Sanctioned soccer pay-to-play stream-model will never produce the best players to represent your country.

"I can't afford most of these clubs in my area"

(Facebook comment 2025)

Sanctioned soccer pay-to-play stream-model will never produce the best players to represent your country. That same thing applies to your neighbourhood, to your municipality, to your region, to your province and so on. The reason and logic (much like Delay-Deny-Defend-Ignore tactics by private health companies or defunct-Soviet's style anti-dissent methods); you or aspiring players are simply crushed into silence, apathy and cast aside by the current soccer development participation models.

"First they think about money, then about quality and results," the Swedish soccer player said regarding the sport in the U.S. "It has to be said that the sport is expensive, very expensive. For example, in order for my children to play in a good football team, I have to pay $3,500 per child. It's not for the figure, but for the whole concept." - NEWSWEEK, 2019

"...interviewed employees, players, former players, executives, coaches and agents. Almost all of them requested that their names not be used in this report because they feared repercussions. They raised numerous issues: lack of transparency, spending of public funds, financial opacity, a mysterious deal with a private firm, allegations of favouritism, widespread spying and a toxic environment. "It's a hornet's nest, everyone's keeping their mouth shut," said one former executive." - CBC, 2025

"...Rosario is a small, patchy football pitch, overlooked by decaying tenements. It is the home of a children's team known as the Grandoli Football Club. The club is run by parents in a rough and tough working-class neighbourhood and provides training and league games for local children. - BBC NEWS, 2010

It's 2025, and sanctioned soccer still doesn't really have the interest of (all) soccer enthusiasts. But rather ONLY of those that can afford to pay. No one is asking for DEI or woke policies but be self-critical; much like Darwin's theory of evolution, unless we have a healthy, active AND large sample of population survival (in this case competitive skills presence); Canada will disappear from international competitive soccer or remain "humpf-mediocre".

"For greater clarity" the exact targeted wording

[Hypocritical] branding rules:

"except for sponsorship branding" 

"sponsor may not be a soccer club, which is not recognized by FIFA"

"No team may display banners, posters, or other advertisement
of any soccer entity other than the registered club"

On a cursory overview of the logos below; whose priority was in mind when these very targeted rules were presented? Are we so naive to believe that [quote from CBC article] "It's just far easier to have a simple rule … and make it universal for everyone..."?

"Universal" enough to cover alcohol, tobacco, political, religious influences? And distinguish it from social, cultural, neighbourhood community and commercial entities? Or to satisfy the pocket books of financially interested clubs by excluding others?

So, today the rationale is: no unrecognized FIFA soccer club or soccer entity. Their problem seems to be with the words soccer or club in the entity's name.

What about tomorrow? A year from now say, a Somali, Ukrainian, Rohingya, Colombian, Uyghurs, etc. community organization decides to have sports related activities to help welcome New Canadians. Then, because of their success and hard work in organizing these activities, decide to enter teams into "sanctioned soccer" and compete alongside the best of the best? Not on a separate league [like they are proposing]; a single league where everyone plays everyone else equally and earns their spot equally? No one is asking for charity here. Can they wear their community logos then? 

If these rules are at such time further revised, then we will now their objective is not as harmless as they want you to believe. People, entities will then have a case for human rights; for commercial rights; heck, sports rights.

(1) A logo is part of their identity

(2) New rule soccer dispute

(3) Jan. 24, 2023 full 30 min. CBC Newscast

 

The Great White North. Separate but [NOT] equal?

Local Somalian soccer group says 'discriminatory' rules left players sidelined - CBC News · Posted: Jan 24, 2023 4:00 AM EST | Last Updated: January 24

Have you ever heard of redlining? Separate but equal?  This is the worst kind of prejudice and discrimination. The one whitewashed with "rules and regulations" intended to rationalize exclusion of one group. I didn't want to say it... I didn't want to believe it, but here we are, the Great White North, where soccer organizations obviously have [allegedly] a tiny racist minority of people, well placed in powerful roles within the governing organizations or within large clubs with substantial financial clout. And even worst, a larger complacent majority, unwittingly or disinterested just following along.

