AFBN Disciplinary Committee
The Disciplinary Committee of the AFBN deals with game-related fouls that occur during official matches within the Dutch leagues of the association. These include incidents such as unsportsmanlike conduct, misconduct toward officials or opponents, or other infractions related to the conduct of the game.
The committee works independently and reviews cases based on the disciplinary regulations of the AFBN. The league's prosecutor, Ralph Lenoire, investigates reports and brings matters to the committee's attention if warranted.
What is covered by the AFBN Disciplinary Committee?
The AFBN Disciplinary Committee deals exclusively with game mechanics. These include:
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serious offenses on the field;
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unsportsmanlike conduct toward opponent or referee;
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use of non-playing players;
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Refusing to play a game without a valid reason;
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other match-related abuses.
The committee may impose penalties such as suspension, fine or exclusion from participation based on the case.
What falls not under the AFBN Disciplinary Committee?
All non-game technical issues, such as:
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cross-border behavior;
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discrimination or harassment;
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match-fixing or doping;
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integrity issues;
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misbehavior outside the competition context,
fall beyond the jurisdiction of the AFBN and are handled by the independent Institute for Sports Justice (ISR).. Also in these cases, the AFBN Prosecutor is the point of contact and determines in consultation whether and how the report will be forwarded to the ISR.
More information about the ISR can be found at www.isr.nl.
Methodology
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Notification or report
A case is usually initiated based on an official's report, a team's notification or a report to the AFBN Prosecutor. -
Prosecutor's investigation
The prosecutor evaluates the report and decides whether to forward the case to the disciplinary committee or - if necessary - to the ISR. -
Hearsay
Affected parties are given a chance to tell their side of the story. The committee then independently reviews the case. -
Decision-making
The committee will come up with a ruling, which will be communicated to all concerned within the deadlines. -
Profession
Rulings can be appealed, within the conditions set out in the disciplinary regulations.
Purpose and starting point
The disciplinary committee contributes to a Fair, sportsmanlike and safe conduct of competitions. Every player, coach, official and volunteer has the right to a sports climate in which respect and rules of the game are central. Sanctions are never a goal in themselves, but serve to promote sporting behavior and prevent the recurrence of incidents.
Questions or report?
Want to file a report or have a question about a pending disciplinary case? If so, please contact the AFBN Disciplinary Committee at this link.
