1. U19/1 Inappropriate Player Behavior
The referee alleged that Player A's behavior was significantly and repeatedly inappropriate during the above referenced game. Player A received a caution for unsporting behavior, he dissented the yellow card and directed foul language at the referee. Player A was warned to cease his comments but he did not, the referee then showed Player A the second yellow followed by the red card. Player A continued to direct foul language toward the referee and attempted to take the red card out of the referee's hand.

During the hearing, Player A admitted that he does get angry when calls go against him. Player A acknowledged that he used foul language directed at the referee on more then one occasion and that he initially refused to leave the field after being ejected from the match and initially refused to leave at half-time. Player A apologized to the committee for his inappropriate behavior.

Player A's behavior during the game was certainly egregious. Player A's Coach stated during the hearing that he has suspended Player A for 2 games. The R&D Committee commended the coach for taking this action.

Decisions of the R&D Committee were as follows:
1. The R&D committee formalized the internal 2 game suspension imposed by Player A's Coach and added 1 additional game suspension. Therefore, Player A was suspended for 3 additional NCSL games beyond the suspension for the red card which had been served at the time of the hearing.
2. The committee admonished Player A's Coach and team manager for failing to exercise good judgment when Player A was ejected from the match and when the referee requested that he leave the field at the start of the second half.

The VYSA Adjudication Committee concurrently reviewed the complaint filed by the referee against Player A. The VYSA Adjudication Committee determined that there was a basis for the report that Player A committed an act of referee abuse. Player A agreed to waive his right to a hearing by VYSA. VYSA Adjudication Committee suspended Player A for 4 NCSL games, the suspension running concurrently with the 4 game NCSL suspension.

2. U19/2 Terminated Match
With approximately 15 minutes remaining in the second half, Team A player and Team B player got entangled going for a ball and one or both of the players fell to the ground. The referee called a foul on Team A player. After the players got up, there was some pushing between the two players. Player A then proceeded to viciously punch Player B in the face 3 or more times. Player B did attempt to swing back but according to Player A, Player B never hit him. The referee issued both players a red card for fighting and terminated the match. The referee emphasized "the unrelenting viciousness of the attack by Player A."

Decisions of the R&D Committee were as follows:
1. The score when the game was terminated stands Team B 3 vs Team A 1.
2. All cards issued during the game stand.
3. Player A was suspended for 18 NCSL games, the equivalent of two NCSL seasons. During this suspension, Player A may not participate in any NCSL sponsored activity. This suspension must be served in the next 18 NCSL games in which Player A is a rostered player. Player A must comply with all the sit-out procedures and requirements as listed in the NCSL Rules & Procedures Manual. If Player A changes teams at any time, the remaining sit-outs stay with him and will have to be served with any new team that he would join.
4. Team A management must fix the errors on their official Maryland State roster as soon as possible.
5. Team A management was admonished for allowing players to wear jerseys with numbers that did not match the numbers listed on the blue game card. NCSL rules require that the jersey numbers listed on the blue game card must be identical to the numbers on each player's jersey. Team A management must fix these administrative problems prior to their next NCSL game and ensure that they comply with this rule for each NCSL game.

3. U19/3 Referee Assault
The referee filed an assault charge against Player A in a NCSL match. The NCSL does not hear allegations of referee assault and immediately turned the allegation over to the VYSA Adjudication committee.

VYSA Adjudication Committee held a hearing to review the allegations of referee assault. The Committee found that Player A did commit referee assault by taking the red card from the referee's hand and throwing it to the ground. The Adjudication Committee suspended Player A from all soccer activities under the jurisdiction of the United States Soccer Federation, including all activities at the national, regional, state, and club and league levels, through February 23, 2002.

4. U17/2 Protest of Game
The protest filed by Team B was based on the following assertions: 1) Team A parent was part of the referee crew and he never identified himself to Team B as a parent and 2) after Team A parent stepped up to center the match when the assigned center left, he disallowed a goal scored by Team B.

During the hearing considerable amount of time was spent on the disputed goal and the sequence of events. The referee whistled a penalty. Team B took the restart, played the ball down the field and scored. The center referee left the match after the goal was scored either because of an injury or he felt he was in over his head. Team A parent assistant referee who took over the match disallowed the goal and restarted the match with a drop ball.

Team A parent was not assigned to this match. According to Team A parent, when the two assistant referees arrived at the field, one of the assigned ARs told Team A parent that he did not feel comfortable doing this match since he knew too many players on Team A. Team A parent decided that he would take the place of this AR. Team A parent also stated that he met with the referee crew at half time and discussed with the referee that if the referee was unable to continue with the match at any point that he was ready to step in. At the time of the controversial goal, the referee left the match and Team A parent took over as the center.

