Vaughan soccer turns discipline case over governing YRSA body

Yorkregion.com
May 5, 2017
By John Cudmore

The York Region Soccer Association will conduct a disciplinary investigation into an incident involving a Vaughan Soccer Club during a trip to Italy a few weeks ago.

The Azzurri under-15 boys team, which competes in the high-performance Ontario Player Development League, has been suspended indefinitely by the Vaughan program since a video surfaced last month showing a bullying incident involving several team members in an attack on another teen.

The under-15 team was in Italy for a pre-season tour, including a tournament in mid-April in the province of Pordenone, when the alleged incident occurred in a hotel room. Afterwards, a video account of a bullying incident involving several team members surfaced.

An under-13 Azzurri team was also on the trip.

“We’re too close to it so we have a third party looking at it,” said Vaughan Soccer Club vice-president Pat Di Rauso, who confirmed the team remains suspended until the YRSA’s investigation is concluded.

Di Rauso said the club has put forward its recommendations for the range of the investigation, including players it feels were central to the incident. He indicated the investigation is focused on the actions of four or five individuals but did not rule out potential for a wider involvement.

Currently, the entire team is suspended from soccer activities.

“The whole age group is suspended as of now but we have submitted four or five names into the discipline (panel),” said Di Rauso, who accompanied the teams on the trip for the first of two weeks. “It’s very sensitive but a number of players will be suspended for sure, 100 per cent.

“The reason the (team) suspension hasn’t been lifted is that we are waiting for the waters to calm and see what else is going on. We’re not protecting anyone but before we say go, we want to make sure we have the right people.

“We’re doing our best but want to make sure it is the right people before any suspensions are handed down.”

YRSA executive director Vicki Lowe confirmed it is common practice for clubs to reach out to their governing district authorities in sensitive situations.