Discipline/Suspensions

Discipline/Suspensions

DISCIPLINE & SUSPENSIONS 2024-25 SEASON - Playoffs

Red Card, Additional Game, & Other Suspensions Issued:

Rian Marques (Kansas City) - One (1) game suspension to be served in Game 1 of the 2025-26 season for R8 3rd penalty accumulation in the playoff game on April 5th. 

Penalty Point Accumulation System:

Penalty Point Accumulations are as follows:

1 point for blue/yellow card

2 points for red card

Penalty points can be assessed by the Discipline Committee for leaving the bench and joining an altercation

Note: A player cannot accumulate more than two (2) penalty points per match as the player is automatically ejected for infractions beyond a two (2) point accumulation. 

List of Penalties which apply towards Accumulation:

BLUE CARD POWER PLAY PENALTIES

  • Four Fouls by a player in a half 
  • Any foul committed by Goalkeeper on Shootout: PENALTY KICK
  • Goalkeeper striking by throwing the ball at or violently pushing opponent while in control of the ball
  • Kick (Severe, tactical, or blatant in nature)
  • Trip (Severe, tactical, or blatant in nature)
  • Reckless Tackle (Severe, tactical, or blatant in nature)
  • Two-Footed Tackle
  • Charging from behind or Charging Violently or Dangerously (Severe, tactical, or blatant in nature)
  • Striking (Severe or blatant in nature)
  • Contact Above the Shoulder/Elbow (Severe or blatant in nature)
  • Push (Severe, tactical, or blatant in nature)
  • Boarding (Severe or blatant in nature)
  • Shootout: Denies an Obvious Goal Scoring Opportunity 
  • Unsportsmanlike Conduct (misconduct during mass confrontations or dead ball situations)

YELLOW CARD 5-MINUTE MISCONDUCT (NON POWER PLAY)

  • Dissent
  • Major Penal Penalty
  • Bench Misconduct (not identifiable) assessed against coach (no one serves 5-minutes) 
  • Delay of Game after Time Penalty - failing to immediately report to the penalty box 
  • Diving, Embellishing, or Faking a foul after Team Warning 
  • Referee Crease Violation 
  • Penalty Box Decorum 
  • Delay of Game Violation (Restarts) (following Team Warning)
  • Encroachment (following Team Warning) 
  • Severe Unsportsmanlike Manner 
  • Goalkeeper joining in an altercation (leaving his penalty area)

RED CARD EJECTIONS 

  •  Violent Conduct or Serious Foul Play
  • Offensive, insulting, obscene or abusive language and/or gestures
  • Headbutt
  • Third man into an altercation
  • First off bench joining an altercation
  • Leaving the penalty box to engage in an altercation or dissent
  • Spitting on or at opponent or official (minimum fine; increased at discretion of Commissioner and/or discipline committee based on severity and COVID-19 pandemic)
  • Accumulation of 3rd penalty

Point Accumulation Resulting in Suspension are as follows:

7 points = undisclosed fine; 1 game suspension

10 points = undisclosed fine; 1 game suspension

12 points = undisclosed fine; 2 game suspension

 In the event a player or coach reaches a number of penalties to warrant suspension, the suspension will be served in the first game of the following game week after the player hits the accumulation points number (7, 10, or 12 points). In the event a player nearing the points suspension number is issued a penalty that counts towards the accumulation (see penalty code list) during a double or triple header game week the team shall be permitted to serve the suspension the following game in that particular game week. However, the team must notify the league office in writing in advance of the game the player is to serve the suspension. The penalty accumulation suspension count must be able to be confirmed in writing from the league office according to the referee game report and ongoing full season accumulation list. 

Penalty points will not carry over into playoffs. The player will serve suspension in game #1 of the following season. There will be no point system in the playoffs. e.g. If the player is suspended in game #24, the player will serve suspension in game #1 of the following season.

Coach and Non-player Fines: A monetary fine will be issued for any yellow card to coach and/or any non-playing bench personnel (i.e., assistant coach, team manager, athletic trainer, etc). 

Player Fines: An undisclosed monetary fine will be issued for the following yellow card infractions:

  • Dissent 
  • Delay of game after a time penalty
  • Referee crease violation
  • Penalty box decorum 
  • Severe unsportsmanlike manner 
  • Entering arena seating areas

Red Card Ejections

Ejections will count as two (2) points (Exception: No penalty points will accumulate for a player who is ejected for six (6) fouls in a match).

(R3) Red Cards due to accumulation of cards in a single game are counted 2 points, not 3 points.

Third Time Penalty

Any player who receives a third time penalty in one match resulting in an ejection will be treated as an ejection with respect to penalty points and will be assessed two (2) penalty points.

Embellishment/Simulation (Faking):

Embellishment is defined as an attempt to make contact appear more severe than the contact made and/or a prolonged reaction. Simulation/Faking is defined as an attempt to deceive the referee by falsifying contact.