Team A parent came to the game as a parent and promoted himself from parent to assistant referee to center referee. Team A parent had three clear opportunities to inform Team B that he was a parent of a Team A player and he admitted that he failed to notify them. In the opinion of the committee, Team A parent's actions were clearly inappropriate and bordered on deceit.

The committee found that the Team A management acted inappropriately in allowing Team A parent to step in as assistant referee and center referee without notifying Team B.

State referee policy clearly states that a referee should not agree to work any game in which a family member is involved as a player. Because of a scheduling error, schedule change, or non-availability of the assigned referees, however, NCSL policy allows a parent to referee a match only if both coaches agree. The agreement of both coaches must be noted on the game card prior to the start of play.

Decisions of the R&D Committee were as follows:
1. The protest is granted, the game is declared a forfeit and the score will be recorded Team B 3 vs Team A 0
2. Team A was fined $300.

5. U16/2 Terminated Match
With approximately 1 minute remaining in the second half, Team A coach was red carded for continued dissent and being verbally abusive to the referee and the assistant referee. Team A coach failed to leave the field in a timely manner and the referee terminated the match. In addition, a vocal parent on the Team A spectator sideline was very disruptive during the game, that she repeatedly challenged the referees calls, and clearly was not complying with the Parent Code of Conduct.

In the subsequent game, Team A coach failed to comply with the sit-out rules listed in the NCSL Rules and Procedures Manual. If a coach or team official does attend a game in which he is serving a sit-out, he must not be closer to the playing field than 100 yards beginning 30 minutes before game time, and must remain not closer to the playing field than 100 yards until 30 minutes after the game is over. Team B coach reported that Team A coach left 5 minutes prior to the game and was not involved in coaching his team during the game. Team A coach volunteered to re-serve his sit-out in his next NCSL prior to the R&D hearing. The committee received his action favorably.

The decisions of the R&D Committee were as follows:
1. The score when the game was terminated stands Team A 2 vs Team B 2.
2. Team A coach was suspended for 3 games. The committee accepted the 2 games that Team A coach already sat as fulfilling 2 of the 3 game suspension.
3. Team A was fined $300 for inappropriate spectator behavior.

6. U16/4 Terminated match and referee assault
With approximately 15 minutes remaining in the second half, the referee stopped the match and ejected Team A Assistant Coach for continually yelling at the referee. The referee stated that Team A Assistant Coach then cursed at him, threatened him, and wanted to meet him in the parking lot after the game. Team A Coach admitted that he grabbed his assistant coach holding him back and attempted to get him to leave the field. Team A Coach didn't pay close attention and was not able to remember what his assistant coach said to the referee. Team A Assistant Coach admitted that he got really mad that he received a red card and was forced to leave the field.

Team A Assistant Coach did not leave the field but went to the spectator sideline. Three minutes later Team A Assistant Coach ran onto the field without permission to break up a pushing confrontation between two players as the referee was coming over to deal with the situation. The referee stated that he was threatened again by Team A Assistant Coach when he asked him to leave the field. At that point, the referee terminated the match.

Team A Coach acknowledged that Team A Assistant Coach did tell the referee that he wanted to see him in the parking lot after the game only to get an explanation of why the referee ejected him from the match. Team B Coach witnessed the behavior of Team A Assistant Coach and heard the threats directed at the referee.

It was the unanimous opinion of the committee that Team A Assistant Coach was extremely upset after being ejected by the referee, that he had to be physically restrained by his coach, and that on two occasions threatened the referee.

Decisions of the R&D Committee were as follows:
1. The score when the game was terminated stands Team B 4 vs Team A 1
2. All cards issued during the game stand.
3. Team A Assistant Coach was suspended for 18 NCSL games, the equivalent of two NCSL season. This suspension applies to Team A Assistant Coach serving in any capacity as a team official. This suspension must be served in the next 18 games in which Team A Assistant Coach is a rostered team official. Team A Assistant Coach must comply with all the sit-out procedures and requirements as listed in the NCSL Rules & Procedures Manual. If Team A Assistant Coach changes teams at any time, the remaining sit-outs stay with him and will have to be served with any new team that he would join.

The VYSA Adjudication Committee concurrently reviewed and held a hearing on the complaint filed by the referee against Team A Assistant Coach. VYSA Adjudication Committee concluded that Team A Assistant Coach did commit referee abuse. VYSA Adjudication Committee suspended Team A Assistant Coach from all soccer activities under the jurisdiction of the USSF, including all activities at the international, national, regional, state , league, and club levels, through August 31, 2002.

