Player and Member Code of Conduct at Aarhus Rugby Klub

Background

Aarhus Rugby Klub (ARK) is committed to promoting and strengthening the positive image of Rugby and its participants in Denmark. In light of this commitment, the ARK Code of Conduct seeks to establish standards of performance and behavior to ensure that members act in a proper manner to ensure that the game is played and conducted with disciplined and sporting behavior both on and off the field.

Introduction

Aarhus Rugby Klub is a rugby club committed to the ethics of:

(1) Inclusion.
(2) Fair and safe play on the field.
(3) Mutual respect and consideration.
(4) Providing a harassment-free sport environment.

The sections below provide the club’s standards of conduct expected of all its members (players, coaches, staff, and supporters), associated with each of the four principles inherent within our statement of ethics.

1. Inclusion:

With the wish of being an organization that provides a welcoming, safe environment for all participants to enjoy the sport of rugby, Aarhus Rugby Klub and its members will not discriminate on the grounds of ethnicity, race, nationality, or religion in any matter; nor on the grounds of sex, gender, age or disability, except as a necessary consequence of the requirements of the sport.

2. Fair and Safe Play on the Pitch

Fair play espouses striving to win, but not at all costs.
Aarhus Rugby Klub players are expected to abide by the rules and regulations of the game, in both spirit and action, as set out by the Danish Rugby Union (DRU).
Aarhus Rugby Klub players will abide by and respect the officials’ decisions, and refrain from direct commentary to officials, other than communicating through the team captain. Aarhus Rugby Klub players will refrain from the use of physical force or behavior that reflects an intentional disregard for the safety of another player outside of the rules of the game.
Coaching staff are expected to demonstrate a standard of care for the individual athlete’s well-being, commensurate with the individual’s abilities and standards of the sport.

3. Mutual Respect and Consideration

Aarhus Rugby Klub is committed to providing an environment in which all individuals are treated with respect and dignity.
Members are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that reflects positively upon themselves, their team-mates, and Aarhus Rugby Klub – whether that is with other team-mates, within the community, with other rugby teams, coaches, referees, sponsors or spectators. Members are expected to display good sportsmanship conduct in club events, both on and off the pitch.

• Sportsperson like conduct includes showing respect and consideration in language and behavior toward all whom are in attendance at an athletic event: officials, coaches, athletes, opponents, spectators, sponsors and the media.
• Unsportsmanlike conduct includes inappropriate behavior in language, gesture, or action that demeans, physically intimidates, or endangers others, not just during athletic competition but also during other activities of the club or by actions that bring the DRU into disrepute.

Good sportsmanship conduct also implies winning with character and losing with dignity.

4. Harassment-Free Environment

Every member of the Aarhus Rugby Klub has the right to participate in a sporting environment free from harassment. Aarhus Rugby Klub does not tolerate harassment in connection with any of its internal or external business, sport or related activities. All members are expected to conduct themselves accordingly. Harassment is defined as any behavior fitting one or more of the following criteria:
A) Personal Harassment: Behavior, including communication, conduct or gesture, which:
(i) Is insulting, intimidating, humiliating, hurtful, malicious, degrading, or otherwise offensive to an individual or group of individuals; and
(ii) Which would be considered by a reasonable person to create an intimidating, humiliating or uncomfortable sport-related environment
B) Sexual Harassment: Behavior involving unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors or other communication (verbal or written) or physical conduct of a sexual nature when: (i) Such conduct might be expected to cause unreasonable embarrassment, insecurity, discomfort, offence or humiliation to another person or group; or
(ii) Submission to such conduct is made, implicitly or explicitly, a condition of participation in a sport-related activity; or as a basis for any sport-related decision.

Member Complaints resolution procedure

If you believe that you have a valid complaint, or feel that you should intervene on behalf of another individual; please contact a member of the Aarhus Rugby Klub board. The board will contact the people involved, discuss the matter and decide which steps to take next. The Aarhus Rugby Klub board will take whatever action is required, up to and including disciplinary or dismissal, to prevent and correct behavior that violates the code of conduct expected of its participants.
Aarhus Rugby Klub will handle complaints with privacy, courtesy, and confidentiality.