BC Athletics Codes of Conduct

FOR
COACHES - OFFICIALS - VOLUNTEERS
ATHLETES - BC TEAM STAFF

COACHES CODE OF CONDUCT

The athlete/coach relationship is a privileged one. Coaches play a critical role in the personal as well as athletic development of the athletes they coach. They must understand and respect the inherent power imbalance that exists in this relationship and must be extremely careful not to abuse it. Coaches must also recognize that they are conduits through which the values and goals of a sport organization are channeled. Thus how an athlete regards his/her sport is often dependent on the behavior of the coach. The following Code of Conduct, established by the Coaching Association of British Columbia and adopted by BC Athletics, has been developed to aid coaches in achieving a level of behavior which will allow them to assist their athletes in becoming well-rounded, self confident and productive human beings.

COACHES HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO:

  1. Treat everyone fairly within the context of Athletics, regardless of gender, place of origin, color, sexual orientation, religion, political belief or economic status.
  2. Direct comments or criticism at the performance rather than the athlete.
  3. Consistently display high personal standards and project a favorable image of Athletics and of Coaching:
     
    1. Refrain from public criticism of fellow coaches, especially when speaking to the media or recruiting athletes.
    2. Abstain from the use of tobacco products while in the presence of athletes and discourage their use.
    3. Abstain from drinking alcoholic beverages when working with athletes.
    4. Discourage the use of alcohol at athletic events (Athletics and other sport activities) or in victory celebrations at the competition site.
    5. Refrain from the use of profane, insulting, harassing or otherwise offensive language in the conduct of your coaching duties.
       
  4. Ensure that the activity being undertaken is suitable for the age, experience, ability and fitness level of the athletes and educate athletes as to their responsibilities in contributing to a safe environment.
  5. Communicate and cooperate with registered medical practitioners in the diagnosis, treatment and management of their athletes’ medical and psychological problems. Consider the athletes’ future health and well being as foremost when making decisions regarding an injured athletes’ ability to continue playing or training.
  6. Recognize and accept when to refer athletes to other coaches and sport specialists. Allow athletes’ goals to take precedence over those of the coach.
  7. Regularly seek ways of increasing professional development and self-awareness.
  8. Treat fellow coaches, athletes you do not coach and officials with due respect, both in victory and defeat and encourage athletes to act accordingly. Actively encourage athletes to uphold the rules of Athletics and the spirit of such rules.
  9. In the case of minors, communicate and cooperate with the athlete’s parents or legal guardians, involving them in management decisions pertaining to their child’s development.
  10. Be aware of the academic pressures placed on student-athletes and conduct practices and participation in competitions in a manner so as to allow academic success.

COACHES MUST:

  1. Ensure the safety of the athletes with whom they work.
  2. At no time become intimately and/or sexually involved with the athletes they coach as per the Laws of Canada as stated below. This includes requests for sexual favours or threats of reprisal for the rejection or such requests. Coaches should refer to Canada’s Law on Child Sexual Abuse: A Handbook, published by the Department of Justice in 1990. The following is an extract from this handbook dealing with the issue of CONSENT.
     
    • Sexual activity without consent is always a crime regardless of the age of the individuals.
    • Children under 12 are never considered able to consent to sexual activity.
    • Children 12 or more, but under 14, are deemed unable to consent to sexual acts except under specific circumstances involving sexual activity with their peers.
    • Young persons 14 or more but under 18 are protected from sexual exploitation and their consent is not valid if the person touching them for a sexual purpose is in a position of trust or authority over them or if they are in a relationship of dependency with that person.
       
  3. Respect the athletes’ dignity; verbal or physical behaviors that constitute harassment or abuse are unacceptable. (Please refer to the BC Athletics Harassment Policy)
  4. Never advocate or condone the use of drugs or other banned performance enhancing substances, classes or methods.
  5. Never provide under age athletes with alcohol.

Individuals registering as Coach members of BC Athletics are advised that by joining BC Athletics they are agreeing to adhere to this and other policies, rules, regulations, by-laws and constitution of BC Athletics, Athletics Canada and the IAAF.

