Participant Protection Policy – overview

Sport should be safe, positive and enjoyable for all participants by encouraging respectful and inclusive behaviours.

The Participant Protection Policy supports these positive behaviours in sport and clearly outlines banned behaviours that are not acceptable (Prohibited Conduct).

The Participant Protection Policy used to be called the Member Protection Policy, but has been re-named and expanded to cover all participants.

The Participant Protection Policy aligns with the Play Well Way – a set of values developed by the Australian sporting sector.

• Respect – every individual is treated with dignity and care
• Belonging – people feel included, valued and connected
• Wellbeing – physical, emotional and cultural safety is actively protected and promoted
• Enjoyment – sport is a positive and fun experience
• Growth – people are supported to learn, develop and thrive.
   

The Policy also sets out how to report allegations of Prohibited Conduct and how your sport manages these issues.

What does this Policy mean for me?

If a sport you are a member of has adopted the National Integrity Framework, then these rules apply to you.

The Policy covers every level of your sport, from community clubs to state and national member organisations.

The Policy applies to all involved in the sport, including:

• athletes
• coaches and officials
• administrators and staff
• volunteers
• contractors and support personnel (e.g. sports science and medical staff, team managers, agents)
• any individual or organisation required to agree to the Policy.

The Policy details all the behaviours that are not allowed in your sport.

Refer to your sport’s national website for the full Policy, but here is a summary of the behaviours that are banned both in person and online.
 

Abuse

• Any type of behaviour that causes harm to a person’s wellbeing
• This includes physical, sexual, emotional/psychological abuse or using a position of authority to control others.
   

Abusive behaviour on the basis of disability

• Abusive behaviour towards a person on the basis of disability, including behaviour that is: 
  • degrading
  • humiliating
  • exploitative or: 
  • denies dignity or autonomy.
• This includes talking about a person in their presence instead of addressing them directly or excluding them from an activity, team environment or social setting.
   

Bullying

• Using words or actions repeatedly and intentionally to cause someone distress and risk to their wellbeing
• This includes keeping someone out of a group, rudeness, teasing, spreading rumours or lies or repeated physical harm
• Bullying does not include legitimate and reasonable management action or processes, disciplinary action or allocation of activities in compliance with agreed systems.
   

Harassment

• Offensive, belittling or threatening behaviour that is likely to cause harm
• This includes telling insulting jokes or making derogatory comments about a person or a group’s: 
  • race
  • religion 
  • disability
  • sexual orientation
  • gender identity 
  • weight or appearance
• asking intrusive personal questions
• online behaviours, such as: 
  • doxxing or: 
  • creating or sharing AI-generated content to cause a person distress.
     

Sexual misconduct

• Behaviours which are considered sexual harassment, including: 
  • unwelcome touching
  • suggestive comments or jokes
  • insults based on sex or gender identity
  • unwanted invitations to go on dates or; 
  • asking intrusive questions about someone’s private life
• This type of behaviour may also be a sexual offence and against the law.
   

Discrimination

• Treating a person differently based on a protected characteristic (age, disability, race or ethnicity, sex or gender identity, family, relationship status, sexual orientation or religion)
• This can be either: 
  • direct (e.g. not giving someone the same opportunity as others to participate in sport) or; 
  • indirect (e.g. blanket rules, requirements or conditions that disadvantage a person or group, such as not making reasonable adjustments, so that someone with disability can participate in a sport).
     

Victimisation

• Excluding, disadvantaging or treating a person unfairly because they’ve made a complaint or intend to make one, or they’ve supported someone who has.
   

Vilification

• Behaving in a way publicly to make others ridicule, hate or direct violence towards a person or group due to a protected characteristic
• This includes in-person or online behaviours and can occur verbally, in writing or in publications like posters or flyers, or on social media 
• It can also involve physical abuse.
   

Full definitions of Prohibited Conduct for each sport are available in the Policy which can be found on your sport’s national website.

Allegations are managed under your sport’s Complaints, Disputes and Discipline Policy. 

Depending on the seriousness of the behaviour, possible sanctions may include:

• Formal warnings
• Education
• Fines
• Bans from sport, from short-term suspensions to lifetime bans.
   

Criminal conduct, such as child abuse, will be investigated by law enforcement and may result in criminal penalties, including imprisonment.