Uncertainty still looms over the local soccer world despite a decision last week to allow two employees of the Alberta Soccer Association (ASA) to run the day-to-day operations of the conflict-ridden organization without interference from two rival factions that have been fighting for control of the board since late April.
Lawsuits filed by each side are expected back before the court Aug. 13.
These developments haven’t really lessened the stress at the St. Albert Soccer Association, said executive director Melody Martyn.
“It really wasn’t a decision. It was just a temporary fix to a long-term problem,” she said.
The St. Albert association is still in limbo, wondering whether its teams will be able to play in Edmonton when the indoor league starts this fall, Martyn said.
The conflict at the Edmonton-based ASA has been ongoing since late February when then vice-president Mario Charpentier led a group that tried to suspend president Chris Billings.
Charpentier’s group alleged that Billings verbally harassed an ASA staff member and made unauthorized expenditures. Billings and his supporters contend the suspension is invalid and held a special meeting during which they voted in a new board. Charpentier disputes the validity of that vote.
Since then separate boards led by Billings and Charpentier have both been trying to run the ASA. Charpentier’s group has reportedly fired several ASA employees who were communicating with Billings and posted a security guard at the ASA office door to restrict entry.
The St. Albert association is a Billings supporter. In fact, vice-president Les Hodges is also a vice-president under the Billings group.
Given this dynamic, local officials are wondering whether St. Albert teams will be welcome in the greater Edmonton league when indoor season starts in the fall.
“We’ve always enjoyed playing in the EMSA city-wide league but you just don’t know where it’s going,” Martyn said. “It’s very hard. Normally our program brochures would be up on our website by now but there’s no use putting them up there because I don’t know if we can guarantee those programs the way they’re written.”
She’s been talking to other suburban associations about running a league of their own if Edmonton isn’t an option.
“Soccer will go on no matter what, and it will be a good program no matter what,” Martyn said. “It’s just the locations may vary a little bit.”
Reached by phone, Charpentier said he doesn’t think the board-level differences will trickle down to the kids.
“They play in EMSA, that doesn’t mean that St. Albert and EMSA have any problems,” he said.
He didn’t anticipate any retaliatory move on the part of EMSA to block St. Albert participation.
“I don’t know, I don’t think so,” he said. “We don’t take revenge over our problems on little kids.”
Hodges said he’s hoping a judge will decide which group is the legitimate board or suggest another vote. Even once that issue is settled, more questions remain.
“The next big question on players’ and parents’ minds is going to be how much are my fees going to increase as a result of this legal battle?” Hodges said.
The costs of the legal battle will affect fees the ASA charges member associations and will eventually trickle down to players, he said.
“In the end, ASA will pay both legal fees,” he said. “This is a civil war and unfortunately it’s going to be one big bill.”
