DisciplinaryProcedure Breachesof the SwimEnglandCodeofConduct andEthics, the GuernseySwimmingClubLBG(GSC)CodeofConduct(Swimmers)andotherGSCpolicydocumentswillbedealtwithinaccordancewith theproceduressetout in thisdocument. DisciplinaryproceduresareonlyapplicabletobreachesofClubrulesbymembersofGSC.TheClubdoesnothavethepowerstoconsidercomplaintsagainstnon-members,membersofotherswimmingclubs,oraddressoffencesunderSwimEnglandLaw.

Objective

GSCiscommittedtoenforcingitsCodeofConductandpoliciesrelatingtoitsmembersandtheir parents/carers. This policy is set out to guide the Management Committee andinform members of GSC and their parents/carers of the discipline process. It providesguidelinesfordiscipliningmembersofGSCwhocontravenetheCodeofConductandtheirobligationsassetoutintheclub’spolicies. Theprimaryobjectiveistoencouragemembersto comply with the Code of Conduct and fulfil their obligations as set out in the club’spolicies.

GeneralPrinciples

GSCdisciplinaryproceduresarebasedonthefollowingprinciples:

• The disciplinary rules and procedures are designed to be non-discriminatory andare to be applied irrespective of sex, racial group, sexual orientation, disability,religion,age,oranyotherbias.

• AllmatterswillbedealtwithinaccordancewiththeClubConstitution.• It is expected thatmostmatterswill be dealtwith on poolside or at the pointof

incidenceinformallyatthetimeoftheevent.• Anybehaviourthatisconsideredtobeunacceptablebycoachingstafforteam

managersmayleadtoa‘behaviourcontract’beingissued.• Allmattersrelatingtodisciplinaryactionwillbehandledasspeedilyaspossible.• A person wishing to make a complaint about inappropriate conduct should

normallydosowithin30daysoftheincident.• PersistentorseriousbreachesofconductwillbereportedtotheClubChairmanand

WelfareOfficers–preferablyinwriting.• No member will be dismissed or suspended from the Club for a first breach of

conductexceptinthecaseofseriousorgrossmisconduct.• Clubmemberswillhavearightofappealagainstanyformaldisciplinarydecision.

Procedure

EachstageofthedisciplinaryprocedurewillbeoverseenbytheExecutiveOfficersorGSC’sCommitteeandwhereappropriate,noted in its minutes so thatan accurate record ofevents and decisions ismaintained.

Onreceiptofa complaint theClubPresidentwilldecidewhatactiontotake. IftheClubPresidentdecidesthemattershouldbehandledformallyandadisciplinaryinvestigationisnecessary,theClubPresidentwilleitherinvestigatetheincidentorreferittoaDisciplinary

Sub-Committee (DSC) to investigate. TheDSCwill be comprised or at least 3 Committeemembersnotrelatedtothepersonorperson’sinvolvedintheincident.

SeriousincidentsmaybereportedtotheClubPresident,HeadCoachorClubWelfareOfficerviaemailandtheparentsoftheswimmer/sinvolvedwillbeinformedthattheincidenthasbeenreportedtotheClubWelfareOfficerforinclusionintheIncidentRecordLog.

Whenaninjuryhasoccurred,thismustberecordedonanaccident/nearmissreportformand forwarded to the Club Welfare Officer without delay for inclusion in the IncidentRecord Log. The Head Coach or his/her deputy must inform the parents/carers of theswimmer(s) as soon as possible.All reports are private and confidential andwill only bedisclosedtotheWelfareOfficerasrequiredandthoseentitledtoseethemunderlaw.

CoachingIssues

Inthefirst instanceofaswimmerfailingtoupholdreasonableandrespectablebehaviourortherequiredstandardsduringtrainingsessionsorcompetitions,orwhereaswimmerisin obvious breach of the Club Code of Conduct, the following procedures should beenacted:

1. theTeacherinchargeofthesession/groupwheretheincidentorbehaviouroccurredwill endeavour todealwith the situation at the time through informal intervention,interactionanddiscussionwiththeswimmer,alsonotifyingparentswhereconsideredtobeappropriate.

ThissituationisdefinedasStage0ofthedisciplinaryprocedureandmayalsoresultintheswimmerbeingexcludedfromthesessionwheretheinappropriatebehaviourtakesplace,and/or invited to a performance review meeting with their parent/carer, the Teacherand/ortheHeadCoach.

