COMPREHENSIVE RULES REVISIONS

MAIN GOAL: SIMPLIFY AND CLARIFY

MINOR GOALS: UPDATE PROCEDURES TO CONFORM WITH DUE PROCESS, WIDESPREAD NATIONAL USE AND EXISTING PROCEDURES

New Number HEARINGS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 602 APPEALS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 603 PROTESTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214.1 DISCIPLINARY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605 ASSAULT OR ABUSE . . . . . . . 214.4 GRIEVANCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214.2 TOUCHLINE MISCONDUCT . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214.3

HEARINGS Rule 602 Existing Rule 602 has Protests, Appeals and Administrative Hearings all in one. Existing Rule 603 is a separate rule for Ethics Hearings — Eliminated. The proposal is to have separate rules for hearings, appeals and protests for clarity and simplicity.

HEARINGS Rules Committee Suggested Edits Rule 602.10(j) Draft Committee agrees with proposed change but suggests the following for greater clarity and simplicity:

(j) Notification of the decisions shall include a statement of the procedure for appeal. The statement shall clearly indicate the appropriate level of jurisdiction, including the identity and address of the person and/or office to which the appeal may be directed. If the decision is such that an appeal may be made to the WSYSA Appeals Committee or a lower level (for example, when a decision is made by an Association with possible appeal to District) the option on the appeal should be stated. It is recommended that any appeals involving the right to participate be appealed directly to the WSYSA Appeals Committee.

HEARINGS Rules Committee Concerns Conformity of 602.4(b)(3) and 602.4 (listed as 602.4(b)(1)). Should be the same as 603.5(a)(3) and 603.5(a)(4) (listed as 603.5(b)(3) and 603.5(b)(4). RESPONSE The committee proposing the change agrees on conforming the term “desired resolution”; however, it feels that since filing fees are not always required for initial hearings, the term “if any” should be maintained in the hearings rule as proffered in 602.4(b)(4).

APPEALS Rule 603 Separates appeals from administrative hearings and protests. No appeals to District. Raises the filing fee from $50.00 to $300.00 but allows for a refund if the appeal is upheld on all issues.

APPEALS Rules Committee Concerns Rules Committee lists 2 conflicts, 4 concerns and 4 suggested edits. The Draft Committee agrees with all of the proposed changes except for the second one which references an alleged conflict between Rule 603.7(a)(1)(A) and 603.7(a)(1)(B); and suggested edits Nos. 2 and 3.

Because the Appeals Committee may be dealing with persons who are not members and, therefore, it cannot be determined if they are in good standing, it is suggested that “if applicable” be added to 603.7(a)(1)(B), to read as follows: “Determining if they are in good standing, if applicable.”

The Rules Committee requests that listing of “claimed errors” be changed to “reasons for the appeal”. (605.5(a)(1) and Notice of Appeal form) For there to be a successful appeal, there must be a showing of some error at the hearing level. Using the correct terminology helps the layperson in preparing the appeal or determining in the first place if there is in fact some valid basis for an appeal.

PROTESTS Rule 214.1 All protests are heard by the Disciplinary Committee with an appeal to the Appeals Committee. Fee increased to $100.00 with refund if upheld. Eliminates conflict of interest by committees administering the league.

PROTESTS Rules Committee Concerns 214.1(d) suggests specificity in time after match to announce protest to referee and opposing coach. RESPONSE Drafting Committee proposes the following language to meet Rules Committee’s concern:

(d) If a match will be protested, the referee and opposing coach must be notified at the conclusion of the match that a protest will be filed prior to the referee leaving the boundaries of the field of the match just concluded.

PROTESTS Rules Committee Concerns Logistics of having Disciplinary Staff at all LPT sites. Possible conflict between sites. RESPONSE The Disciplinary Committee has personnel at all LPT sites and conflicts are not likely.

PROTESTS Rules Committee Concerns Notification of the VP of Competition as under current Rule 607.12(h) during LPTs. RESPONSE This is not felt to be a real problem. Notification delay could be a hindrance to the efficient implementation of the protest decisions by the Disciplinary Committee.

DISCIPLINARY Rule 605 Consolidation of the disciplinary rules under one section - centralization. Send offs/ejections (red cards) will have mandatory sit times bringing it in line with other states, Region IV and National Cup rules. If Disciplinary proposes a more stringent sanction, a formal hearing would be required.

DISCIPLINARY Rules Committee Suggestion Move proposed 605.2(e) to be made 605.3(c) (listed in recommendations as 605.2(c)). While it is not felt necessary to move the paragraph, if it is moved for clarity, it is recommended it be placed between existing 605.2(b) and 605.2(c) becoming new 605.2(c).

DISCIPLINARY Rules Committee Suggestion Rules Committee recommends adding wording: “resulting in a red card ejection” to 605.3(b)(2)(G) (listed as 605.2(b)(G)). While it is agreed that rewording would be beneficial, it is suggested that the rewording in 605.3(b)(2)(G) be changed to: “Receives a second caution in the same match, resulting in a red card ejection.” This conforms with LOTG and the latest 7&7.

ASSAULT OR ABUSE Rule 214.4 Verifies that assault or abuse of a referee by someone who is not a player, coach, manager, club official or game official is subject to this section. Includes racial, ethnic, religious or gender slurs in the description of abuse. Conformity with recently revised USSF Policy 531-9.

GRIEVANCES New Rule 214.2 Grievances are complaints of a general nature not based upon specific rule violations or specific administrative decisions. Controlled by WSYSA Executive Board. Filing Fee of $300.00.

TOUCHLINE MISCONDUCT New Rule 214.3 Verbal statement or action that impedes, distracts, interferes or delays in any manner the referee from the duties of his/her game management.

Touchline misconduct may be handled separately by the Disciplinary Committee or in conjunction with assault/abuse before the WSYSA Appeals Committee.