Complaints and Discipline Policy
It is the right of a parent/guardian or member of Cork Acro Gymnastics Club to make a complaint where standards of care, treatment and practice are perceived to fall short of what is acceptable and should be expected. This does not include decisions by coaches/judges/officials with regard to competition or training under the following categories;
Likewise, it is the right of Cork Acro coaches/judges/officials to take disciplinary action against a parent/guardian or member and other units for any act or omission for breaches of the club rules or any other rules, codes or regulations of Gymnastics Ireland.
Offences
(a) Breach of any the rules, statutes, codes, regulations and Gymnastics Ireland Codes of Ethics more specifically provided in rule 1.1.
(b) Aggressive or threatening behaviour
(c) Offensive behaviour to other gymnasts, judges, coaches or Cork Acro officials
(d) Unsportsmanlike behaviour
(e) Violation of instructions and directives from Cork Acro officials
(f) Damaging the dignity of a person or a group of persons, in any way whatsoever, in particular due to his colour, race, handicap, sex, sexual orientation, religion or ethnic origin.
(g) Violation of contractual obligations towards Cork Acro Gymnastics Club.
(h) Cheating
(i) Fighting
(j) Inciting hatred or violence
(k) Bullying
(l) Ineligibility – including but not limited to age and club affiliation.
(m) Intimidation or threats
(n) Coercion
(o) Discrimination
(p) Foul language
(q) Disparaging comments
(r) Forgery or falsification
(s) Corruption
(t) Acts or omissions bringing the sport of gymnastics into disrepute
(u) Alcohol or substance abuse by minor Members.
(v) Mischievous or vexatious Complaints
Any penalty imposed on an individual or unit shall be operative throughout Cork Acro Gymnastics Club until the penalty period has ceased.
Complaints and disciplinary matters which occur at club level shall be dealt with by the Complaints & Disciplinary bodies at club level as per Gymnastics Ireland policy.
Complaint Procedure: Parent/Guardian or Member
Should a parent/guardian or member have a complaint outside of decisions by coaches/judges with regard to competition or training as listed above, they should in the first instance make an appointment with the person that they have the complaint against to see if the complaint can be resolved. This meeting will be held in the presence of an observer.
Should this meeting fail to reach a resolution the parent/guardian or member may then lodge a formal complaint with the club Complaints & Discipline officer (CDO).
In order to lodge a formal complaint with the club the following procedure must be followed;
Follow this link to download the GI formal complaint form:
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/gymnasticsireland/downloads/GI-CD-Document-1-Complaint-Form-23.10.2018.pdf
Parent/guardian or member
CDO
Complaint Procedure: Coach/Judge/Official
Should a coach/judge/official have a complaint against a parent/guardian or member, they should in the first instance make an appointment with the person that they have the complaint against to see if the complaint can be resolved. This meeting will be held in the presence of an observer.
Should this meeting fail to reach a resolution the coach/judge/official may then lodge a formal complaint with the club.
In order to lodge a formal complaint with the club the following procedure must be followed;
Coach/Judge/Official
CDO
A valid Complaint shall be made within 14 days of the occurrence of the subject matter of the Complaint, save where exceptional circumstances are proven to the satisfaction of the CDO.
Complaint resolution
Where a complaint has been resolved there will be no further action required.
Sanctions
In the event of a complaint being upheld the following sanctions may be applied.
(a) Apology
(b) Reprimand
(c) Written warning
(d) Fine
(e) Suspension from participation in an Event or in a team for a specified duration or number of Events
(f) Suspension from Membership/ Affiliation. (Where it is a parent/guardian who has received this sanction their gymnast(s) also receive this sanction)
(g) Expulsion from Membership/ Affiliation. (Where it is a parent/guardian who has received this sanction their gymnast(s) also receive this sanction)
APPEALS/ARBITRATION A decision of the Club may be appealed exclusively by referral to Sport Dispute Solutions Ireland, within 14 days from receipt of such decision, for final and binding arbitration in accordance with the Sport Dispute Solutions Ireland Arbitration Rules. The arbitral award issued by SDSI may be appealed exclusively by referral to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland, within 21 days from receipt of such arbitral award, for final and binding arbitration in accordance with the CAS Code of Sports-related Arbitration. The appeal to SDSI arbitration shall be limited to the legality of the procedures used and/ or the decision made. The appellant shall deliver a written notification to appeal to the secretary of SDSI within 14 days of receipt of the Hearings Committee decision specifying (a) date of decision (b) the grounds of appeal (c) copy of relevant documentation together with (d) and SDSI fee of €500.
A copy of the Notice of Appeal shall be sent by registered post to the CEO of Gymnastics Ireland and the CDO and Complainant/Respondent to any appeal.
No Member, Participant, Unit or Gymnastics Ireland Ltd, its Affiliate members may issue Court proceedings relating to such dispute in any Court in any jurisdiction.
No Member, Participant, Unit or Gymnastics Ireland Ltd, or its Affiliate members shall refer a dispute to SDSI Arbitration or CAS arbitration until all available avenues of resolution under the Gymnastics Ireland Rules have been exhausted For more details on Sport Dispute Solutions Ireland refer to http://sportdisputesolutions.ie/
- Class level.
- Acrobatic partner selection.
- Competition level.
- Competition selection.
- Competition results.
Likewise, it is the right of Cork Acro coaches/judges/officials to take disciplinary action against a parent/guardian or member and other units for any act or omission for breaches of the club rules or any other rules, codes or regulations of Gymnastics Ireland.
