SUBJECT:  Abuse of Game Officials

There continues to be a growing number of cases of game officials being abused by coaches and spectators.  These â??intolerableâ? actions will stop immediately.  To assist in ensuring that the â??non-professionalâ? actions of coaches and spectators are addressed, the club has taken the following measures:

• Any complaint against a coach from a game official will result in an immediate suspension, pending an investigation and verification that the coach has completed the respect in Sport program.
• Referees have been instructed to suspend play until any offending parent/spectator is removed from the playing area.
• Coaching staff will be subject to suspension for abuse of game officials or refusing to cooperate with game officials in identifying and removing offending spectators.
• A second offence, of abuse of a game official in the same season (including playoffs) involving coaches, players and/or spectators, will result in the immediate suspension of the team from further play. 

The next time your team has a game and there is no official present, instead of asking if a referee was scheduled, ask the question, â??Did a coach, player or spectator abuse a game official?â?

Please ensure we respect the laws of the game and the officials who are trying to enforce them.  They need your support, not your abuse!

Sincerely,

Martino Vergata

President,  FC Northwest