BC TEAM STAFF - COACHES and MANAGERS

In addition to those listed above, coaches and managers selected to BC Teams are as a result of accepting selection and in the context of the Coaches Code of Conduct, expected to:

  1. Conduct themselves in a positive and supportive manner.
  2. Follow the rules of the Organizing Committee of the competition/activity.
  3. Meet at the Team assembly points on time and attend all team meetings.
  4. Abide by the laws of the city, province and those of Canada or the country in which the competition is taking place.
  5. Join the Team, ready, able and willing to take on the responsibilities and duties relative to the position selected to.
  6. Wear, if provided, the BC Team Staff uniform/clothing whenever carrying out the duties of a team staff position.
  7. Travel in the BC Team Travel Uniform if such is provided, or otherwise shall be comfortably and respectably attired for travelling.
  8. That during a BC Team event, respect quiet hours between 22:00 and 10:00 hrs.
  9. Avoid the misuse of alcohol.
  10. Avoid the use of alcohol if under age.
  11. Avoid the use of illegal drugs.
  12. To be responsible for all their personal items such as identification, passports (if required) and equipment.
  13. Work, when necessary, through the Head Coach of the BC Team or keep the Head Coach and if appropriate all the Team Staff informed on any matters that do not allow you to carry out your responsibilities.
  14. Work cooperatively with all members of the BC Athletics Team (athletes and staff) and the personal coaches of the athletes.
  15. Follow up with the reports on the BC Team, your responsibilities and the competition/results to BC Athletics.

OFFICIALS CODE OF CONDUCT

In registering as an Official member of BC Athletics and/or accepting the responsibility of a position at an Athletics Competition (all disciplines and types) shall, from the time of reporting in until the completion of the schedule, including completion of all the required paper work is expected to:

  1. Wear the accepted uniform as outlined by the Officials Committee.
  2. Refrain from using tobacco products within the competition arena and/or competition area and only in designated areas if such are provided.
  3. Refrain from entering the competition area and/or arena under the influence of alcohol.
  4. Be fully prepared to do the job assigned to you.
  5. Arrive in good time for the competition and report immediately to the official in charge.
  6. Draw all the necessary equipment for the running of the event and ensure that it is returned upon completion of the competition.
  7. Conduct the event according to the rules with the welfare of the athlete in mind and do the job in an efficient and non-abrasive manner.
  8. Work in a spirit of cooperation with other officials and do not interfere in any way with their duties and responsibilities.
  9. Extend the benefit of your experience to the less experienced officials whenever the opportunity arises.
  10. Criticize only in a constructive manner and only at an appropriate time and directly to the official concerned.
  11. Give evaluations, when requested, in an objective away and without friendships in mind.
  12. Act in a manner that will bring credit to the Athletics Community and yourself, both within and outside the competition arena and/or area.
  13. Refrain from the use of profane, insulting, harassing or otherwise offensive language in the conduct of his/her duties.
  14. Respect the athletes’ dignity; verbal or physical behaviors that constitute harassment or abuse are unacceptable. (Please refer to the BC Athletics Harassment Policy)
  15. Never advocate or condone the use of drugs or other banned performance enhancing substances, classes or methods.
  16. Never provide under age athletes with alcohol.

Individuals registering as Official members of BC Athletics and/or Officiating in a BC Athletics sanctioned/approved activity/competition are advised that by doing so they are agreeing to adhere to this and other policies, rules, regulations, by-laws and constitution of BC Athletics, Athletics Canada and the IAAF.

VOLUNTEER CODE OF CONDUCT

An individual who accepts the position of VOLUNTEER within the context of the activities of Athletics, agrees to accept the responsibilities as outlined to them and will complete the duties for the agreed to period. As a volunteer in Athletics your role is critical to the success of any activity and in carrying out the assigned responsibilities you are expected to:

