Code Of Conduct

All Members and Guests of this Cricket Club will:

• Respect the rights, dignity and worth of every person within the context of Cricket.
• Treat everyone equally and not discriminate on the grounds of age, gender, disability, race, ethnic origin, nationality, colour, parental or marital status, religious belief, class or social background, sexual preference or political belief.
• Not partake in, condone, or allow to go unchallenged, any form of bullying or discrimination.
• Display high standards of behaviour at all times.
• Not behave in a manner that contravenes the “Spirit of Cricket” as defined within this document.
• Promote the positive aspects of Cricket, e.g., fair play.
• Encourage all participants to learn the Laws and rules and play within them.
• Always respect the decisions of match officials.
• Not partake in or condone unfair play or rule violations.
• Recognise good performance not just match results.
• Place the well-being and safety of young people above the development of performance.
• Ensure that activities are appropriate for the age, maturity, experience, and ability of the individual.
• Respect the opinions of young people when making decisions about their participation in Cricket.
• Not smoke, drink alcohol, or use banned substances whilst actively working with young people in the Club.
• Not provide young people with alcohol when they are under the care of the Club.
• Follow ECB guidelines set out in the ‘Safe Hands – Cricket’s Policy for Safeguarding Children’ and any other relevant guidelines issued.
• Report any concerns in relation to a young person, following reporting procedures laid down by the ECB.

In addition to the above, all Club Officers and Appointed Volunteers will:

• Hold relevant qualifications and be covered by appropriate insurance.
• Always work in an open environment (i.e., avoiding private or unobserved situations).
• Inform players and parents of the requirements of Cricket.
• Know and understand the ECB’s ‘Safe Hands – Cricket’s Policy for Safeguarding Children’.
• Develop an appropriate working relationship with young players, based on mutual trust and respect.
• Ensure that physical contact is appropriate and necessary and is carried out within recommended guidelines with the young player’s full consent and approval.
• Not engage in any form of sexually related contact with a young player. This is strictly forbidden as is sexual innuendo, flirting or inappropriate gestures or terms. The ECB adopts the Home Office guidelines which recommend the principle “People in positions of trust and authority do not have sexual relationships with 16–17-year-olds in their care”.
• Attend appropriate training to keep up to date with their role and especially with respect to the safeguarding of young people.

Cricket is a game that owes much of its unique appeal to the fact that it should be played not only within its Laws, but also within the Spirit of the Game. Any action which is seen to abuse this spirit causes injury to the game itself. The Spirit of the Game involves RESPECT for:

• Your opponents
• Your own captain and team
• The role of the umpires
• The game’s traditional values

Responsibility of Captains

The captains are always responsible for ensuring that play is conducted within the ‘Spirit of the Game’ as well as within the Laws.

Player’s Conduct

In the event of any player failing to act within the ‘Spirit of Cricket’, the umpire concerned shall in the first place report the matter to the other umpire and to that player’s captain, requesting the latter to act.

Violence

There is no place for any act of violence on the field of play. Players, Captains, and umpires together set the tone for the conduct of a cricket match. Every player is expected to make an important contribution to this.

Aims and Jurisdiction

These regulations shall apply to any Member or Guest of the Club.

It is intended that any breach of the Code of Conduct should in the first instance be dealt with by the Club, and if the breach occurred in a league match (where appropriate), the Club shall notify the Secretary of the League of the result of any action taken against the Member or Guest. The League may also take any disciplinary procedures they see fit and impose their own penalties against the Member, the Guest, or the Club.

Procedure

1. Any alleged breach of the Code of Conduct shall be notified in writing (to be known as a “Complaint”) to the Club Secretary within seven days of the alleged breach taking place.
2. Any complaint so initiated must be referred to the Club Chair and the Club Safeguarding Officer by the Club Secretary. Should the Complaint relate to the actions of the Club Secretary or Club Safeguarding Officer, this should be reported directly in writing to the Club Chair. Upon receipt of such complaint, and as soon as reasonably practicable, the Club Chair along with the Committee shall review the complaint.
3. The Committee shall appoint a disciplinary sub-committee (Disciplinary Sub-Committee) who will meet to hear complaints within 21 days of a complaint being lodged. Any person requested to attend a Disciplinary Sub-Committee shall be entitled to be accompanied by a friend or other representative and to call witnesses.
4. The Disciplinary Sub-Committee has the power to take appropriate disciplinary action on behalf of the Committee, including the termination of membership or exclusion from Club premises.
5. The outcome of the disciplinary hearing shall be put in writing to the person who lodged the complaint and the person against whom the complaint was made within 14 days following the hearing.
6. There shall be a right of appeal within 14 days of the disciplinary decision or decision to refuse membership:
   1. against the Disciplinary Sub-Committee’s findings or the sanction imposed or both; and
   2. against the Committee’s refusal to admit a new member
7. In either case, the Committee shall appoint an appeals committee (“Appeals Committee”). The Appeals Committee shall have a maximum of three members which shall not include members involved with the initial disciplinary hearing but may include non-members of the Club. The Appeals Committee shall consider the appeal within 21 days of the Secretary receiving the appeal. The individual who submitted the appeal shall be entitled to be accompanied by a friend or other representative and to call witnesses. The decision of the Appeals Committee shall be final and binding on all parties.