What is the Sport Disciplinary Body?

The Sport Disciplinary Body is an independent body appointed by the CHL to control the sport disciplinary process and player safety in the Champions Hockey League.

Who runs the Sport Disciplinary Body?

The Sport Disciplinary Body Chairman is Lyle Seitz who is appointed by the CHL Board. He, in cooperation with the CHL Sport Manager Fadri Holinger, is in charge of receiving requests and reviewing incidents, aided by a panel of six members who are highly experienced and well versed with ice hockey, its rules and procedures. All six CHL Shareholder Leagues are represented in the Sport Disciplinary Body. The members are not bound by any restrictions and not accountable to anyone for their decisions.

The CHL Sport Disciplinary Body members are known by the CHL Board and the 24 participating clubs, but not named in public.

It shall be the duty of the CHL Sport Disciplinary Body to act as a sole decider of the matters brought before it. The Chairman of the Sport Disciplinary Body has the final say on its decision, taking into account the feedback he has received.

What is reviewed?

• All major penalties
• All game misconducts
• All abuse of official penalties
• All serious situations, regardless of if a penalty has been called

Additionally the CHL Sport Disciplinary Body may review any other incident referred to it by the Game Supervisor, or any incident that the Sport Disciplinary Body views as requiring supplementary jurisdiction.

Where are the games reviewed?

On Game Days, the CHL operates its own Situation Room in cooperation with the German Ice Hockey League (DEL) and their DEL Game Centre in Neuss (GER). Livestreams of all CHL Games are transmitted to the CHL Situation Room, where all games are monitored live and every incident on the ice is logged by a dedicated person. In addition, a Hockey Operations and Referee Supervisor are assigned for each Game Day.

Any notable event on the ice, with or without a call, is tracked, and if deemed worthy of Disciplinary Review, sent to the Sport Disciplinary Body.

What are the Sport Disciplinary Body's procedures?

• Disciplinary procedure opened by  the Chairman or a Member of the Sport Disciplinary Body, a Game Supervisor, or the CHL Sport Manager.
• Chairman determines that a supplementary jurisdiction case exists.
• Sport Disciplinary Body Chairman notifies the Sport Disciplinary Body Members, and provides all relevant evidence/reports (incl. video footage & written comments) by 13:00 CEST the day after the game.
• Sport Disciplinary Body Chairman makes final decision based on received feedback from the Sport Disciplinary Body Members and the CHL Sport Manager notifies the participating club no less than four hours before their next CHL game.
• Preferably, the final decision shall be communicated towards the accused club / player within 24 hours of the incident occurring.

Can clubs appeal a suspension or a decision by the Sport Disciplinary Body?

Yes, if the suspension exceeds three games or € 15.000 fine.

In these cases, an appeal to the CHL Justice Board is mandatory prior to an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). The appeal must be submitted in writing within 24 hours after receipt of the Sport Disciplinary Body's decision.

Anything to add?

The CHL Sport Disciplinary Body shall reflect the Champions Hockey League Shareholder Leagues. The Champions Hockey Leagues takes the protection of players very seriously. Dangerous hits to the head, neck and back are something the Champions Hockey League is very keen to cut out of the game.

There is no doubt that decisions of the Sport Disciplinary Body will be unpopular at times and people may disagree with the decisions, but the CHL Sport Disciplinary Body and its Chairman Lyle Seitz will make the decisions based on evidence following the rules of the game.

Owners, fans, players, coaches and the CHL all want to see all the players on the ice playing, but not on the expense of player safety or the rules of the game.