2022-23 Season
November 25, 2022
Randy Stewart, Director of Athletics
Red Deer Polytechnic
100 College Boulevard
Box 50005
Red Deer, AB T4N 5H5
*Sent via email to: randy.stewart@rdpolytech.ca
Re: ACAC Operating Code Violations - RDP Pre-season Soccer Tournament
Dear Randy:
On behalf of the ACAC Executive Committee, I am issuing this Letter of Censure to RDP Athletics resulting from ACAC Operating Code violations related to rule adjustments at the Pre-season non-conference soccer tournament hosted by RDP on the weekend of August 26-28, 2022.
The investigation leading to the conclusion that Operating Code violations were committed, involved written reports submitted by the following individuals in addition to verbal reports provided by 3 ACAC Athletic Directors whose teams participated in the tournament:
- A participating visiting head coach;
- Maria Mackey, Events and Community Engagement Coordinator for Red Deer Polytechnic;
- Randy Stewart, Manager of Athletics and Student Life, RDP; and
- David O’Neill, Referee Development Officer, Alberta Soccer Association
Facts and Summary of Events:
- Alberta Soccer received a request from RDP’s Maria Mackey to provide officials for this tournament. The original request was for 1 official per game, presumably to keep entry fees affordable. After discussion with the local referee assignor (who is also a member of the provincial referee development group) ASA requested that RDP permit the assignment of 3 officials per game to provide more effective officiating at the ACAC level and to provide experience and mentoring for Red Deer officials who have fewer opportunities to be involved in ACAC soccer games.
- After some discussion, Alberta Soccer agreed to cover the additional costs.
- All officials assigned were fully certified and drawn from the pool to be assigned in Red Deer for the 2022 ACAC season.
- ASA was not made aware prior to the tournament of any ‘rules adjustments’ other than the standard 11v11 soccer Laws of the Game.
- According to Mojtab Zaher, who assigns ACAC games in Red Deer, the following was disclosed to David O’Neill with respect to the application of rules.
- Tournament organizers Maria Mackey and Ado-Sarcevic provided a verbal set of rules regarding the manner that red card suspensions would be managed by officials, and this was communicated to the coaches.
- The first intent was that any ‘serious’ red cards such as serious foul play or violent conduct would receive normal suspensions. The second intent was that there would be leniency and flexibility on suspensions for red cards for ‘denying obviously goal scoring opportunity’ offences that do not pose any physical danger to a player. This may also have been the case for ‘language’ offences. Mr. Zaher confirmed that there did not appear to be consistency in the determination of suspensions.
- It was also understood that the tournament employed a ‘sin bin’ (temporary dismissal) method for cautions where players were sent off for a short period then allowed to re-enter the game. Although permitted as a modification in the Laws of the Game for National Associations to consider, it has never been used in Canada and certainly never in ACAC soccer competitions.
- It was also reported that officials were discouraged from writing up red card reports.
- Athletics Manager Randy Stewart reported that it was not RDP’s intent to deviate from ACAC and ASA rules related to red cards and suspensions. Mr. Stewart indicates that the tournament invitations signed and returned by visiting AD’s and Coaches included the statement: “The rules for the tournament will be in direct accordance to those outlined in Section 13 of the ACAC operating code. All suspensions that arise from play in ACAC non-conference contests must be served in the next scheduled game.”
- Mr. Stewart admits he did not attend the tournament but was made aware afterwards that there was an inconsistent application of red card rules and suspensions.
Conclusions Following Investigation:
- Without any authority to do so, RDP personnel involved in the organization of this non-conference ACAC competition deliberately deviated from ACAC and ASA rules and protocols related to red cards and suspensions resulting from red cards. Furthermore, there was an attempt to conduct the tournament with fewer than 3 officials required to safely and properly manage ACAC soccer competitions.
- These decisions were communicated with others involved in the competition in a manner which suggests there was awareness of the implications of these rule adjustments and that red card rule and suspension adjustments would not be approved by ACAC.
- By doing so, tournament organizers contributed to inconsistency which caused confusion about the eligibility of players to continue in the tournament and/or remain eligible for ACAC regular season competition the following week, while also creating an unsafe environment for the players where select red card offences were committed virtually with impunity.
The actions of RDP Athletics personnel with respect to these decisions resulted in violations of the following articles/sections of the ACAC Operating Code:
- Article III, Section 6 – Disposition of Disciplinary Cases Resulting from Game Action
- Article I, Section 13, Soccer 9.2 – Suspension in Non-Conference Match
- Article I, Section 13, Soccer 9.3 – Suspensions Levied During ACAC Hosted Tournaments
- Article I, Section 13, Soccer 9.5 – Red Card Offences
- Article I, Section 12 – General Rules for League Sports
As the result of this investigation, the ACAC Executive Committee hereby issues the following directives to RDP Athletics:
- Any future non-conference events hosted by RDP Athletics are required to fully comply with the entirety of the ACAC Operating Code;
- Any future non-conference events hosted by RDP Athletics must ensure assignment of the required compliment of officials to safely manage competitions; and
- Any similar Operating Code violations or deviations from prescribed rules related to non-conference events hosted by RDP will result in further and escalating sanctions applied to RDP Athletics.
Please contact ACAC President Jim Knight or myself if you have any questions about the foregoing.
Respectfully,
Mark B. Kosak
Chief Executive Officer |