For purposes of evaluating and imposing disciplinary measures for incidences of VIOLENT CONDUCT committed by players, coaches and managers of any team in the San Diego County Soccer League before, during and after league sanctioned matches, the Board of Directors have enacted the following automatic disciplinary structure for imposition of suspensions, penalties and fines by its Trial Board. The Board of Directors retains the right and discretion to evaluate and review each occurrence and may in appropriate cases impose harsher or lighter remedies. The following structure shall become effective on January 28, 2002 and in no way limit the Board of Directors' ability to impose greater or lesser fines, suspensions or penalties upon any player, coach, team or club from participating in the San Diego County Soccer League.
FIRST INCIDENT OF VIOLENT CONDUCT: Upon the first documented case of VIOLENT CONDUCT commencing on or after January 28, 2002, by any player, coach, manager or bystander/spectator (the "Violator") of a San Diego County Soccer League team, towards a referee, a player, coach, manager or bystander/spectator, shall be automatically suspended from participation in any San Diego County Soccer League sanctioned match for a period of up to twelve (12) calendar months from the date of the INCIDENT. In addition to this automatic suspension, the Violator shall be assessed an automatic fine of One Hundred Fifty Dollars ($150), which shall be paid by the Violator. If the Violator fails to pay this fine by the end of the season in which the fine was imposed, the Team shall be responsible for the payment of the entire fine. Failure by the Violator and/or team to pay this imposed fine by the end of the season in which the fine was imposed shall result in the league deducting the amount from the team's performance bond, thereby placing the team in bad standing with the San Diego County Soccer League.
SECOND INCIDENT OF VIOLENT CONDUCT: Upon the second documented case of VIOLENT CONDUCT commencing on or after January 28, 2002, by any player, coach, manager or bystander/spectator (the "Violator") of a San Diego County Soccer League team, towards a referee, a player, coach, manager or bystander/spectator, shall be automatically suspended from participation in any San Diego County Soccer League sanctioned match for a period of not less than twelve (12) calendar months from the date of the INCIDENT. In addition to this automatic suspension, the Violator shall be assessed an automatic fine of One Hundred Fifty Dollars ($150), which shall be paid by the Violator. In addition, the team shall also be fined in the sum of One Hundred Fifty Dollars ($150) in addition to the fine imposed on the Violator. If the Violator fails to pay this fine by the end of the season in which the fine was imposed, the Team shall be responsible for the payment of both fines. Failure by the Violator and team to pay the imposed fines by the end of the season in which the fines were imposed, shall result in the league deducting the amounts from the team's performance bond, thereby placing the team in bad standing with the San Diego County Soccer League. In addition to the above fines for a second INCIDENT of VIOLENT CONDUCT, the violating team shall be penalized three points in the league standings and be on probation for the rest of the season.
THIRD INCIDENT OF VIOLENT CONDUCT: Upon the third documented case of VIOLENT CONDUCT commencing on or after January 28, 2002, by any player, coach, manager or bystander/spectator (the "Violator") of a San Diego County Soccer League team, towards a referee, a player, coach, manager or bystander/spectator, shall be automatically suspended from participation in any San Diego County Soccer League sanctioned match for a period of not less than twelve (12) calendar months from the date of the INCIDENT. In addition to this automatic suspension, the team shall be banned for the remainder of the season and the following season. Players then registered on the roster of the banned team shall also be deemed automatically banned from the San Diego County Soccer League for the duration of the team's suspension. In addition, the team's performance bond shall be forfeited to the league in its entirety. In addition to this automatic suspension, the Violator(s) shall be assessed an automatic fine of One Hundred Fifty Dollars ($150) each, which shall be paid by the Violator(s). In addition, the team shall also be fined in the sum of One Hundred Fifty Dollars ($150) in addition to the fine imposed on the Violator(s).
REINSTATEMENT OF AN INDIVIDUAL AFTER SUSPENSION: Upon the completion of the suspension imposed by the Trial Board, a suspended individual must request reinstatement to the Board of Directors in writing. At which time the Board of Directors will determine if the suspended individual has any outstanding fines and if so may deny the request for reinstatement. If the Board of Directors does permit reinstatement for a suspended individual, the suspended individual shall be on a one season probationary period. If the suspended individual is involved in any subsequent INCIDENT of VIOLENT CONDUCT during the probationary period, an automatic lifetime ban shall be imposed on the suspended individual as well as fines imposed on the team at the discretion of the Trial Board.
REINSTATEMENT OF TEAM AFTER SUSPENSION: Upon the completion of the suspension imposed by the Trial Board, a suspended team must request reinstatement to the Board of Directors in writing. At which time the Board of Directors will determine if the suspended team has any outstanding fines and if so may deny the request for reinstatement. If the Board of Directors does permit reinstatement for a suspended team, the suspended team, its players, coaches and managers shall be on a one season probationary period. Further, the reinstated team will be required to pay a new performance bond to the league at double the then rate of the bond. If the suspended team, through its players, coaches and managers engage in any subsequent INCIDENT of VIOLENT CONDUCT during the probationary period, the Trial Board shall have complete discretion to assess any appropriate fine, penalty or suspension on the team, its players, coaches and managers.
DEFINITIONS OF VITAL TERMS: The definition of the term "VIOLENT CONDUCT" shall include, but not be limited to the following acts: Any physical contact with another individual with the INTENT to cause harm, any attempt of physically contacting an individual with the INTENT to cause harm, spitting, throwing or propelling projectiles at an individual or verbally threatening bodily injury or death to an individual before, during or after any match sanctioned by the San Diego County Soccer League. The determination of the "INTENT" of the violating individual shall be the discretion of the Trial Board and/or Board of Directors. The definition of the term "INCIDENT" shall include, but not be limited in any way, to the following act: An isolated event in which a VIOLENT CONDUCT has occurred by one or more members of a San Diego County Soccer League team before, during or after a match sanctioned by the San Diego County Soccer League, in which a reasonable person (namely the manager/coach of the team) has been given constructive notice that an individual or individuals on his team has committed an act of VIOLENT CONDUCT and has had the opportunity to forewarn members of his team, including coaches and spectators, that VIOLENT CONDUCT will not be tolerated by the team and the league and is given an opportunity to prevent any future occurrence of a violent act by his team members. The determination as to whether sufficient opportunity was given to the team coach/manager to prevent future incidences of VIOLENT CONDUCT shall be the sole discretion of the Trial Board and/or Board of Directors.
MANAGER’S DUTY TO DISTRIBUTE THIS DOCUMENT: It shall be the duty and responsibility of each manager to insure that a copy of this document be distributed to their players, coaches and spectators attending the team’s matches. It shall also be the manager’s responsibility to emphasize the serious and extreme manner in which violators will be dealt with in matter involving VIOLENT CONDUCT.
Enacted January 28, 2002, by the San Diego County Soccer League Board of Directors.