Complaints Process

1. Register Complaint

Please use the following official form to lodge a complaint. This must be sent via your clubs’ president/chair to ensure the clubs’ internal complaint process has been followed. As per the form, please attach any relevant evidence/statement. This must be sent to competitions@mff.nz, as this will now be the dedicated complaints point of contact.

2. Complaint Received

Once a written complaint is received via competitions@mff.nz, we will consider the merit of the complaint and determine if it warrants further investigation. At this stage, it will also be determined whether the complaint needs to be considered by the Mainland Football Competitions Complaints Committee (MFCCC) or escalated to the Mainland Football Disciplinary Committee (MFDC). An email will be sent to acknowledge receipt of the complaint and will outline relevant timelines.

3. Discovery

MFCCC will communicate with both clubs pertaining to the complaint. All required information and any written statements will need to be received no later than 3 business days after contact is made by MFCCC. Any information received after this time may not be used in the decision-making process. We would recommend statements to be collected as soon as you are aware of the complaint.

All provided information forms the case file which will be shared with both parties of the complaint and the MFCCC or MFDC as required. Once the case file has been finalised, the MFCCC may decide to refer this to be considered by the MFDC.​​​​​​​

4. Consideration

The MFCCC or MFDC, as applicable, will convene to consider the complaint on the basis of the case file. The MFDC may consider a complaint to be heard, in which case a Judicial Hearing will be arranged as soon as possible with all parties requested to attend to provide oral statements and provide any further information the MFDC may require.

The MFCCC will endeavour to provide it’s decision within 5 business days of the case file being finalised. The MFDC will endeavour to provide it’s decision within 5 business days of the Judicial Hearing.

When deciding, MFCCC and MFDC may consider any sanctions that have been imposed on the player by their club, in accordance with their own code of conduct.

5. Decision

An email to both parties will be sent outlining the decision and, if required, imposing any appropriate sanction in accordance with the NZF Disciplinary Code. You may have the right of appeal to the MFDC by any decision of the MFCCC or to the New Zealand Football Disciplinary Committee (NZFDC) of any decision by the MFDC. This will be outlined within the decision.