OHA Decisions Hold, Maroons Forfeit Two Games

After standing in front of the OHL Appear Panel earlier this month, the Chatham Maroons learned their fate this week, and it wasn’t the answer they’d been hoping for, as the OHA upheld their sanctions, and additionally forced the Maroons to forfeit two wins.

The decision was in regart to Chatham’s registration errors in declaring import players, when they used eight imports in two games this season, one over the maximum.

According to the OHA, the following decisions have been made:

The team is fined a sum of $4,500. This is based on OHA Regulation M3 violations of not properly declaring import players and the fine is established at $1,500 per player not properly declared.

The General Manager of the team is suspended from active duty from the hockey club as outlined in Regulation J16 effective now until December 31, 2014. Based on the information currently in our office, the General Manager of the Chatham Maroons is Mr. Bill Szekesy. Note that this was reduced from the original ruling that had the suspension in place until June 30, 2015.

For the 2014-15 season, the Chatham Maroons will only be allowed to register a maximum of 30 players (rather than the current 35) and if import regulations are in effect for 2014-15, the Maroons will only permitted to have 4 imports at any one time (down from 7 for Junior B as outlined in OHA Regulation M6), with a maximum of 6 import cards available to them for the year (as per OHA Regulation M8).

In addition, the OHA received game protests for 2 games where the Chatham team had 8 import players in their lineup, over the allowable limit of 7 players. The games under protest are from December 1st, 2013 – St. Mary’s vs. Chatham, won by Chatham by a score of 5-1; and December 5th, 2013 – Chatham vs. Leamington, won by Chatham by a score of 7-2.

The decision made by the OHA Protest Committee on Saturday February 15, 2014, was that the points in both games be taken away from Chatham (4 points in total) and that Leamington and St. Mary’s be provided with 2 points each, based on the conclusion that Chatham registered a team in those games with 8 imports, exceeding the OHA maximum of 7 imports.

The Chatham Maroons will likely finish in third in the GOJHL’s Western Conference due to the penalty, setting them up with Strathroy, in an opening round playoff series.