COASTAL YOUTH SOCCER LEAGUE

ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY

Adopted August 2009

All persons responsible for a team (coaches on sidelines) and all the spectators shall support the referee. Failure to do so will undermine the referee’s authority and has the potential of creating a hostile environment for players, the referee and all other participants and spectators. Coaches, in cooperation with the Referee, will actively control spectators.

Coastal Youth Soccer League has adopted the following rule:

No one is to address the referee during the Game!!

This includes audible comments questioning calls and /or abusive or defaming comments.

Exceptions for Persons Responsible for a team (Coaches on sidelines)

During the Game:

· Responding to a referee initiating a communication

· Making Substitutions

· Pointing out emergencies or safety issues

At half time or at the end of game:

· A coach may ask a referee to clarify a decision in a polite and constructive way

· Absolutely NO sarcasm, harassment and intimidation

Penalties:

Minor Infractions Referee may ignore a random occurrence. Repeated occurrence elevates infraction to Serious Infraction.

Serious Infraction May result in Caution or immediate Ejection depending on the seriousness of the infraction (referee judgment). Expelled individual must leave playing field and immediate surrounds, failure to leave may cause the referee to abandon game.

Abandon Game Referee terminates game and referee game reports sent to town referee coordinator and forwarded to CYSL Standards Comm., whose action may result in penalties up to forfeits to both teams and suspension of individuals from further participation in CYSL activities.

Exceptions for Spectators:

During the Game:

· Referee initiating a communication

· Pointing out emergency or safety issues

Penalties:

Minor Infraction Referee may ignore a random occurrence. Repeated occurrences referee should stop the game and may ask the coach or coaches to quiet the offending spectator or spectators.

Serious Infraction Repeated minor infractions become a serious infraction. The referee may also judge a single infraction to be serious (FIFA). A Serious infraction may result in Warning, Ejection or Abandonment of game. Expelled individual must leave playing field and immediate surrounds, failure to leave may cause referee to abandon game.

Abandon Game Referee terminates game and referee game reports sent to town referee coordinator and forwarded to CYSL Standards Comm., whose action may result in penalties up to forfeits to both teams and suspension of individuals from further participation in CYSL activities

If the referee abandons the Game, directs a person to leave the field, issues a yellow card, or red card, the Referee shall send a game report to the Town Referee Coordinator who will forward the report with his recommendation to the CYSL Standards Comm. The CYSL Standards Committee can impose penalties up to and including suspension from CYSL activities and/or forfeit of Game.