Surfing Australia’s Codes of Conduct
These codes are taken from Surfing Australia’s Member Protection Policy. If you are individual associated with the sport of surfing in Australia, it is expected that you will support these codes so the sport of surfing can be enjoyed by all.
General Code of Behaviour
As a member of Surfing Australia, a Member Association and an Affiliated Club, a Licensed Surf School or a person required to comply with the Policy, (Surfing Australia’s Member Protection Policy) you must meet the following requirements in regard to your conduct during any activity held or sanctioned by Surfing Australia, a member association, an affiliated club or Licensed Surf School and in any role you hold within Surfing Australia, a member association, an affiliated club or Licensed Surf School:
1. Respect the rights, dignity and worth of others.
2. Be fair, considerate and honest in all dealing with others.
3. Be professional in, and accept responsibility for, your actions.
4. Make a commitment to providing quality service.
5. Be aware of, and maintain an uncompromising adhesion to, Surfing Australia’s standards, rules, regulations and policies.
6. Operate within the rules of the sport including national and international guidelines which govern Surfing Australia, the member associations, the affiliated clubs or Licensed Surf School.
7. Do not use your involvement with Surfing Australia, a member association or an affiliated club or Licensed Surf School to promote your own beliefs, behaviours or practices where these are inconsistent with those of Surfing Australia, a member association or an affiliated club or Licensed Surf School.
8. Demonstrate a high degree of individual responsibility especially when dealing with persons under 18 years of age, as your words and actions are an example.
9. Avoid unaccompanied and unobserved activities with persons under 18 years of age, wherever possible.
10. Refrain from any form of harassment of others.
11. Refrain from any behaviour that may bring Surfing Australia, a member association, an affiliated club or Licensed Surf School into disrepute.
12. Provide a safe environment for the conduct of the activity.
13. Show concern and caution towards others who may be sick or injured.
14. Be a positive role model.
15. Understand the repercussions if you breach, or are aware of any breaches of, this code of behaviour.
Administrator Code of Behaviour
In addition to Surfing Australia’s General Code of Behaviour, you must meet the following requirements in regard to your conduct during any activity held by or under the auspices of Surfing Australia, a member association, an affiliated club or Licensed Surf School and in your role as an administrator of Surfing Australia, a member association, an affiliated club or Licensed Surf School:
1. Resolve conflicts fairly and promptly through established procedures.
2. Maintain strict impartiality.
3. Be aware of your legal responsibilities
Coach Code of Behaviour
In addition to Surf Australia’s General Code of Behaviour, you must meet the following requirements in regard to your conduct during any activity held or sanctioned by Surfing Australia, a member association, an affiliated club or Licensed Surf School and in your role as a coach appointed by Surfing Australia, a member association, an affiliated club or Licensed Surf School:
1. Do not tolerate acts of aggression.
2. Provide feedback to players and other participants in a manner sensitive to their needs. Avoid overly negative feedback.
3. Recognise players’ rights to consult with other coaches and advisers. Cooperate fully with other specialists (for example, sports scientists, doctors and physiotherapists).
4. Treat all players fairly within the context of their sporting activities, regardless of gender, race, place of origin, athletic potential, colour, sexual orientation, religion, political beliefs, socio-economic status and other conditions.
5. Encourage and facilitate players’ independence and responsibility for their own behaviour, performance, decisions and actions.
6. Involve the players in decisions that affect them.
7. Encourage players to respect one another and to expect respect for their worth as individuals regardless of their level of play.
8. Ensure that the tasks and/or training set are suitable for age, experience, ability, and physical and psychological conditions of the players.
9. Ensure any physical contact with players is appropriate to the situation and necessary for the player’s skill development.
10. Be acutely aware of the power that you as a coach develop with your players in the coaching relationship and avoid any sexual intimacy with players that could develop as a result.
11. Avoid situations with your players that could be construed as compromising.
12. Actively discourage the use of performance enhancing drugs, and the use of alcohol, tobacco and illegal substances.
13. Do not exploit any coaching relationship to further personal, political or business interests at the expense of the best interest of your players.
