Hadi Mardikian relocated with his family from North Vancouver, British Columbia, to Petitcodiac, New Brunswick, in August 2024 to be closer to relatives in Nova Scotia. Upon arrival, he swiftly joined Codiac Soccer, where he found a sense of community and achieved success. Mardikian expressed gratitude for the opportunities he has encountered since the move, emphasizing that he has experienced chances in New Brunswick that would not have been possible in British Columbia.
During his time with Codiac Soccer, Mardikian played for the under-17 team and also represented New Brunswick at the Canada Games held in Newfoundland and Labrador last summer. However, disappointment arose when Soccer Canada notified Codiac Soccer that Mardikian would not be permitted to participate in the under-17 national championships in Kamloops, British Columbia.
The setback was met with surprise by the team, with assistant coach Michael Parry expressing concern about the eleventh-hour revelation and its impact on the team, particularly on Mardikian. Soccer Canada clarified that Mardikian’s registration remained in British Columbia, and the deadline to transfer to a new team was missed. The organization highlighted the long-standing rules regarding interprovincial transfers and emphasized that these regulations were well-known.
Although it remains unclear who was responsible for the necessary paperwork, Mardikian denied fault, attributing the situation to an error made by adults. Despite efforts from both the team and the Mardikian family to rectify the issue by contacting relevant parties for paperwork adjustments, Soccer Canada deemed it too late.
In response, an appeal for an exception has been submitted to Soccer Canada, citing the Canadian Sport Dispute Resolution Centre’s stance that minors should not be penalized for administrative oversights beyond their control. Mardikian expressed feelings of sadness and asserted his belief that the situation was undeserved.
As a crucial member of the team, Mardikian serves as one of the two goalkeepers. His teammates highlighted his significance during a recent fundraiser for the team’s upcoming trip, underscoring his pivotal role. Despite the looming tournament, Mardikian remains hopeful that a resolution can be reached before its commencement, as the Codiac team is scheduled to depart on Monday for the event set to kick off on Wednesday. Mardikian expressed his current focus on rallying support through petitions and encouraging individuals to contact Soccer Canada in an effort to reverse the decision.