Event Discipline Policy

This Policy has been prepared by the Organization and is a Pan-Canadian Policy applicable to the Organization and its Participating Members. This document cannot be modified by a Participating Member without consultation and approval from the Organization.

This Event Discipline Policy does not supersede or replace the Discipline and Complaints Policy

A. Purpose
1. The Canadian Blind Sports Association (the ‘Organization’) and its Participating Members are committed to providing a competition environment in which all Participants are treated with respect. This Procedure outlines how alleged misconduct during an Event will be handled.

B. Scope and Application of this Policy
2. This Procedure will be applied to all Events sanctioned by the Organization and its Participating Members.

3. If the Event is being sanctioned by an organization other than the Organization or a Participating Member (e.g., an international federation), the procedures for event discipline of the host organization will replace this procedure. Incidents involving Participants connected with the Organization and Participating Members (such as Athletes, coaches, and Directors and Officers) must still be reported to the Organization or the Participating Member (as applicable) to be addressed under the Discipline and Complaints Policy, if necessary.

4. This Procedure does not replace or supersede the Discipline and Complaints Policy. Instead, this Procedure works in concert with the Discipline and Complaints Policy by outlining, for a designated person with authority at an event sanctioned by the Organization or a Participating Member, the procedure for taking immediate, informal, or corrective action in the event of a possible violation of the Code of Conduct and Ethics.

C. Misconduct During Events
5. Incidents that violate or potentially violate the Code of Conduct and Ethics, which can occur during a competition, away from the area of competition, or between parties connected to the Event, shall be reported to a designated person (usually the chief official) responsible at the Event.

6. The designated person at the Event shall use the following procedure to address the incident that violated or potentially violated the Code of Conduct and Ethics:
a. Notify the involved parties that there has been an incident that violated or potentially violated the Code of Conduct and Ethics
b. Convene a jury of either one person or three people (one of whom shall be designated the Chairperson), who shall not be in a conflict of interest or involved in the original incident, to determine whether the Code of Conduct and Ethics has been violated. The designated person at the Event may serve on the jury
c. The jury will interview and secure statements from any witnesses to the alleged violation
d. If the violation occurred during a competition, interviews will be held with the officials who officiated or observed the competition and with the coaches and captains of each team when necessary and appropriate
e. The jury will secure a statement from the person(s) accused of the violation
f. The jury will render a decision and determine a possible penalty
g. The Chairperson of the jury will inform all parties of the jury’s decision

7. The penalty determined by the jury may include any of the following, singularly or in combination:
a. Oral or written warning
b. Oral or written reprimand
c. Suspension from future competitions at the Event
d. Ejection from the Event
e. Other appropriate penalty as determined by the jury

8. The jury does not have the authority to determine a penalty that exceeds the duration of the Event. A full written report of the incident and the jury’s decision shall be submitted to the Organization or the Participating Member (as applicable) following the conclusion of the Event. Further discipline may then be applied in accordance with the Discipline and Complaints Policy, if necessary.

9. Decisions made pursuant to this Policy may not be appealed.

10. This Policy does not prohibit other Participants from reporting the same incident to the Organization or a Participating Member to be addressed as a formal complaint under the Discipline and Complaints Policy.

11. The Organization and its Participating Members shall record and maintain records of all reported incidents.