14. Accept and respect the role of officials in ensuring that competitions are conducted fairly and according to established rules.
15. Know and abide by rules, regulations and standards, and encourage players to do likewise. Accept both the letter and the spirit of the rules.
16. Be honest and ensure that qualifications are not misrepresented.
Official Code of Behaviour
In addition to Surfing Australia’s General Code of Behaviour, you must meet the following requirements in regard to your conduct during any activity held or sanctioned by Surfing Australia, a member association, an affiliated club or Licensed Surf School and in your role as an official appointed by Surfing Australia, a member association, an affiliated club or Licensed Surf School:
1. Place the safety and welfare of the players/participants above all else.
2. Accept responsibility for all actions taken.
3. Be impartial.
4. Avoid any situation which may lead to a conflict of interest.
5. Be courteous, respectful and open to discussion and interaction.
6. Value the individual in sport.
Player Code of Behaviour
In addition to Surfing Australia’s’ General Code of Behaviour, you must meet the following requirements in regard to your conduct during any activity held or sanctioned by Surfing Australia, a member association, an affiliated club or Licensed Surf School and in your role as a player/participant in any activity held by or under the auspices of Surfing Australia, a member association, an affiliated club or Licensed Surf School:
1. Respect the rights, dignity and worth of fellow players, coaches, officials and spectators.
2. Do not tolerate acts of aggression.
3. Respect the talent, potential and development of fellow players and competitors.
4. Care for and respect the equipment provided to you as part of your program.
5. Be frank and honest with your coach concerning illness and injury and your ability to train fully within the program requirements.
6. At all times avoid intimate relationships with your coach.
7. Conduct yourself in a professional manner relating to language, temper and punctuality.
8. Maintain high personal behaviour standards at all times.
9. Abide by the rules and respect the decision of the official, making all appeals through the formal process and respecting the final decision.
10. Be honest in your attitude and preparation to training. Work equally hard for yourself and your team.
11. Cooperate with coaches and staff in development of programs to adequately prepare you for competition at the highest level.
Parent/Guardian Code of Behaviour
As a parent/guardian of a player/participant in any activity held by or under the auspices of Surfing Australia a member association, an affiliated club or Licensed Surf School,
you must meet the following requirements in regard to your conduct during any such activity or event:
1. Respect the rights, dignity and worth of others.
2. Remember that your child participates in sport for their own enjoyment, not yours.
3. Focus on your child’s efforts and performance rather than winning or losing. 4. Never ridicule or yell at your child and other children for making a mistake or losing a competition.
5. Show appreciation for good performance and skilful plays by all players (including opposing players).
6. Demonstrate a high degree of individual responsibility especially when dealing with or in the vicinity of persons under 18 years of age, as your words and actions are an example.
7. Respect officials’ decisions and teach children to do likewise.
8. Do not physically or verbally abuse or harass anyone associated with the sport (player, coach, umpire and so on).
9. Respect the rights, dignity and worth of every young person regardless of their gender, ability, cultural background or religion.
10. Be a positive role model.
11. Understand the repercussions if you breach, or are aware of any breaches of, this code of behaviour.
Spectator Code of Behaviour
As a spectator in any activity held by or under the auspices of Surfing Australia, a member association, an affiliated club or Licensed Surf School, you must meet the following requirements in regard to your conduct during any such activity or event:
1. Respect the decisions of officials and teach young people to do the same.
2. Never ridicule or scold a young player for making a mistake. Positive comments are motivational.
3. Condemn the use of violence in any form, whether it is by other spectators, coaches, officials or players.
4. Show respect for your team’s opponents. Without them there would be no game.
5. Do not use violence, harassment or abuse in any form (that is, do not use foul language, sledge or harass players, coaches, officials or other spectators).
6. Respect the rights, dignity and worth of every person regardless of their gender, ability, cultural background or religion
