Shrewsbury Rugby Club
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Disciplinary Policy and Procedures
This policy sets out the rules governing the conduct required of all people playing, training, spectating or officiating at Shrewsbury RUFC. It lays down the procedure for dealing with disciplinary matters and the sanctions available.
Required Standards of conduct
The Club has Codes of Conduct for
players, coaches, parents, referees and spectators. Those Codes of Conduct
are to be read in conjunction with:
The laws as laid down from time to time by the Rugby Football Union and
The Rules and Constitution as laid down by Shrewsbury RUFC
The Codes of Conduct are supplied to all existing players at the start of
every season and are displayed on the Junior Section notice board at the Club.
Every effort is made to hand a copy of the Codes of Conduct to all new players
who join the Club during the season and to all visiting teams and referees.
ALL MEMBERS, VISITING PLAYERS, OFFICALS AND VISITORS TO SHREWSBURY RUFC JUNIOR SECTION ARE EXPECTED TO ABIDE AND RESPECT ALL OF THESE RULES AND GUIDELINES
Procedure in the event of a breach of the Club rules or the Codes of Conduct
In the first instance and where possible and if appropriate, breaches of the rules or Codes of Conduct will be dealt with by the referee, Club coaches or Club officials present at the time of the breach..
The referee, Club coach and/or Club official dealing with the breach in the first instance will, if they feel comfortable and safe to do so, discuss the breach with the person deemed to have caused it and ask them to stop the behaviour that caused or is causing the breach. The referee, Club coach and/or Club official has full powers on behalf of the Club to ask that person to remove themselves from the area where the breach occurred or is occurring, or, if they see fit, order that person to remove themselves temporarily from the Club premises. In this case temporarily means for the next 24 hour period effective immediately.
In the event that the breach is more serious, or the attending coach, referee or official feels unable to deal with the matter at the time, an Officer of the Club will be called upon to attend to the matter with the aim of ensuring the breach ceases completely and immediately.
The Club Officer is empowered to take whatever reasonable steps are necessary to ensure that the breach ceases completely and immediately.
In the event that the breach continues, or the nature of the breach is such that this action is warranted, the matter will be formerly referred to a disciplinary panel of Shrewsbury RUFC Junior section
The Disciplinary Panel has the power
to take the following steps as a result of their deliberations: A verbal warning,
a written warning, a temporary banning order, or a permanent banning order.
In any event, if the person the subject of these actions is a member of the
Club, they shall not be entitled to return of any subscriptions or other monies
previously paid to the Club.
Disciplinary Panel Procedures
Panel Composition
A disciplinary panel will comprise three officials of Shrewsbury RUFC Junior Section. It will be chaired by either the Section Chairman or Secretary and will comprise two other officials (who may be coaches or recognised volunteers) of the Junior Section. Any official involved in the incident under investigation in any way may not sit on the panel. An official of the senior club may be asked to join the panel under extraordinary circumstances.
Notice of Panel
The panel will be convened within four working days of the breach of conduct. The Shrewsbury RUFC Junior Section Secretary will advise all parties (the panel, the person/people involved in the alleged breach, and any witnesses) of the time and location in writing and give no less than 24 hours notice. The notice will give full details of the alleged breach.
A delay in convening the panel will be allowed at the discretion of the Section Chairman or, if he is involved in the matter before the Panel, at the discretion of the Senior Club Chairman.
The parties involved in the breach may ask no more than one colleague to attend with them. The colleague may speak on their behalf if desired.
Panel Process
The panel will hear the matter on an informal basis, hearing verbal submissions from all parties. Parties may elect to make their submission in writing. The Shrewsbury RUFC Junior section Secretary will pinpoint those areas of conduct that the alleged breach contravenes.
Decision
The panel's decision will be made on a majority basis. The panel may defer making its decision for up to three working days to seek clarification on points of rules/law. The panel may elect to advise its decision at the hearing.
The involved parties will be informed in writing of the panel's decision, any penalties imposed and their rights of appeal within three days of the decision.
Sanctions Available
The panel may impose penalty or sanctions as laid down within Shrewsbury RUFC Rules and may include censure, temporary or permanent expulsion from the club, or referral to appropriate bodies within the RFU, or otherwise, as appropriate.
Appeals
Upon receipt of the decision of the Shrewsbury RUFC Junior Section, any involved party who feels that the decision is incorrect in fact or law, or that the sanctions levied are inappropriate may make an appeal to the Secretary of the Senior club in writing within seven days to request an appeal to the disciplinary panel of the Shrewsbury RUFC who may reverse or uphold the decision and who may amend the sanctions imposed as they feel appropriate.
The appeal process will be conducted
under the rules and procedures of the senior clubs disciplinary procedure.
