Clanachan Provides Update On CSA Racism Investigation

It was just over a year ago that several members of the Cavalry FC squad accused Forge FC assistant coach Peter Reynders of racial misconduct, prompting an investigation from Canada Soccer which eventually found the former KRC Genk coach guilty after an 83 day investigative period.

Reynders announced that he was appealing the decision later on the same day, with things having been radio silent ever since. Both the CSA and the Canadian Premier League didn’t offer an update in the interim, with CPL Commissioner David Clanachan finally breaking the silence after 286 days.

Speaking with OneSoccer’s Asa Rehman, the commissioner explained the silence: he says the appeals process was out of the league’s control, with the CPL feeling it needed to remain quiet as to not impede the investigation. He also went on to explain that the appellate panel overseeing Reynders’ appeal ultimately decided that a third party investigator needed to involved, with the CSA then outsourcing this appeal decision in late October.

What happened was on appeal, Peter Reynders, the appellate panel, upheld what he had claimed, and what happened was that the ruling went back to Canada Soccer. That ruling that went that went back to Canada Soccer instructed them to, in fact, put all of the facts and evidence in front of a third party investigator, which is Sporting Law, who they chose. That third party investigator was also given the ability to go back and re-investigate the entire thing if they so chose at the time. That was handed to them towards the end of October in the late fall of 2019, so we’re into that right now. That’s where we are. I can’t give you an update more than that. The league has been silent on it because we do not want to be seen as interfering in any way whatsoever in it. That’s what we should do, because again, it was not something that the league… it was out of our control right from day one.

David Clanachan

The third party investigator evidently didn’t have a decision made by the time the COVID pandemic hit, which Clanachan states has also impacted the speed of the final verdict. The CSA itself has remained silent regarding this process, and while there still isn’t a clear answer on when the final verdict will drop, at least fans now have a clearer picture of what has taken place since Reynders launched his appeal.

Forge FC announced earlier this year that it would be retaining its technical staff, indicating that the Hamilton-based side believes that Reynders’ appeal has merit. Last week, Forge FC supporters group Barton Street Battalion had requested that the CSA clarify and resolve the status of the racial allegations, calling on the national football association to have a more transparent and faster process. So far, the CSA has not responded to the request.

Source: OneSoccer (via YouTube)