From the local level, the regional, provincial & national level you have had nothing but the same stream of people with the same stream of thinking: privileged, status-quo mentality, implementing and enforcing decades old, chaotic, contradictory, financially detrimental and exclusionary participation rules, and then call it "sanctioned soccer". I don't see the City of Ottawa emphasizing "drink from your sanctioned water supply"? I don't hear our local BIA saying "use only your sanctioned business"; your local government "vote for your sanctioned politician"? Or funnier yet, the local cartel saying "better use your sanctioned cocaine!" Ludicrous! Why; because they know there is (quite large) "unsanctioned" soccer participation. These same self proclaimed proponents of "Soccer for all!"; actually (a) have made no effort to bring in the larger community (in fact they are losing membership), (b) made it exceptionally difficult to do so; and worst of all (c) resorted to KGB style policing of Websites? Really? We have mentioned this exact same practice in previous posts. Have the "governing organizations" not learned anything from recent national embarrassing news?

We, and many others, have been complaining of lack of transparency, clear participation rules, disproportionate financial penalties on smaller clubs; and on the inverse a "whack-a-mole spaghetti chaos" of intertwining and contradictory rules between levels of governance, between governing regions, and between uncooperative paid employees of so called not-for-profit Soccer organizations. Complaints for years! (Decades I am sure, if we look at other past immigration to Canada).  But let's not steal SURADs thunder.  They deserve to be there with the best, and be proud to be where and when they can. By their own grit.

The greatest obstacle & struggle is the frustrating & suffocating silence of the majority.

CONTINUE Reading (EODSA League Rules as exactly worded)

Deja Vu - "...athletes should be able to focus on their jobs of “preparing, training and performing” instead of fighting their federation."

Still remember 2 employees from two different local league/association, colluding to bring financial fines & discipline charges to a specific individual; costing a small club hundreds of dollars, simply because they had previously (years back and unrelated); unfavorable personal experience.

And let's not forget the episode where the 6 largest clubs (with the help of the local "association") wanted to disassociate themselves into a Super league.

Many, many, many more anecdotes hidden away in secrecy by the leagues and associations with threat of "sanctioned discipline". 

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ***** -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

‘We’re not being respected.’ Athletes in other toxic sports hope Hockey Canada reckoning is just the start.

"Athletes in other sports, who have long been fighting to get Ottawa’s attention to fix problems with culture and accountability in their federations, were not surprised.  “Hockey is so bred and woven into the fabric of the Canadian identity it makes sense that they’re talked about more often,”

“Because at the end of the day, that’s really what this is showing: that people in smaller, less funded sports don’t have a say in their own governance.”

"...athletes should be able to focus on their jobs of “preparing, training and performing” instead of fighting their federation."

"Old boys in the boardroom"

 
Up until very recently, all soccer organizations from the local, regional, provincial and national levels had "association" (Canadian Soccer Association, Ontario Soccer Association, etc.) in their names; and most still do. Also, there is a reason why in academic circles, there is a strong emphasis in differentiating between "associations" and "unions". Though similar in advocating for their members; one has a strong labor involvement, the other professional development. There is nothing wrong with either (to a lesser or greater personal opinion); nor with the intent of the people who manage or work in those circles.

However, to describe any of the tenets of an association as mobile, flexible, risk taking, non-bureaucratic, pragmatic, practical, tactical or entrepreneurial in their: policies, procedures, rules, by-laws, regulations, constitutions, etc. - you cannot.  It will take years (if not decades) to change that, even if the vision to do so exists. It is just the nature of "the culture".

I won't pretend to be an expert at the national level, but the recent national Canadian Women's & Men's national team negotiations with Canada Soccer, and the cancellation of games (with Iran & Panama) is just an example of such lack of experience, playing out in front of our eyes:

"Perhaps the old boys in the boardroom are not what's needed for elite teams that have brought Canadian soccer to the world's stage in an unprecedented manner."

This is a local blog; if the top is to change and be ready for life changing ("unprecedented") events, you need to start at the bottom. Liberalize a lot of the work needed to run a club, do not try to "sanction" pick-up (recreational) soccer (for God's sake less discipline fees!), and concentrate on the truly competitive & professional side of it.