2. Iftheswimmercontinuestofailtomeettheexpectationsoftheirswimminggroup/theGSC,theywillimmediatelybeplacedonStage1ofthedisciplinaryprocedure.

SummaryOutcome

• TheTeacherattemptsimmediateinformalintervention/interaction/discussiontotryandresolvetheproblemorsubstandardperformance.

• The swimmer may be excluded from the session concerned or subsequentlyinvited to aPerformance/BehaviourReviewMeetingwithparent/carer,theTeacherand/ortheHeadCoach.

• For a second breach, or short-term repeated breaches of agreedbehaviour/standards, averbalwarningwillbeissuedbytheTeacher(Stage1ofthedisciplinaryprocedure). ThiswillbefollowedupinwritingwithareporttotheHeadCoach,ClubPresidentandatleastoneWelfareOfficer.

• TheswimmermayberelocatedtoatraininggroupthatisdeemedmoresuitablebytheHeadCoach.Stage2ofthecoredisciplinaryprocedurewillbeconsidered.

FOURSTAGESOFDISCIPLINARYACTION

Stage0–NormalCoachingIntervention/Interaction

Itisanticipatedthatmostcoaching,trainingandbehavioural issues can beappropriately,effectivelyand quicklydealtwith through normal and informal intervention, interactionanddiscussionbytheTeacherwiththosepartiesresponsible.

This will always be the first action taken by the teacher and whilst it does not requireobservation or verification by any other persons, the respective Teacher may inform orconsult with the relevant parents/carers if considered appropriate for the situation orbehaviourthathastakenplace.

Teachers have the authority to exclude a swimmer from the sessionwhere the incidenttakesplace,andtoinvitetheswimmertoa‘PerformanceReview’meetingwiththemselves,theHeadCoachandtheparent/carershouldtheydeemitnecessary.

Teachersmay use their discretion and judgement to initiate and repeat Stage 0 on anynumberofoccasionspriortomovingtoStage1,whichshouldalwaysbeafinalresortonceitisclearthatnormalcoachinginterventionsorinteractionsarenotresolvingthematter.

Stage1-VerbalWarningIssued

Where a swimmer’s conduct does not meet acceptable standards or he/she commits aminor offence or incident, the Teacher, at his/her discretion, will issue a formal verbalwarning to the swimmer, of which a written record will be kept. The swimmer’s age,previousdisciplinaryrecordandtheseriousnessoftheincidentwillbetakenintoaccount.If the member is under 18, the Teacher will make reasonable efforts to inform therespectiveparent/carerpriortoleavingthesession/competition/facilitythatsameday.

TheTeacherwillnotify theHeadCoachoftheverbalwarning (normallywithin24hours),whomwilldulyinformthemember,orparent/carerifunder18,inwritingof:

• The reason for the warning, the improvement required and the date when thewarning expires. This may include the issuing of a special Swimmer BehaviourContract.

• ThatsuchactionistakenundertheStage1ofthedisciplinaryprocedure.• That action under Stage 2 of the disciplinary procedure will be considered if

there is no satisfactory improvementbefore theexpirationof theverbalwarningperiodoriffurtheractsofmisconductoccur.

• His/herrightsofappealaslaidoutbytheSwimEnglandinthecurrentSwimEnglandlaws.

SummaryOutcome:

• Formalverbalwarning,ofwhichawrittenrecordwillbekept.• Themember, or parent/carer if under 18 years of age,will be informed in

writing and aSwimmerBehaviourContractmaybeissued.• Stage2ofthedisciplinaryprocedurewillbeconsidered.

Stage2-WrittenWarningIssued

Inthecaseofmoreseriousincidents,orifafurtheroffenceoccurs(whetherofasimilarordifferentnature)awrittenwarningwillbe issuedtothememberandparent/carerbynolessthantwoDirectorsoftheClub.

Thiswill give reasons for thewarning, the improvement requiredand thedatewhen thewarningexpires–itwillwarnthatactionunderStage3ofthedisciplinaryprocedurewillbeconsideredifthereisnosatisfactoryimprovementorfurtheractsofmisconductoccurandwill advise of his/her rights of appeal. Similar to Stage 1, the written warning may beaccompaniedbyissuingthememberwithaBehaviourContracttoabideby.

SummaryOutcome:

• Awrittenwarningwillbeissuedtothememberandparent/carer.• AswimmerBehaviourContractmaybeissued.• Stage3ofthedisciplinaryprocedurewillbeconsidered.

