Alberta Soccer Dispute Continues ON

[oc64]

The Alberta Soccer Association board dispute continues on. I get the sense the membership is getting tired of the whole affair and are pushing for a full election.

CSA came to Edmonton but neglected to visit with any of the districts or Chris Billings. They did, however, express their support for Mario Charpentier and his group.

I don't know how (if) this will be resolved. It certainly seems destined for a courtroom, but in the meantime both parties continue to act as though they are calling the shots.

This is bad for soccer. Bad for staff. Bad for everyone really.

In the past week some staff members have been fired and/or suspended by one group then reinstated and/or rehired by the other group.

[kj52]

Wonder how much it cost CSA to fly the Board members (hand-picked anti-governance reform guys of course) out to Alberta and back - what an incredible waste of money!

[Trillium]

Wonder how much it cost CSA to fly the Board members (hand-picked anti-governance reform guys of course) out to Alberta and back - what an incredible waste of money!

name, province position if you know....

[fishman]

Any idea on how this debacle is affecting the Select team programs (All Star Nationals)? Are people being paid? Are hotels getting booked? Will Alberta be able to send teams to the National Club Championships?

[kj52]

Any idea on how this debacle is affecting the Select team programs (All Star Nationals)? Are people being paid? Are hotels getting booked? Will Alberta be able to send teams to the National Club Championships?

So far things are still going ahead with the select teams, staff are being paid. There will hopefully be some sort of resolution (temporary at least) about who goes to Nationals. The only weapon Mario C. has is CSA giving the ousted board the power to decide who gets to compete at Tier 1 Provincial Championships. If the situation is still stalemated that could mean some very good teams will not get a chance to compete. Time will tell. There is no doubt whatever that Mario and crew will not compromise or relax their position, they feel they have already won and that it's only a matter of time before the opposition gives up. Their stance is predicated on continuing support from the CSA Executive's interference, what they don't want to admit or face is that we aren't likely to give up for a long time. We don't have anything to lose at this point, an ASA with Mario Charpentier and Colin Innes in permanent charge is intolerable and would be a disaster for the sport in Alberta. On a side note, it's been interesting finding out from some who know from experience what a gong show the CSA Board meetings are. I was told to imagine the worst ASA meeting I've ever attended and multiply it by 10.
To Trillium: I was informed that the group was supposed to have consisted of a Vice-President, a Director and two Provincial Presidents, whether that is accurate or not I can't confirm with any certainty at this time and I wouldn't expect the CSA Board to advertise it in any way.

[Vic]

I don't know anywhere near enough about the positions so I can't place a value judgement on the CSA spending 000's of $$$. But I would think it's all moot because the power of self-determination lies in the province's general assembly, not the national body. Sooner or later the whole thing ends up back there.

[Trillium]

I don't know anywhere near enough about the positions so I can't place a value judgement on the CSA spending 000's of $$$. But I would think it's all moot because the power of self-determination lies in the province's general assembly, not the national body. Sooner or later the whole thing ends up back there.

Unless the CSA puts the province under trusteeship and dismisses the association from the CSA .. having only the CSA appointed Trustee run soccer for two to three years in a normalization period.

Who can step in ? ... not the government cause we know FIFA would scream... other provinces ...um lets just say it seems they are in full agreement with what is going on or are silent as they look at the luxury hotel rooms and trip schedules they have planned.

So the cards are in the hands of the CSA to play the Reform group needs to get some back door politics going.. both in the soccer community, but also outside.. some folks to make some calls to get the CSA to understand a "democratic solution" with open elections is the best way to save face... or face not getting any federal money.... or provincial money all accross Canada.

Witholding government grant money .. of course is not government interference its simply a economic decision.

[kj52]

Unless the CSA puts the province under trusteeship and dismisses the association from the CSA .. having only the CSA appointed Trustee run soccer for two to three years in a normalization period.

Who can step in ? ... not the government cause we know FIFA would scream... other provinces ...um lets just say it seems they are in full agreement with what is going on or are silent as they look at the luxury hotel rooms and trip schedules they have planned.

So the cards are in the hands of the CSA to play the Reform group needs to get some back door politics going.. both in the soccer community, but also outside.. some folks to make some calls to get the CSA to understand a "democratic solution" with open elections is the best way to save face... or face not getting any federal money.... or provincial money all accross Canada.

Witholding government grant money .. of course is not government interference its simply a economic decision.

Of course the CSA Executive has no real interest in putting the province in a trusteeship. Right now the anti-reformers on the executive, Maestracci, Motagliani, Reed and Traficante need Alberta to be a voting member and they specifically need Mario Charpentier and Colin Innes in charge of it. These guys are totally aware that the old boys club is in imminent danger and need every vote they can get. This has been in the works for nearly three years, it's classic trading votes for power. There is nothing the other provinces can do about this until the next CSA AGM. You would think that the Board Meeting in September would be an opportunity but I would be willing to bet that even if one of the sympathetic provinces put forward a motion to recognize the Board that the members of ASA accepted on April 24th, the President would rule it out of order. That's the way it's done at CSA, these Board meetings at CSA are not dignified gatherings of ladies and gentlemen who gather for intellectual discourse. Bizarre rulings from the chair, people attempting to outshout each other and semi-chaos rule the day. At the last AGM in Winnipeg (the closed-door AGM), the Friday meeting was not concerned with matters that one would anticipate. Instead of discussing things like say, the state of our national teams, how to raise more money for the national programs, how CSA can better interact with Sport Canada and a new governance model, they spent three and a half hours arguing and fighting about who would represent Alberta's votes. Amazingly Mike Traficante, who has an enormous conflict of interest in this, was allowed to vote! Fair play and such concepts as rule of law and natural justice are dispensed with along with Rules of Order apparently as well. Almost seems like they're using FIFA as their model at times. Perhaps the government would be reluctant to step in (remember Peru) but when (not if) this goes to Court of Queen's bench in Alberta to establish who is in control of the Registered Not for Profit Society known as the Alberta Soccer Association and if all goes well and the post April Board is recognized legally it will give the CSA an opportunity to see if they are above the law of the land. Even if the Court appoints a Receiver to run the affairs of the ASA until a legitimate AGM can be held that the members will be forced to agree to, that's not a bad thing. The ASA staff are perfectly capable of running the day to day operations and programs of the Association without the oft times heavy handed interference of individuals such as Charpentier, Innes, Kern, etc. The majority of the membership would not be adverse to this outcome at all, the game would be played, clubs would go to National Championships and the select teams would carry on as usual. On the other hand if Mario and co. are recognized as the legitimate Board then I would not be surprised to see many Members drop out of ASA and form their own Association. Obviously they would not be sending teams to National Competitions but many do not see that as the end of the world whereas being under the rule of our dark side would be close to it.

[oc64]

The group led by Mario Charpentier has taken the step of hiring security to keep individuals they deem as undesirable out of the ASA office (specifically the individuals that were fired and/or suspended by their group, and anyone from the Chris Billings led group).

It sort of sounds like the ASA is run like a military state......

[fishman]

Wow. This is a slippery slope to nowhere good.