Lock-downs; stay at home orders; ...modify this; ...modify that; scientists say this, Facebook says that.

Sports & the 2nd wave of Covid-19

 By:

Ottawa Public Health explains how the sports practice turned into a COVID-19 super spreader event.

• - The index case was an asymptomatic person with COVID-19 who attended a team practice (they did not know they were infected)
• - Later, other asymptomatic people with COVID-19 and one symptomatic person with COVID-19 attended practice (none knew they were infected)
• - Masks were not consistently worn during practice
• - People carpooled to practices with members from outside their household
• - People mingled outside practices without proper mask use or physical distancing
• - Many interconnections: Coaches who coached multiple teams and practices included players from different teams

Sport's practice in Ottawa led to 89 COVID-19 cases and forced hundreds to self-isolate

OTTHEALTH.CA

Retention Survey! / "In collaboration with [blank] Soccer Club"!

Statistics in?  Collaboration chic again?

Transparency!

SOURCE:

 

Russo adds: “This could be a real milestone for the world of football because

it may help to create a legacy for the future that enables other people to

come forward to reveal wrongdoing without fear of being prosecuted.”

https://goo.gl/fDPiBE

At the Helm....

We could have have had this...

...but instead this at the helm and blatant conflict of interests

Did everyone get this electronic email from National Capital RSA?

As you are aware members of the OCSL are not ok with what is happening in our district, and we want change to happen. 

Attached is one of the first steps in standing up for change and strong ethics in our district. I have attached a letter that we ask you, your members, friends and anyone that cares about soccer in Ottawa to send to Ontario Soccer. Make your voice heard. Send it often. Make sure that they cannot ignore us. 

The email addresses it needs to go to is privacy@ontariosoccer.net and appealcasemanager@ontariosoccer.net feel free to also include other Ontario Soccer staff on your email. 

I have also attached a summary of what has happened and what this means for your club/players. This might help with any questions you may get. If there is [questions] regarding this that you need to discuss, please use this email address [nationalcapitalrsa@gmail.com].

Thank you and happy emailing!

Towards consensus

We can have this

Or more of this

PDF Format

 

 

PDF Format

A mouthful grab for full control? In whose interest? Whose benefit?

OPDP, EODSA, ERSL, OCSL, ODFL,

OFL, OSA, 

A mouthful grab for full control?

In whose interest?

Whose benefit?

Definitely not yours!

In the news

"...city’s top soccer teams squared off in two separate games at TD Place..."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"...we should expect better, particularly from a public school board — a publicly-funded school board..."

"...a small glimpse of the overall situation.”

Ottawa Citizen article:
https://goo.gl/z1uust

QUOTE: Greg Amiel, community events co-ordinator for the Ottawa Redblacks, slammed the lawsuit on Twitter.

“Awareness must be brought to this across #Ottawa,” he wrote. “Truly wrong & this shouldn’t be a legal matter. This club should be embarrassed.”

Those sentiments were echoed by John Rodenburg, who works for the radio station TSN 1200.

“And we wonder why youth sports are so screwed up. We have a local soccer club suing a coach for leaving.”

Is this a reflection of in-dealings not just about findings of an independent judicial process, but other arrangements between club's?  What about a parent's / player's right to choose a better coaching provider?  It's a relief prominent sports & media figures have caught wind of this.

Glengarry OPDP impact statement (parent)

Written June 23

My daughter has had a love for soccer ever since she was 3 years old. We live in a rural community but soccer like hockey is a very popular sport and she has been playing soccer for almost 10 years. My daughter’s hero is Christine Sinclair like most 12 year old girls and we have gone to many FIFA games in Montreal and Ottawa to help build the love that my daughter has for this sport.

Since the start of this supposed Tier 1 season, my daughter’s team has won every game they’ve played. Our league has always included Ottawa teams and I can say that none of the girls from the big clubs in Ottawa this year include any of the same girls from last year. The Ottawa Player Development Program (OPDP) is where all the Tier 1 players have gone it seems!

