Playing Sports - Guidelines

The cliché "in the heat of action" has frequently been used as an acceptable rationale for harassing and abusive behaviour during competition. It is important that coaches and personnel recognize that abuse and harassment must not be tolerated during competition under any circumstances.

Codes of Behaviour for players, coaches, officials and spectators have been developed and must guide and govern "the talk and the walk" or "the words and the actions" of all participants during competition. It is vital that sport administrators create an environment for competition where Standards of Behaviour are built on Respect:

    * Respect for the game/sport
    * Respect for the rules
    * Respect for the officials
    * Respect for the opposition
    * Respect for team-mates/coaches

The responsibility to PREVENT harassment and abuse during competition lies with sport administrators, athletes and coaches. The responsibility to CONTROL harassment and abuse during competition lies with coaches, officials and sport administrators.

Prevention of Harassment and Abuse During Competition

An association action plan should include:

    * Sport Administrators implementing codes of conduct for coaches, players and officials
    * Sport Administrators establishing quality rules and regulations for competition
    * Sport Administrators providing coaches with clear expectations of appropriate and inappropriate behaviours during competition
    * Sport Administrators facilitating coaching Certification Programs
    * Coaches providing athletes with clear expectations of appropriate and inappropriate behaviours during competition
    * Coaches being role models for athletes
    * Athletes demonstrating respect for the sport, the rules, the officials, the opposition and teammates and coaches during competition

All must be educated that the concept of "Respect" encompasses:

    * "The Game/Sport"
          o to coach for healthy competition
          o to participate in coaching certification programs
          o to teach players sportsmanship and fair play
          o to be good role models
          o to think and act according to the coaches code of conduct
    * "The Rules"
          o to hear the rules of play
          o to teach athletes fair play
          o to promote sportsmanship
    * "The Officials"
          o to support the officials
          o to teach athletes to respect officials
    * "The Opposition"
          o to congratulate the opposition in defeat and victory
          o to avoid use of intimidating tactics
          o to teach athletes to respect their opponent
    * "The Players and Team Personnel"
          o to treat all athletes equally
          o to stay centred and control strong emotions
          o to set boundaries that enable safe, healthy relationships
          o to use effective questioning
          o to think and act ethically

The "Coach" is the most influential participant in preventing harassment and abuse during competition. This can be achieved by "talking the talk" and "walking the talk" in teaching the athletes that the concept of Respect is the most important aspect of the competition. The coach must use every opportunity to reinforce this principle by being a role model and communicating with athletes daily in practice, during pre-competition preparation, during competition and in post-competition feedback sessions.

The Coach must teach the athlete that the concept of Respect includes:

    * "The Game/Sport"
          o to play for healthy competition
          o to play for fun
          o to play for fitness
          o to play for skill development
    * "The Rules"
          o to play by the rules
          o to play fairly
    * "The Officials"
          o to ensure fair play in competition
          o to ensure the safety of players
          o to ensure the environment of healthy competition
          o to ensure that the rules are applied consistently and fairly
          o to eliminate intimidation, harassment or abuse
    * "The Opposition"
          o to avoid intimidating tactics and discriminating remarks
          o to avoid physically hurting opposing athletes
          o to congratulate your opposition in defeat and victory.
    * "Teammates and Team Personnel"
          o to be a team athlete
          o to praise teammates
          o to listen and support coaches and team staff

Controlling Harassment and Abuse During Competition

During competition harassing and abusive behaviours must be addressed. This responsibility lies with the officials, coaches and sport administrators. It is important to realize that prevention of such behaviours begins with education during practices and team meetings - before such behaviours occur.

The rules and regulations of sport are established to provide consequences for inappropriate behaviours including harassment and abuse. Minor incidents are usually addressed during the competition. Major incidents usually result in removal from the competition and a follow up review by the sport association administrators. The officials have a responsibility during the competition to apply the rules to ensure fair play principles. The coach has the responsibility to point out inappropriate behaviours and discipline , where appropriate, athletes whose behaviour is inappropriate during competition. This is necessary even if an official did not see the inappropriate behaviour of the athlete.

The rules of play usually direct that major harassment and abusive behaviours be reviewed by the sport administrators. It is their responsibility to ensure that the athlete is returning to competition after a fair consequence and with the understanding that the inappropriate behaviour must not be repeated.

The athlete has a responsibility to participate without disrespectful behaviours. Athletes need to be equipped with skills of how to respond when confronted by an opposing athlete of a team who exhibits inappropriate behaviours, without falling into the trap of retaliation.
The following are examples of inappropriate behaviours by an athlete during competition:

    * "Sport/Game"
          o making obscene gestures to spectators
          o damaging facilities or equipment
    * "Rules"
          o using persistent profanity
          o playing persistently with illegal equipment
          o persistently violating of the rules
    * "Officials"
          o arguing with an official over a call
          o persistent heckling of an official
          o intimidating an official through threats of physical aggression
    * "Opposition"
          o trash talking
          o purposely trying to injure an opposing athlete
          o exhibiting racial or homophobic biases
          o intimidating tactics
    * "Teammates or Coaches"
          o using intimidation
          o using isolation tactics
          o making racial slurs
          o displaying racial or homophobic biases
          o being physically aggressive
          o using name calling and put-downs

The coach has a responsibility to behave in a respectful manner. The following are examples of inappropriate behaviours by a coach during competition:

    * "Sport/Game"
          o coaching while under the influence of alcohol or drugs
          o withdrawing a team during competition
          o interrupting competition using illegal tactics
    * "Rules"
          o using persistent profanity
          o not controlling your bench
          o encouraging athletes to violate the rules
          o bending the rules to create unfair play
    * "Official"
          o berating the official
          o arguing with official over calls
          o intimidating tactics
          o trash talking
          o gesturing
    * "Opposition"
          o encouraging your athletes to injure an opposing athlete
          o trash talking
          o exhibiting racial or homophonic biases
          o coaching using intimidation tactics
    * "Athlete and Team Personnel"
          o using intimidation
          o using isolation tactics
          o making racial slurs
          o being physically aggressive
          o verbally berating an athlete's performance
          o using name calling or put-downs

Summary

It is important for sports leaders to develop programs which reinforce that competition must be free of abusive and harassing behaviours by athletes, coaches, officials and spectators. It is also essential for each sport to have playing rules that will discipline athletes and coaches for harassing and/or abusive behaviours during competition. Codes of Conduct need to be developed for athletes, coaches, officials and all personnel, and organizations must implement policies and procedures through which they can determine when and if a breach of these codes has occurred (see Section I, Chapter 1).
It is similarly important for sport leaders to develop guidelines requiring coaches to be certified through coaching programs. Coaching education will reinforce the Codes of Conduct that discourage abusive and harassing behaviours by all involved