7. U15/1 Terminated Match
At approximately 15 minutes into the 2nd half, a Team A player and a Team B player both went for a ball and Team A player went down, remained down, and was taken to the hospital. Team A parent, acting as the team trainer but not officially rostered to Team A, came onto the field, confronted the referee, and was issued a red card for foul and abusive language. Team A coach pulled his players from the field and abandoned the match.

During the hearing, it was reported that the Team A coach on more than one occasion entered the field without permission of the referee. This statement was not disputed by Team A. Team A coach is admonished for entering the field without permission of the referee.

The normal penalty issued by the committee to a coach for pulling his players from the match is a 3 game suspension. In the opinion of the committee, Team A coach's actions at the end of the match indicated that he was trying to prevent the escalation of tensions between the teams. The committee took the positive steps taken by Team A coach into consideration during its deliberations.

Decisions of the R&D Committee were as follows:
1. The game is declared a forfeit and the score will be recorded Team B 3 vs Team A 0.
2. All other cards issued during the game stand.
3. The red card issued to Team A parent is assigned to Team A Coach.

8. U15/1 Terminated Match
Note: This is the second terminated game involving this team. Team A in item 7 is the same Team A in this issue. For the record, Team A was required to appear at the hearing but they chose not to attend. I received a voice message from Team A manager after the hearing, that they would not be participating in the hearing since "it was a waste of [their] time."

After Team B scored their 2nd goal, one of the fathers of Team A made an inappropriate comment to the referee and he was sent from the field by the referee. A few minutes later, the referee called a foul against Team A. Two Team A players objected to the call and cursed at the referee. The referee ejected both players. Team B scored 2 more quick goals. At that point, the Team A coach pulled his players from the field and the referee terminated the match.

This is the second time this season that the Team A coach pulled his team from the field because he was unhappy with the way the game was going. This is a most serious problem and it is clear that Team A has a problem following and complying with NCSL rules and procedures. Further, it is disturbing that the team management feels that complying with league rules and procedures is a waste of their time.

For the Fall 2000 and Fall 2001 seasons, Team A made the Century Club. The Century Club is a list of teams that accumulated 100, or more penalty points during a soccer season. It is our experience and opinion that a team that accumulates this many disciplinary points, is playing on the edge of out of control and needs some serious review and self evaluation to adjust its style of play.

It is clear that Team A is having significant problems with its coaching, team management, and player performance. It is strongly recommend that the Team A club step in and get involved with the management and running of this team so that these reoccurring problems can be addressed.

Decisions of the R&D Committee were as follows:
1. The game is declared a forfeit and the score will be recorded Team B 3 vs Team A 0.
2. The red cards issued to Team A players stand.
3. The sit-outs being served by Team A players do not count and these sit-outs must be reserved in the next Team A NCSL game.
4. Team A Coach was suspended for 5 games. This suspension must be served in the next 5 Team A NCSL games. If Team A Coach changes teams at any time, the sit-outs stay with him and will have to be served with any new team that he would join.
5. Team A was fined $200 for continued disregard of the NCSL Code of Conduct, league rules and procedures.
6. Team A is put on probation for 2 seasons in which they participate in the NCSL. If the team causes any additional problems during this period of probation that needs to be addressed by the R&D Committee, Team A will be evaluated for possible suspension from the league.

9. U15/2 Terminated Match
The game was terminated with approximately 35 minutes remaining in the second half with the score Team A 5 vs Team B 3.

During the first half, the referee ejected a Team A parent for abusive and insulting language. During halftime, the referee met with the Team A coach and requested that he do something about his parents. Team A coach complied with the referee's request. At the start of the second half, dissent from Team A parents continued. Whether just before or after the game was terminated, both teams agreed that the Team A players appealed to their parents to be quiet.

It was the unanimous opinion of the committee that the actions of Team A parents caused the game to be terminated.

The decision of the R&D Committee was as follows: The game is declared a forfeit and the score will be recorded Team B 3 vs Team A 0.

Team A appealed this decision. The NCSL Appeals Committee held a hearing and reviewed written reports as well as testimony presented by both teams and NCSL R&D Chairman.

The decision of the Appeals Committee was as follows: The R&D Committee did not err in process or procedure, and the referee did in fact terminate the game based upon Team A's actions. It was the unanimous opinion of the committee that Team A's parents were not out of control. The appeal was granted and a replay was directed.