This is having a real negative effect on my daughter. Last Monday night as we drove to our game against OSU, my daughter was nervous about playing the known powerhouse of the league. She was saying her team would have to play really hard to win; she could not wait. Needless to say, her team won 6-1, which could have been much higher had we not hit the post multiple times. You would think that another win under the girl’s belts would make them want to celebrate, but instead they felt very badly for the other team. In the car ride home, my daughter said she felt really bad and wished they had not scored as many goals as they did as she felt that the other team must feel terrible. She asked me where the players were from last season, why all the teams were so easy to beat, what has changed?

The goal I have for my daughter’s soccer career is to learn the following: excellent sportsmanship from both winning and especially losing, how to be a team player, that working hard and improving at something you love never ends, that referees can only see what they see and they are humans, and that we have to play hard and overcome challenges.  

Unfortunately, my daughters soccer year 2017 will teach her something else: that rules are NOT made to be followed, that adults are dishonest, that there is a class system and rural communities are not valued based on their team’s skills but instead on how far they are to travel to. She won’t play teams that are better than hers in order to improve her performance; she won’t feel what it is like to win after a really good head-to-head game against the best team - instead she will come to every game expecting to win and feeling sorry for the other team.

Do you remember the sting of defeat and drive to do better and to improve and win? Where is my child’s chance to challenge the better clubs? Why are the rules not being enforced? Why is this injustice being allowed? What is Ontario Soccer doing to deal with this problem? What timelines have you set to resolve this issue? My child will lose this season at U12 - how long before action is taken? Why were we mislead to believe that the teams we are playing are Tier 1? How do these clubs explain to the non-Tier 1 teams the sting of constant defeat?

Exclusion is not acceptable under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedom. Why is this reality being permitted by Ontario Soccer?

Donna Dear

Forward, modern and inclusive thinking?

Not a scientific or statistical tool by any means; but definitely a common sense indicator. Using CSA as an example, our District governing organization should have ~9400+ followers (not 107!). You really want to trust at the helm people stuck in the past? Losing (source: 2017 AGM REPORT) 3000+ players in one year alone? And absolutely no comment on reversing this trend from the "leadership" in the January 24, 2018 AGM meeting minutes? Which of course they haven't made public!  What are they trying to cover up? These are the same people doing the same thing over and over simply because "it was done that way day after day, year after year?"

Coming soon: World cup 2018, new provincial politicians eager to make their mark, and news organizations willing to report on anything "soccer related".  fairnessinottawasoccer.org is popular so make sure to comment.

Let's discuss it! Leave a comment! Do you have any scoop you want us to publish? By all means do send us an email to fairnessinottawasoccer@gmail.com

                       Registered             Facebook
                         Players                 Followers
CSA                 850,000                  161,240
EODSA              50,000                     107

And as additional info fairnessinottawasoccer.org stats in one year alone!

"the Organization", its privacy policy and your rights under federal and provincial laws

Is your name, address, OHIP health information, OSA number, password(s), email(s), playing history, DoB, and all other private information well protected by "the Organization"?

- Do you know who has access to it?
- Do they have clear privacy policies?
- Who qualifies as a "third party"?
- Have you consented to distributing it outside of "the Organization"
- Contact them and find out. Get it in writing; it is your right.



FEDERAL: The Application of PIPEDA to Charitable and Non-Profit Organizations

"As the definition of commercial activity makes clear, selling, bartering or leasing a membership list or a list of donors would be considered a commercial activity. As a result, consent is required for the disclosure of this information."

PROVINCIAL: Personal Health Information [OHIP] Protection Act, 2004, S.O. 2004, c. 3, Sched. A

"...collection, use, disclosure, retention or disposal of the information, as the case may be, is necessary in the course of the agent’s duties and is not contrary to this Act or another law..."

"We do not sell or distribute your personal information to any other third parties not listed herein." - Does this mean only Ontario Soccer, Eastern Ontario District Soccer Association and the Club personnel have access to your information?

Do "officers, members, employees, coaches, volunteers, officials, participants, clubs, agents, sponsors, owners.operators of facilities, and representatives ("the Organization") have access to your information?

Does "the Organization" have internal processes to deal with negligence or it is not a matter of importance?