Players, Team Officials, Spectators and Club Members…

Wednesday 5th October

It has been highly recommended by Banbridge Hockey Club committee that all players, team officials, spectators and club members take into account the following Code of Conduct. This is in an attempt to improve the overall conduct displayed in all areas of Ulster Hockey.

 

ULSTER HOCKEY UNION

CODE OF CONDUCT

GUIDELINES FOR CLUBS

1. Introduction

The Ulster Hockey Union (UHU) has become increasingly concerned at the levels of misconduct in hockey and believes that “participants” (as defined below) must not act in any way which may prejudice the interests of hockey or bring the game into disrepute. The UHU believes that clubs must take responsibility for and actively regulate the behaviour and actions of “participants” during and after matches and activities under the auspices of the UHU or of the Irish Hockey Association (IHA).

These draft guidelines for the development of a code of conduct are intended to provide a basis to enable clubs, which do not already have an appropriate code of conduct, to develop such a code.

The term “participants” includes:

• Players

• Team officials (e.g. coaches, managers, umpires, physiotherapists etc)

• Spectators

• Club members

The guidelines do not include references to behaviour on, for example, licensed club premises where clubs may have appropriate provision in their own club rules to deal with instances of misconduct.

The guidelines have taken into account the codes of conduct stipulated by the Federation de Internationale Hockey (FIH) and the European Hockey Federation (EHF) in relation to approved FIH, EHF and certain other tournaments and codes of conduct developed in the past by a number of Ulster clubs.

2. Responsibility

Clubs are responsible and accountable for the behaviour and conduct of participants who are required to abide by the relevant UHU and IHA rules and instructions/directives/guidelines and, where applicable, those of the FIH and EHF.

3. Misconduct

In broad terms, the following is regarded as conduct that is improper, unfair and unacceptable:

• Verbal/physical abuse or hostility towards any other participant, person or member of the public.

• Disputing, protesting, reacting in a provocative or disapproving manner towards any decision made by an umpire/official or otherwise acting in an inappropriate way

• Using rude, abusive, racist, sectarian or sexist language or hand signals.

 

In addition, spectators must not:

• Encroach on to the playing area or, where there is a fence around a pitch, go inside it.

• Watch matches from the team dugouts or team officials benches

• Retaliate if they are subject to provocative behaviour by an opposition spectator or player. Such conduct should be reported to an official of each club involved as soon as possible.

• Enter umpires’ or opposition dressing rooms unless by invitation or to provide assistance.

4. Public Statements

Public statements (including those made in the press, websites, e-mail, radio or television) must be fair and reasonable and must not involve a personal attack on another player, umpire, official or club or any other person or body which could bring the game into disrepute.

January 2011