2022 Season

ERSL Hearing Schedule

Hearings for the 2022 season will be held in-person as long as we are able to meet all COVID-19 restrictions; otherwise hearings will be held by teleconference in accordance with Ontario Soccer Discipline Policy Procedure 5.7.6.  The method of hearing will be announced in the hearing notification.  

All Hearings involving SOSA Teams, Clubs, or Players will be held by teleconference.

Club Panel Members
You must be prepared to send a representative for each date your Club is assigned.  It is helpful if this individual is knowledgeable on the topic of discipline but it is not required.

The ERSL General Manager will contact those Clubs scheduled to provide a panel member in the week leading up to their scheduled date.  This email will request the contact name and details of the representative who will be part of our discipline hearing panel. If there are no hearings being held on the scheduled night then an email requesting your representative's contact information will not be sent and you can assume you are not required for the panel.

The method of notification for those required to attend

Hearing notices will be sent directly to the affected Club's Discipline Representative in the case of players, team officials, administrators, or Clubs.  All other parties will be contacted directly, including, but not limited to game officials.

The rights of the accused party to request a postponement

8.2 Request for Postponement

8.2.1 Any party required to attend a hearing may request one (1) postponement of a hearing. The party must  submit a written request which must be received by the Governing Organization no later than four days prior to the date of that hearing, stating the reason for requesting the postponement. All such requests must be  accompanied by the correct fee in the form of a recorded payment. Should the request be denied, the fee  shall be refunded. The Governing Organization shall have full discretion to refund the “Request For Postponement Fee" if sufficient reason warrants such action.

8.2.2 Any game official required to attend does not have to pay the "Request For Postponement Fee” unless he/she is the accused.

8.2.3 In the event that criminal charges are laid as a result of any incident that occurred in a game or in the vicinity of the game’s venue after the game, the case shall proceed in accordance with “Published Rules”, unless the  accused requests a postponement of the hearing in accordance with Policy 8.2.1 . Such “Requests for Postponement” shall be granted, but the accused shall remain suspended from all soccer related activity until 
his/ her case is dealt with by the Discipline Hearing Panel.

The rights to bring an adviser, observer(s) and/or witnesses(s) to the hearing

8.6 Advisers, Club Representative, Witnesses and Observers

8.6.1 Advisers

8.6.1.1 An adviser is a person 18 years of age or older who provides advice to any party required to attend a Discipline Hearing including the panel and may not act as a witness nor provide any testimony at the Discipline Hearing. They may not question the competence of the game official(s) and may question a witness for clarification purposes only.

8.6.1.2 The Chair of the Discipline Hearing Panel shall notify any advisers that the hearing will be conducted strictly in accordance with O.S. “Published Rules”.

8.6.1.3 An adviser may not be granted an adjournment of the hearing on the grounds that he/she is not familiar with O.S. “Published Rules”.

8.6.2 Observers

8.6.2.1 Each party required to attend a Discipline Hearing is entitled to have a maximum of two observers in attendance at the Discipline Hearing in order to ensure that a specific party receives a fair hearing. They may not act as a witness nor provide any testimony but may speak at the discretion of the Discipline Hearing Panel.

8.6.2.2 If an observer interrupts a Discipline Hearing and refuses to stop such interruptions when requested to do so by the Discipline Hearing Panel , he/she shall be required to leave the hearing room, prior to the continuation of the hearing.

8.6.3 Club, O.S.R.A., Local Referee Association or League Representative

8.6.3.1 Each Club / O.S.R.A. / Local Referee Association or League is entitled to send a representative to a Discipline Hearing at which one of its player(s), team official(s) or administrators or game official(s) is required to attend and may serve as an adviser.

8.6.3.2 At a Discipline Hearing for a Game Official Assault case, the Club shall send a representative to the hearing.

8.6.3.3 A Club Representative may also serve as an adviser to a party, usually the accused, and is entitled to the full rights of an adviser, in accordance with Policy 8.5.1.

8.6.3.4 At a Discipline Hearing for a Game Official Assault case, the O.S.R.A. or the Local Referee Association of the assaulted game official shall be requested to send a representative to the hearing.

8.6.5 Witnesses

8.6.5.1 Each party required to attend a Discipline Hearing is entitled to bring witnesses. Witnesses must appear in person. Written reports by witnesses are not acceptable.

8.6.5.2 There is no limit to the number of witnesses allowed, but they must add new testimony and the Discipline 
Hearing Panel can restrict the testimony of witnesses if the testimony given becomes repetitious

The rights to receive within 48 hours upon submitting a written request to the organization, a copy of  the Report(s) of Misconduct and all documentation which will be considered by the Discipline 
Hearing Panel