Codes of Conduct in Sport
Sets a standard and encourages mutual respect
Sport and recreation are meant to be fun, challenging, and empowering for everyone involved. A Code of Conduct helps create the conditions for the safety and wellbeing that are required for success.
Why is a Code of Conduct important?
A Code of Conduct is a document that every sport organization should have as one of their policies. It sets the standards for agreement about what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviour.
Creating a sharing a Code of Conduct helps everyone understand how they are expected to behave when they are involve with the sport, and supports a safe and encouraging environment.
What should you expect from a sport organization?
For people to perform safely and at their best, they need certain conditions so that they are physically, emotionally, psychologically, and culturally safe. The rules in the Code of Conduct should be designed to meet these needs.
It is the responsibility of the sport organization to make sure that a Code of Conduct is in place, and to share it with everyone when they join.
Empowering athletes with Team Agreements
A Code of Conduct can be supported by a Team Agreement. These agreements are developed at the start of each season with everyone on the team. They encourage positive behaviours and create the conditions for psychological safety throughout the season.
Code of Conduct
A policy that is adopted by the leadership of the sport organization.
Should be communicated clearly to everyone who is involved with the organization in plain language.
Can be used when someone raises concerns or makes a complaint about someone else’s behaviour, to decide if a rule was broken.
Team Agreement
A co-created document that is developed with everyone on the team.
Often based on shared values and focuses on what positive behaviours look like.
Outlines how people agree to behave in each context they are together (training, competition, travel, online, or others).
Includes how people will respond if behaviour doesn’t align with the team agreement.
Agreed behaviours are within the boundaries set in the Code of Conduct.
Universal Code of Conduct
There is a movement in Canada towards having all sport organizations use the same Code of Conduct, so that the rules about behaviour are the same no matter what sport you do.
The Universal Code of Conduct to prevent and address Maltreatment in Sport (UCCMS) is the Code of Conduct used at the National level of sport in Canada. It is part of the Canadian Safe Sport Program, run by Sport Integrity Canada.
It is the core document that sets harmonized rules to be adopted by, but not limited to, sport organizations that receive funding from the Government of Canada to advance a respectful sport culture that delivers quality, inclusive, accessible, welcoming and safe sport experiences.
It is required to be adopted by all National Sport organizations. Some viaSport Designated Organizations have also adopted the UCCMS, to streamline their system throughout their sport.
Any sport organization can choose to adopt the UCCMS, however that will not provide access to the “REPORT Safe Sport” service that is run by Sport Integrity Canada.