10. U15/4 Protest of Game
The protest filed by Team B was based on the following assertions:
1. Team A parent assigned the referee crew for this match. During the game, Team A parent was observed speaking with the assistant referee on the spectator sideline. Team A parent unduly influenced the assistant referee during the game. The remedy requested by Team B was a replay of the match.
2. Team B Coach was ejected from the match. Team B alleged that Team B Coach was not giving a warning and that the offense was not deserving of a red card. The remedy requested was a reduction of the red to a yellow card.
3. Team B player was red carded during the match for an obscene gesture. Team B alleged that the referee never saw the obscene gesture and that the gesture was not obscene. The remedy requested was a reduction of the red card to a warning or a yellow card.
4. Since the coach is Nigerian and the player is Jamaican, Team B further alleged that there was clear racial bias on part of the referee and the assistant referee in issuing the red cards.

Findings of the R&D Committee:
1. Team A parent admits to speaking once with the AR on the spectator sideline. As the assignor and mentor of the AR, Team A parent was attempting to guide and instruct the AR. Team B's allegations against Team A parent were vague and they were not able to provide any specifics as to the influence on any call that was made during the game and they clearly did not show how it affected the outcome of the game.
2. The referee acknowledged that he issued the red card to Team B Coach for dissent and that he neither warned nor issued a yellow card prior to issuing the red card. After the game, the referee issued a red card to Team B Manager for dissent again without a warning or first issuing a yellow card. Dissent is a yellow card offense.
3. The referee did not see the obscene gesture by the Team B player. The referee had turned his back and was walking away from the player. The AR on the team sideline observed the gesture, raised his flag to get the referee's attention and reported to him what happened. The referee then issued the red card to the player. The AR is supposed to indicate fouls to the referee. The AR understood the gesture to be obscene and several committee members knew what the gesture meant.

It was the unanimous opinion of the committee that neither the referee nor the assistant referee displayed any racial bias toward Team B. Raising the race card as an issue demeaned the value of this protest. The committee admonishes Team B for raising this issue as part of their protest.

Decisions of the R&D Committee were as follows:
1. The request to replay the game was denied. The score stands Team B 1 vs. Team A 1.
2. The request to reduce the red card to a yellow card for Team B Coach was granted.
3. The request to reduce the red card to a yellow card for Team B player was denied.
4. The red card issued to Team B manager after the game was reduced to a yellow card.
5. The NCSL administrator is directed to return $100 of the protest fee to Team B.

11. U15/4 Inappropriate Assistant Coach/Parent Behavior
The referee reported that during the first half he was having a problem with the Team A Assistant Coach who was too vocal. The referee first asked Team A Assistant Coach to be quiet and then requested that Team A Coach have Team A Assistant Coach sit down and shut up. During the second half, Team A Assistant Coach continued to be very vocal. At the conclusion of the game, the referee issued Team A Assistant Coach's son a red card for foul language. At that point, Team A Assistant Coach charged onto the field and shouted profanity towards the referee, then turned to the referee's 15 year old son who was one of the assistant referees and shouted profanity at him as well.

During the hearing, Team A Assistant Coach admitted that he cursed out the referee and the assistant referee. Team A Assistant Coach's behavior during the match was unacceptable. However, the actions of Team A Assistant Coach after the game were inappropriate, totally unacceptable, and a serious violation of the NCSL Leaders or Parents Code of Conducts.

Decisions of the R&D Committee were as follows:
1. Team A Assistant Coach was suspended for 9 games, the equivalent of one NCSL season, in serving in any capacity as a team official. Since Team A Assistant Coach was not a rostered team official, the R&D committee acknowledges that it does not have the ability to enforce or monitor compliance with this suspension. Therefore, the committee assigns Team A's Club and in particular Team A the responsibility for making sure this suspension is served. If Team A Assistant Coach returns to cause problems at any subsequent game during his suspension, Team A may be subject to additional sanctions.
2. Team A's Coach was admonished for not taking any action during the game to deal with the inappropriate behavior of Team A Assistant Coach.
3. Team A was fined $600.

12. U15/5 Terminated Match
With approximately 6 minutes remaining in the second half, a Team A player was issued a red card for throwing a punch and for using foul and abusive language. After the red card was issued, the Team A coach and assistant coach ran on to the field and began arguing with the referee. The referee terminated the match when the Team A coach and assistant coach failed to leave the field.

Decisions of the R&D Committee were as follows:
1. The score when the game was terminated stands Team B 2 vs Team A 1.
2. Team A player was suspended for 1 game.
3. Team A Coach and Team A Assistant Coach were suspended for 3 games each.

13. U14/1 Inappropriate Coach Behavior
At the conclusion of the match, there was a altercation between the coaches of the opposing teams. Based upon reports from the coaches, various players, both teams, one of the referee crew, the R&D committee determined that a hearing was warranted to address the conduct of both coaches during and after the match.

