Any affiliated team, player, referee, coach, or other entity, has the right to appeal the final decision* of an affiliated league, committee, or board.

All appeals MUST be submitted in writing to the OASA office within 10 days** of receipt of the league decision and MUST be accompanied by the $25 appeal fee.*** Your appeal will be rejected if your request does not satisfy ALL of these requirements!

*        Any available league-level appeals must be exhasted before an OASA appeal can be filed.
**      Contact OASA if you are unsure of the exact cut-off date for filing your appeal.
***    If your appeal results in a decision in your favor, the appeal fee will be returned to you.

Circumstances Under Which OASA Holds Original Jurisdiction

There are three situations under which the OASA Discipline & Appeals Committee holds original jurisdiction over player misconduct hearings: Referee Abuse, Referee Assault, and Playing While Under Suspension.

If a player is alleged to have committed Referee Abuse or Assault, or to have participated in an affiliated event while under suspension from any of OASA's affiliated leagues, he/she can expect the following:

1. The implicated player will be suspended from ALL affiliated events until the hearing process has been concluded.
2. A hearing will be scheduled in a timely manner, and the player will receive written notice of the hearing date, time, and location. Reasonable accommodations will be made, at the player's request, to ensure that he/she can participate in the proceedings.
3. The hearing will be held, and the player will have the opportunity to present information before the hearing committee, and to present witnesses on his/her behalf. Failure to appear at the hearing will NOT prevent the committee from making a decision.
4. The player will be notified in writing, within a reasonable time period, of the OASA Discipline & Appeals Committee's final decision.
5. If the player is dissatisfied with the Committee's decision, further appeals MUST be filed through the United States Soccer Federation.

Referee Abuse: The term "Referee Abuse" is defined in USSF Policy 531-9 as "a verbal statement or physcial act not resulting in bodily contact which implies or threatens physical harm to a referee or the referee's property or equipment." If you are found guilty of referee abuse, the minimum suspension will be 3 games.

Referee Assault: The term "Referee Assault" is defined in USSF Policy 531-9 as "an intentional act of physical violence at or upon a referee." If you are found guilty of referee assault, you may receive a suspension ranging from the minimum of 3 months up to a term of 5 years or more.

Playing While Under Suspension: Any player who is suspended by any USSF affiliated entity and is found to have played, or attempted to play in any OASA game, shall be suspended for a minimum of one-year, in addition to the previous suspension.

Other Discipline & Appeals Resources

OASA Discipline & Appeals Policy

OASA Discipline & Appeals - PowerPoint

The A to Z's of Appeals - PowerPoint