In the event a player engages in obvious embellishment/faking, this player can be penalized with a penalty point towards accumulation. However, if such act has a material impact in the game, the player may then be suspended and fined.

Those instances of embellishment/faking which by definition have a material impact on the match are as follows:

  • Opposing player receives a red card
  • Opposing player receives a time penalty (blue or yellow card) and such time penalty results in a penalty point accumulation.
  • Opposing Team is awarded a penalty kick or shootout.

Approaching Game Officials

(Undisclosed fine or Commissioner's discretion) – No Team owner, coach, staff member, or player shall threaten game officials either verbally or physically nor make physical contact in any manner with a game official. Coaches and team staff shall not approach game officials prior to the game, at the end of a period, on the way to or from the locker room to lobby for a certain call, discuss the approach to the game or to criticize a game official’s performance. The Crew Chief shall report any such incidents to League Management and the offending individual(s) shall be subject to a League fine and/or suspension.

Game Officials Assault or Abuse

(Undisclosed fine or Commissioner's discretion) – The MASL may impose fines and/or suspensions for abuse or assault toward game officials. The MASL may use official game reports, eye witness’s account and video to make any determination.

Public Comments

(Undisclosed fine or Commissioner's discretion) – Owners, Team Staff, Coaches, Players and Team contracted online streaming game announcers may not disparage game officials decisions in press releases, quotes provided to the Media, on social media, or during stream game broadcasts. Fines will be levied accordingly based on the nature, severity, and context of the comments made. Suspensions at the Commissioner’s discretion.

Serving Suspensions and Ejections

Players and Coaches serving suspensions or have been ejected are NOT allowed on the team bench during the game. They must watch the game from the stands or the locker room and must be out of sight and sound.  The player or coach serving the suspension or that has been ejected cannot be in the vicinity of the team bench area, goals, or close to the field/boards. A suspended coach or player during a game scenario is not permitted contact with his team once warm-ups begin, up until the start of the game. Once the game starts a suspended coach or player shall have no contact or communication, even at halftime or in the locker room or via phone/text.

Discipline Review Committee

The MASL Discipline Review Committee will assist to ensure player safety and preserve the integrity of the game.

Discipline Committee Guidelines and Parameters: 

The MASL Disciplinary Review Committee will use the following guidelines in determining when it can act after a game has been completed:

1. Where the referee does not see the incident (e.g., an off-the-ball offense) and therefore does not have the opportunity to act:

• Review any video evidence and may act to discipline a player (The act must be a clear and obvious red card that was missed by the referee due to lack of view).

2. Where the referee sees an incident, and issues a red card:

• May review the play for further disciplinary action, over and above the mandatory one game suspension.

• The committee will add suspension(s) over and above the mandatory one game suspension for those offenses deemed to be of an egregious nature, or where the committee believes it must act to protect player safety or the integrity of the game.

3. When the referee sees an incident, issues a time penalty (anything less than a red card), but does not issue a red card, the following shall apply:

• The committee will act on incidents which warrant a game(s) suspension;

• The play in question, in the opinion of the Committee should have been a clear and unequivocal red card; or

• The play in question, in the opinion of the Committee is an egregious act or repetitive behavior in nature and the Committee must act to protect player safety and the integrity of the game.

Reviewable Incidents:

Reviewable incidents include, but are not limited to: violent conduct, contact to a player’s head/neck/face region when deemed to be excessive force, simulation (faking) / embellishment to gain a foul or time penalty, mass confrontation, players leaving the bench to join an altercation. The following parameters will apply:

• The play in question is, in the unanimous opinion of the committee a clear and unequivocal red card;

• The play in question is, in the unanimous opinion of the committee, an egregious incident and must be acted upon to protect player safety or the integrity of the game.

Embellishment/Simulation (Faking):

Embellishment is defined as an attempt to make contact appear more severe than the contact made and/or a prolonged reaction. Simulation/Faking is defined as an attempt to deceive the referee by falsifying contact.

In the event a player engages in obvious embellishment/faking, this player can be penalized with a penalty point towards accumulation. However, if such act has a material impact in the game, the player may then be suspended and fined. Those instances of embellishment/faking which by definition have a material impact on the match are as follows:

1) Opposing player receives a red card

2) Opposing player receives a time penalty (blue or yellow card) and such time penalty results in a penalty point accumulation.

3) Opposing Team is awarded a penalty kick or shootout.

Rectifying Clear and Obvious Referee Error:

A Team may request a review of a Red Card to rectify a case of clear and obvious error of the decision of the Referee. Within twenty-four (24) hours of the completion of a match, teams must send written notice detailing the rationale for the appeal and include video evidence supporting the appeal. The decision must be unanimous. The Disciplinary Review Committee is not re-refereeing the game; it is rectifying clear and obvious errors in the referee’s decisions. Therefore, if it is not obvious then it does not need to be rectified.

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