There was no doubt that the catalyst for the post game altercation was the foul committed by a player with twenty minutes remaining in the match. The altercation between the two coaches began during the post match handshake and continued from that point.

Decisions of the R&D Committee were as follows:
1. The committee determined that both coaches share responsibility for the incident and that they each are responsible for their own behavior. Both coaches were suspended for one game.
2. Given the serious nature of the actions of both coaches, they are to be placed on probation. This probation will be for the balance of the NCSL fall 2001 season and the next two seasons in which either coach is actively coaching any NCSL team.

14. U13/3 Protest of Red Card Issued to Coach
The basis of the protest was that Team A Coach was issued a red card for unsporting behavior near the end of the game. Team A claimed that Team A Coach was never previously shown a yellow card during the match. The referee reported that Team A Coach's behavior during the match was unacceptable and he warned him on 3 occasions.

The referee reported that he dismissed the coach under FIFA Law 5: "takes action against team officials who fail to conduct themselves in a responsible manner and may at his discretion, expel them form the field of play and its immediate surrounds." The referee's decision to dismiss the coach was a judgment decision and technically correct. Under NCSL rules, judgment calls by the referee are not subject to protest.

NCSL Rules for Referees posted on the NCSL web site and included in mailings to league referees from their assignors state that all FIFA Laws of the Game apply except as modified herein. The following modification was passed by the NCSL Board of Directors in June 2000: "Referees are required to show red or yellow cards to team officials when cautioning or ejecting them. (Previously cards could be shown at the referee's discretion)." While there is no requirement that a caution be issued to a coach prior to a dismissal, in the opinion of the committee, the referee had the opportunity and should have shown a yellow card to the coach for a previous infraction.

Decisions of the R&D Committee were as follows:
The protest was denied and the red card issued to Team A Coach stands.

15. U13/4 Protest of Game
The basis of Team A's protest was their allegation that Team B misrepresented the qualifications of Team B volunteer who was chosen to referee the match. No assigned referee showed to referee the match. Step-in Assistant Referees (SIAR) from both teams met and the Team B SIAR was chosen to referee the match. Team A claimed that they asked if the Team B volunteer was a grade 8 or above certified referee and Team B told them that he was. Team A agreed to play the match based on this assumption. Team B claimed that there was no misrepresentation of the qualifications of the Team B volunteer. Team A did not have to play the match with a volunteer but they did agreed to play.

Team A claimed that they discovered at half-time that the Team B volunteer was a grade 10 SIAR. Team A elected to continue with the match since they were leading at half-time 1-0. Team B claimed that they had no reason to misrepresent the qualifications of their volunteer since a win, tie, or loss in this match would make no difference to them in being promoted to division 3 or being relegated to division 5.

Team A was not able to prove their allegation since it was their word versus that of Team B. In the opinion of the committee, only after tieing the match and realizing that they needed a win to get promoted to division 3 did Team A find an excuse to file this protest.

Decisions of the R&D Committee were as follows:
1. The protest was denied and the score stands Team A 1 vs Team B 1
2. Team A was admonished for filing this frivolous protest.

16. U13/6 Protest of Game
The basis of the protest was that the referee made unwarranted bookings during and after the game. Team A claimed that the red cards issued were unjust reprisals initiated by the referee.

Team A Coach was issued a yellow card for dissenting a call by the referee, then issued a second yellow card and ejected from the match for persistent dissent after he objected to another call made by the referee. After the game, Team A Assistant Coach approached the referee in an angry manner and challenged the calls the referee made during the match. The referee issued him a red card for offensive and abusive language. During the hearing, Team A Assistant Coach admitted that he was upset and angry with the referee. Team A Assistant Coach's behavior after the match was totally unacceptable.

Three Team A players were shown the red card after the match for challenging the authority of and directing comments to the referee. However, neither the referee nor the assistant referee could clearly identify two of the Team A players that were issued red cards. The referee's testimony during the hearing acknowledge that this recollection of which players were the offending players was "a little hazy."

Decisions of the R&D Committee were as follows:
1. The protest is denied.
2. The red cards issued to Team A Coach, Team A Assistant Coach, and one of the Team A players stand.
3. The red cards issued to two of the Team A players are rescinded.

17. U12/1 Protest of red card
The basis of the protest was that Team A player tried to head the ball away from the goal and it deflected to his hand. The referee was clear in his report that Team A player intentionally reached out with his hand above his head and deflect the ball denying a goal scoring opportunity. The referee issued a red card to the Team A player and awarded a penalty kic