Stage3–Suspension

Ifconductisstillunsatisfactoryandthememberstillfailstoreachtheprescribedstandardsdespite receivingawrittenwarning,orif thememberhascommittedanactofseriousorgrossmisconduct,suspensionofaswimmer’smembershipbyGSCmayoccur.Suspensionofmembershipmayalsoresult fromaseriousbreachofanyoftheSwimEnglandorGSCcodesorpolicies.

Stage4-TerminationofMembership

Only the Management Committee of the GSC can make a decision to terminate aswimmer’smembership. However,theHeadCoachhasfullauthorityoverthepopulationoftraininggroupandifStage3or4hasbeenreached,he/shemaywithdrawaccesstoanyorall training sessions for the swimmer concerned. Termination of membership may alsoresultfromaseriousbreachofanyoftheSwimEnglandorGSCcodesorpolicies.

Before termination of a swimmer’s membership is made by GSC for any of the abovereasons, a full investigation and exit interview will be carried out. Self-termination ofmembership(resignation)canbe requested at any timeby formal letter to the Secretaryof theGSC. All subscriptionsand feesduemustbepaidwhenmembershipisterminated.Members leaving without payment of outstanding fees will be reported to the SwimEngland. Any appeal against termination of membership must be submitted to theSecretarywithin14daysbyformalletter.

Investigation

Seriousmisconductwillbesubject to investigation. Thepurposeofan investigation istoestablishthefactsofacaseandtorecordthem. ThelevelofinvestigationintoacomplaintorincidentmustbedecidedbyeithertheClubPresidentortheChairoftheDisciplinarySubCommittee(DSC), andmustbebasedona judgementof itsnature, seriousnessandhowmuchisknownaboutthecircumstancesofthemisconduct.

Itisimportanttorememberthatitisthepurposeofanysubsequentdisciplinaryhearingtomake a judgement on the facts presented. So the investigationmust focus on relevant

facts. Intheeventthattheinvestigationrevealsfurtherincidents,thesemaybysubjecttoinvestigationbytheDSC.

Timing

Investigations thatmay lead todisciplinary actionmust takeplace as soonas reasonablypossible after anymisconduct is alleged. Investigations shouldbe conducted as early aspossible and within 14-days of a complaint being received unless there are justifiablereasons forextending the time frame (e.g.personalor family holidays).Anyextension tothe time limitmustbe fullydocumentedbytheDSCandagreed inwriting (email)bytheClubPresident. TheDSCmust inform thememberorparent/carerofthememberunderinvestigationinwritingoftheextensionandthereasonforit.

Members of GSC who do not respond, without good reason, to a statement of allegedmisconductand/ordonotattendadisciplinaryhearingmustbemadeawarethattheymayhavetheircasedecidedintheirabsence.

Possibleoutcomesfollowingadisciplinaryhearing:

• Noaction.• Writtenwarning.Thiswillremaininplaceforanagreedperiodoftimewith

conditionsattached.• Behaviourcontract.• Finalwrittenwarning.• Temporarysuspension.• Permanentterminationofmembership.• MatterreferredtoPolice/SwimEngland.

Recording

Thememberwillbenotified inwritingofthedetailsofanydisciplinaryoutcomeandthereasonsfortheoutcomeusingthe‘outcomeofdisciplinaryhearing’letter.Thiswillbesentto themember/parent/carerwithin 10 days of the conclusionof the disciplinary hearingunlesstherearegoodreasonsforanextensiontothetimeframe.

FollowingaDisciplinaryHearing:Disciplinaryoutcomeswill remain in force for anagreedperiodoftimeexceptinthecaseofpermanentterminationofmembership.

TerminationofMembership

Thisoutcomewillonlybeusedincaseswhereeitheracontinuedpatternofmisconductoranindividualacthasmeantterminationofmembershipistheonlyoption.

RightofAppeal

• Firstrightofappeal isto theClubPresident. Theappealmustbe receivedwithin14daysunlessthereisgoodreasontoextendthetimeframe.

• TheClubPresidentwillorganiseanindependentassessmentofthecaseandreportwithin14daysunlessthereisgoodreasontoextendthetimeframe.

• AfinalrightofappealispossibleundertheSwimEnglandJudicialLaws.

The GSC’s Committee will review this procedure at regular intervals to ensure that it iseffectiveandisachievingitsstatedobjectives.

SwimEnglandLaw:

AsanaffiliatedClub,SwimEnglandlawhasoverridingeffect.