period of time;
viii. expulsion from SSC
ix. other sanctions as may be considered appropriate for the offence

Parts iv, v, vi, vii, viii and ix will be reserved only for the most serious of offences.

6.17. The preceding sanctions may be modified, or added to, as required by the provisions of any other pertinent SSC policy, such as those dealing with harassment, doping, personnel or event-specific matters.

6.18. In applying sanctions, the Disciplinary Panel may have regard to the following aggravating or mitigating circumstances:

a) the nature and severity of the offence,

b) whether the incident is a first offence or has occurred repeatedly,

c) the individual's acknowledgement of responsibility,

d) the individual's extent of remorse,

e) the age, maturity or experience of the individual, and

f) the individual's prospects for rehabilitation.

6.19. Notwithstanding the procedures set out in this policy, any member of Semiahmoo Soccer Club who is convicted of a criminal offence involving sexual exploitation, invitation to sexual touching, sexual interference, sexual assault, shall face automatic suspension from participating in any activities of SSC for a period of time corresponding to the length of the criminal sentence imposed by the Court, and may face further disciplinary action by Semiahmoo Soccer Club in accordance with this policy.

DECISION

6.20. The Discipline Panel should make and give its decision immediately to the affected parties. Any decision will be accompanied by reasons.

a) Immediate, verbal decisions will be followed with a written statement of the decision and the reasons within one week;

b) In complex cases requiring more time, the Discipline Panel will provide their decision and reasons no later than seven (7) days after the hearing. Once a decision is reached it will be communicated verbally with a written statement of the decision and reasons within one week by mail; and

c) The decision of the Discipline Panel must include reference to the next procedural step available to the affected party (e.g. SSC's Appeal Policy) and the timeframe applicable to respond.

6.21. Unless the Discipline Panel decides otherwise, any discipline sanctions applied shall take effect immediately.

6.22. A copy of the report may be forwarded to BC Soccer and the Club Secretary who will keep a record of all Discipline decisions. After each discipline hearing, the Discipline Panel should provide any administrative and procedural recommendations it deems necessary to SSC.

6.23. Recommendations made by the Disciplinary Panel to Semiahmoo Soccer Club shall be acknowledged, by the President to the Disciplinary Panel, as received within seven days.

6.24. The President would forward the recommendations to the appropriate body for consideration and action.

6.25. Within 30 days of receipt of the recommendations the appropriate body would respond to the President with their plan and timeline to deal with recommendations.

6.26. Except where otherwise provided, an appeal of any disciplinary matter will be done according to this Appeals section.

6.27. Sanctions imposed by the Disciplinary Panel will remain in effect until such times

Appeal Procedures

7. A person (the "Appellant") who is dissatisfied with a decision rendered under this Policy may, not more than 14 days after the decision, serve the President in writing with a Notice to Appeal (Appendix "C").

7.1 Grounds for which an Appeal can be made are:

a. The Discipline Panel did not follow the procedures laid out in the policies, rules, regulations, and or criteria of the Club;

b. There was an error in the information upon which the decision was made;

c. Members of the decision-making group were influenced by bias; or

d. The decision reached was grossly unfair or unreasonable.

7.2 The Notice of Appeal shall be in writing and shall set out the grounds for appeal. The policy, procedure, rules, regulation, and / or criteria on which the appeal is being made must be included.

7.3 Within 7 days of receiving the Appeal Notice, the President shall review the notice, grounds, and summary of evidence and shall determine whether there is sufficient basis to support an appeal based on one or more of the grounds set out in Article 7.1.

7.4 If the appeal hearing is approved the President will issue as soon as possible a Hearing Notice which shall be sent at least 21 days in advance of the scheduled hearing.

7.5 The Appeals Panel shall be comprised of members of the Club Executive which shall govern the appeal by such procedures as it deems appropriate, provided that:

a. The Appellant and affected parties shall be given 14 days written notice of the date, time and place of the appeal hearing;

b. A quorum shall be a minimum of five (5) members of the Club Executive not affiliated with the Appellant or affected Parties, and shall include the President or (in his/her) absence, the Vice-President;

c. Decisions shall be by majority vote;

d. Copies of written documents which any of the parties would like the Panel to consider should be provided to each member of the Panel, and all other parties at least 2 days in advance of the hearing;

e. If the decision of the Panel may affect another party to the extent that the other party could have recourse to an appeal in their own right, that party shall have the right to become a party to the appeal in question;

f. The Panel may direct any other individual to participate in the appeal;

g. Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, there shall be no communication relating to the merits of the appeal between Panel members and the parties except in the presence of, or by copy to, the other parties.

7.6 The Appeal Panel should make and give its decision as soon as practicable after the hearing. In this regard:

a. A verbal decision will be communicated immediately to the parties after the Appeal Panel has convened;

b. Within 14 days of concluding the appeal, the Appeal Panel shall issue its written decision, with reasons; and

c. A copy of the decision shall be provided to each of the parties.

7.6 Decisions of the Appeal Panel shall be final

8. REVIEW AND APPROVAL

8.1. The Semiahmoo Soccer Club Executive shall review this policy biennially.

Effective January 2007