Code of Conduct

All Players, Officials and Members are reminded that you are bound by the WRU Codes of Conduct as outlined below.

You will also find these documented in the Player's Welcome pack, which is emailed to Players and parents on joining the club. Further details can be obtained from any committee member.

 

  1. There are separate Codes of Conduct for:

    1. Players;

    2. coaches, team managers and Club officials;

    3. match officials; and

    4. referee advisers,

each of which shall be applied accordingly.

  1. For breaches of the Codes of Conduct, the Disciplinary Panel or the WRU Professional Disciplinary Panel (as applicable) may impose such penalties as it deems appropriate but subject to the right to appeal in accordance with the Disciplinary Regulations.

  2. A Code of Conduct case may be commenced by any of the following submitting a Code of Conduct Report within 14 days of the complained of incident, in accordance with paragraph 5 below to the WRU Administration Department:

    1. a Club;

    2. match officials;

    3. referee advisers; or

    4. coaches, team managers or Club officials.

  3. A Code of Conduct case may be commenced by the WRU in accordance with Regulation 3.11 of the Disciplinary Regulations.

  4. A Code of Conduct Report shall contain:

    1. the name of the Person or Club submitting the Code of Conduct Report;

    2. full details of the complaint; and

    3. any evidence relied on by the party submitting the Code of Conduct Report.

  5. The Disciplinary Officer shall determine what steps, if any, to take in relation to the allegations contained in the Code of Conduct Report in accordance with Regulation 3.12 of the Disciplinary Regulations.

  6. If a match official is the subject of a Code of Conduct Report, the Chairman of the Disciplinary Panel shall discuss the issues raised in the Code of Conduct Report with the WRU’s National Referees Manager before deciding whether the matter should be referred to the Disciplinary Panel for determination.

 

  1. CODE OF CONDUCT FOR PLAYERS

    1. A Player shall comply with the Laws of the Game, the IRB Regulations, the Rules and Regulations of the WRU, the rules of any competition in which his Club participates and his Club rules.

    2. A Player shall accept and observe the authority and decisions of all match officials and all other rugby union disciplinary bodies.

    3. A Player shall not abuse, threaten or intimidate match officials or spectators (whether on or off the field of play) and shall not use crude or abusive language or gestures towards match officials or spectators.

    4. A Player shall not publish or cause to be published in any medium (including via social networking websites) or make any public criticism of any match official or any team manager, club official, Player, employee of his or another Club or any other Person.

    5. A Player shall not publish or cause to be published in any medium (including via social networking websites) criticism of the manner in which the Disciplinary Panel, the WRU Professional Disciplinary Panel or the Appeal Panel (as applicable) handled or resolved any dispute or disciplinary matter.

    6. A Player shall not do anything which is likely to intimidate, offend, insult, humiliate or discriminate against any other Person on the ground of their religion, race, sexual orientation, colour or national or ethnic origin.

    7. A Player shall conduct himself at all times in an ethical and professional manner and shall observe the highest standards of integrity and fair dealing and shall not engage in any conduct or any activity (whether on or off the field) that may impair public confidence in the honest and orderly conduct of a match, tour, tournament or series of matches or in the integrity and good character of any person.

    8. A Player shall comply with the WRU’s Anti-Doping Regulations and all anti-doping regulations issued by the IRB.

    9. A Player shall comply with the Anti-Corruption and Betting Regulations issued by the IRB.

    10. A player shall promote the reputation of the Game at all times and shall take all possible steps to prevent the Game from being brought into disrepute.

 

  1. CODE OF CONDUCT FOR COACHES, TEAM MANAGERS AND CLUB OFFICIALS

    1. All coaches, team managers and Club officials (which shall, for the purposes of this Code of Conduct, include any member of a Club) shall comply with the Laws of the Game, the IRB Regulations, the Rules and Regulations of the WRU, the rules of any competition in which his Club participates and his Club rules. A coach, team manager or Club official shall not encourage or incite any Person (including other employees of his Club) to act in breach of the same but shall take all possible steps to ensure that they comply with them.

    2. All Club officials shall use best endeavours to ensure that there is in force at his Club a fair and effective disciplinary policy applicable to players and other employees under his control and that it is applied consistently.

    3. A coach, team manager or Club official shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that players and/or other employees under his control accept and observe the authority and decisions of match officials at all times.

    4. A coach, team manager or Club official shall not publish or cause to be published in any medium (including via social networking websites) or make any public criticism of any Club or any match official, coach, team manager, Club official, Player and/or employee of his or another Club or any other Person.

    5. A coach, team manager or Club official shall not publish or cause to be published in any medium (including via social networking websites) criticism of the manner in which the Disciplinary Panel, WRU Professional Disciplinary Panel or the Appeal Panel (as applicable) handled or resolved any dispute or disciplinary matter.

    6. A coach, team manager and Club official shall conduct himself at all times in an ethical and professional manner and shall observe the highest standards of integrity and fair dealing.

    7. Each coach, team manager and Club official shall comply with the Anti-Corruption and Betting Regulations issued by the IRB.

    8. Coaches, team managers and Club officials shall take all possible steps to promote the reputation of the Game at all times and to prevent the Game being brought into disrepute.

    9. A coach, team manager or Club official shall not:

      1. abuse, threaten or intimidate the match officials, spectators or Players/officials of an opposition Club (whether on or off the field);

      2. use crude or abusive language or gestures towards match officials, spectators and Players/officials of an opposition Club; or

      3. do anything which is likely to intimidate, offend, insult, humiliate or discriminate against any other person on the ground of their religion, race, sexual orientation, colour or national or ethnic origin.

 

  1. CODE OF CONDUCT FOR MATCH OFFICIALS

    1. A match official shall not make any public criticism in any medium (including via social networking websites) of any Club or any match official, team manager, Club official or Player or any other Person.

    2. A match official shall not publish or cause to be published in any medium (including via social networking websites) criticism of the manner in which the Disciplinary Panel, WRU Professional Disciplinary Panel or the Appeal Panel (as applicable) handled or resolved any dispute or disciplinary matter.

    3. A match official shall conduct himself at all times in an ethical and professional manner and shall observe the highest standards of integrity and fair dealing.

    4. A match official shall comply with the Anti-Corruption and Betting Regulations issued by the IRB.

    5. A match official shall take all possible steps to promote the reputation of the Game at all times and to prevent the Game being brought into disrepute.

    6. Match officials will endeavour to apply the Laws of the Game fairly and to an agreed interpretation as specified by the WRU and to provide the style of play as determined by the WRU.

    7. Match officials must wear the agreed kit and comply with the terms of any sponsorship agreement as determined by the WRU.

    8. Match officials are expected to attend disciplinary hearings involving them whenever requested to do so. The reason for any non-attendance must be provided to the WRU Administration Department in advance of the relevant hearing.

 

  1. CODE OF CONDUCT FOR REFEREE ADVISERS

    1. A referee adviser shall not make any public criticism in any medium (including via social networking websites) of any Club or any match official, team manager, Club official or Player or any other Person.

    2.     A referee adviser shall not publish or cause to be published in any medium (including via social networking websites) criticism of the manner in which the Disciplinary Panel, WRU Professional Disciplinary Panel or the Appeal Panel (as applicable) handled or resolved any dispute or disciplinary matter.

    3. A referee adviser shall conduct himself at all times in an ethical and professional manner and shall observe the highest standards of integrity and fair dealing.

    4. A referee adviser shall comply with the Anti-Corruption and Betting Regulations issued by the IRB.

    5. A referee adviser shall take all possible steps to promote the reputation of the Game at all times and to prevent the Game being brought into disrepute.

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