  1. Refrain from using tobacco products within the arena and/or competition area and only in designated areas if such are provided.
  2. Refrain from entering the competition area and/or arena under the influence of alcohol.
  3. Be prepared to do the job assigned to you.
  4. Work in a spirit of cooperation with other volunteers/officials and do not interfere in any way with their duties and responsibilities.
  5. Act in a manner that will bring credit to the Athletics Community and yourself, both inside and outside the competition arena and/or area.
  6. Volunteers are not to encourage athletes to consume drugs, alcohol or intoxicants.
  7. Be courteous to fellow volunteers, officials, athletes, coaches and the general public.
  8. Refrain from the use of threatening, obscene, abusive or vulgar language to fellow volunteers, officials, athletes, coaches and the general public.
  9. Treat everyone fairly within the context of their activity regardless of a person’s culture, color, ancestry, nationality, age, political beliefs, religion, family status, physical or mental disability, gender or sexual orientation.
  10. Refrain from public criticism of fellow volunteers, coaches, officials or athletes.
  11. Refrain from harassing any individual or engaging in any unwelcome visual, verbal or physical conduct.
  12. Project a positive and enthusiastic attitude towards the event, the sponsors, supporters and the job assigned, approaching these duties with a professional attitude.
  13. Be courteous, cooperative and discreet.
  14. Carry out your duties willingly, fairly and impartially.
  15. Report for the assigned duty on time, be well groomed.
  16. Respect the athlete’s dignity; verbal or physical behaviors that constitute harassment or abuse are unacceptable. (Please refer to the BC Athletics Harassment Policy)

Individuals Volunteering for position in BC Athletics sanctioned/approved activity/competition are advised that by doing so they are agreeing to adhere to this and other policies, rules, regulations, by-laws and constitution of BC Athletics, Athletics Canada and the IAAF.

ATHLETES CODE OF CONDUCT

In registering as an Athlete member (all types) of BC Athletics and within the context of the activities of Athletics an individual agrees to take part in a spirit of fair play, honesty and with the rules and regulations of BC Athletics, Athletics Canada and the IAAF. As such the Athlete member is expected to:

  1. Compete/participate in a spirit of fair play and honesty.
  2. Compete/participate within the rules of Athletics.
  3. Avoid the use, advocating, condoning, promotion and distribution of banned substances, cases and methods as outlined in the handbook on Drug Classification published by the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport.
  4. Refrain from using tobacco products within the competition arena and/or competition area.
  5. Refrain from using alcohol at athletic events (Athletics and other sport activities) or in victory celebrations at the competition site.
  6. Refrain from using profane, insulting, harassing or otherwise offensive language in the context of the activities of Athletics.
  7. Address fellow athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers, event organizers, spectators and others associated with Athletics in a courteous and respectful manner.
  8. Avoid providing alcohol to under age individual.
  9. Act in a manner that will bring credit to the Athletics Community and yourself, both within and outside the competition arena and/or competition area.
  10. Respect an individuals’ dignity; verbal or physical behaviors that constitute harassment or abuse are unacceptable. (Please refer to the BC Athletics Harassment Policy)
  11. Ensure the safety of others when taking part in your Athletics activity.

Individuals registering as Athlete members of BC Athletics are advised that by doing so they are agreeing to adhere to this and other policies, rules, regulations, by-laws and constitution of BC Athletics, Athletics Canada and the IAAF.

BC TEAM MEMBERS

In addition to those listed above, athletes selected to BC Teams are as a result of accepting selection and in the context of the Athletes Code of Conduct, expected to:

  1. Conduct themselves in a positive and supportive manner.
  2. Follow the rules of the Organizing Committee of the competition/activity.
  3. Meet at the Team assembly points on time and attend all team meetings.
  4. Abide by the laws of the city, province and those of Canada or the country in which the competition is taking place.
  5. Join the Team, fit, ready, able and willing to compete in the events selected to unless (in the case of events) otherwise agreed to by the Head Coach in consultation with the Event Coach and the athlete concerned.
  6. Compete in the BC Team uniform provided.
  7. Travel in the BC Team Travel Uniform if such is provided, or otherwise shall be comfortably and respectably attired for travelling.
  8. That during a BC Team event, respect quiet hours between 22:00 and 10:00 hrs.
  9. Avoid the misuse of alcohol.
  10. Avoid the use of alcohol if under age.
  11. Avoid the use of illegal drugs.
  12. To be responsible for all their personal items such as identification, passports (if required) and equipment.

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