Offences
(a) Breach of any the rules, statutes, codes, regulations and Gymnastics Ireland Codes of Ethics more specifically provided in rule 1.1.
(b) Aggressive or threatening behaviour
(c) Offensive behaviour to other gymnasts, judges, coaches or Cork Acro officials
(d) Unsportsmanlike behaviour
(e) Violation of instructions and directives from Cork Acro officials
(f) Damaging the dignity of a person or a group of persons, in any way whatsoever, in particular due to his colour, race, handicap, sex, sexual orientation, religion or ethnic origin.
(g) Violation of contractual obligations towards Cork Acro Gymnastics Club.
(h) Cheating
(i) Fighting
(j) Inciting hatred or violence
(k) Bullying
(l) Ineligibility – including but not limited to age and club affiliation.
(m) Intimidation or threats
(n) Coercion
(o) Discrimination
(p) Foul language
(q) Disparaging comments
(r) Forgery or falsification
(s) Corruption
(t) Acts or omissions bringing the sport of gymnastics into disrepute
(u) Alcohol or substance abuse by minor Members.
(v) Mischievous or vexatious Complaints
Any penalty imposed on an individual or unit shall be operative throughout Cork Acro Gymnastics Club until the penalty period has ceased.
Complaints and disciplinary matters which occur at club level shall be dealt with by the Complaints & Disciplinary bodies at club level as per Gymnastics Ireland policy.
Complaint Procedure: Parent/Guardian or Member
Should a parent/guardian or member have a complaint outside of decisions by coaches/judges with regard to competition or training as listed above, they should in the first instance make an appointment with the person that they have the complaint against to see if the complaint can be resolved. This meeting will be held in the presence of an observer.
Should this meeting fail to reach a resolution the parent/guardian or member may then lodge a formal complaint with the club Complaints & Discipline officer (CDO).
In order to lodge a formal complaint with the club the following procedure must be followed;
Follow this link to download the GI formal complaint form:
https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/gymnasticsireland/downloads/GI-CD-Document-1-Complaint-Form-23.10.2018.pdf
Parent/guardian or member
- The parent/guardian or member is required to submit a letter by registered post to the club Complaint and Discipline Officer (CDO), outlining the complaint.
- The parent/guardian or member must pay a complaint fee of €100. This fee will be returned to the parent/guardian or member if the complaint is upheld.
CDO
- Will investigate the complaint to determine whether a prima facie case has been made against a Respondent on receipt of formal complaint and complaint fee.
- Will instigate a meeting between the parties where in the opinion of the CDO a prima facie case to answer has been established.
- Will dismiss a Complaint where after an investigation, in the opinion of the CDO a prima facie case to answer has not been established.
- Will maintain a record of their decisions.
Complaint Procedure: Coach/Judge/Official
Should a coach/judge/official have a complaint against a parent/guardian or member, they should in the first instance make an appointment with the person that they have the complaint against to see if the complaint can be resolved. This meeting will be held in the presence of an observer.
Should this meeting fail to reach a resolution the coach/judge/official may then lodge a formal complaint with the club.
In order to lodge a formal complaint with the club the following procedure must be followed;
Coach/Judge/Official
- The coach/judge/official is required to submit a letter by registered post to the club Complaint and Discipline Officer (CDO), outlining the complaint.
- The coach/judge/official must pay a complaint fee of €100. This fee will be returned to the coach/judge/official if the complaint is upheld.
CDO
- Will investigate the complaint to determine whether a prima facie case has been made against a Respondent on receipt of formal complaint and complaint fee.
- Will instigate a meeting between the parties where in the opinion of the CDO a prima facie case to answer has been established.
- Will dismiss a Complaint where after an investigation, in the opinion of the CDO a prima facie case to answer has not been established.
A valid Complaint shall be made within 14 days of the occurrence of the subject matter of the Complaint, save where exceptional circumstances are proven to the satisfaction of the CDO.
Complaint resolution
Where a complaint has been resolved there will be no further action required.
Sanctions
In the event of a complaint being upheld the following sanctions may be applied.
(a) Apology
(b) Reprimand
(c) Written warning
(d) Fine
(e) Suspension from participation in an Event or in a team for a specified duration or number of Events
(f) Suspension from Membership/ Affiliation. (Where it is a parent/guardian who has received this sanction their gymnast(s) also receive this sanction)
(g) Expulsion from Membership/ Affiliation. (Where it is a parent/guardian who has received this sanction their gymnast(s) also receive this sanction)
APPEALS/ARBITRATION A decision of the Club may be appealed exclusively by referral to Sport Dispute Solutions Ireland, within 14 days from receipt of such decision, for final and binding arbitration in accordance with the Sport Dispute Solutions Ireland Arbitration Rules. The arbitral award issued by SDSI may be appealed exclusively by referral to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland, within 21 days from receipt of such arbitral award, for final and binding arbitration in accordance with the CAS Code of Sports-related Arbitration. The appeal to SDSI arbitration shall be limited to the legality of the procedures used and/ or the decision made. The appellant shall deliver a written notification to appeal to the secretary of SDSI within 14 days of receipt of the Hearings Committee decision specifying (a) date of decision (b) the grounds of appeal (c) copy of relevant documentation together with (d) and SDSI fee of €500.
A copy of the Notice of Appeal shall be sent by registered post to the CEO of Gymnastics Ireland and the CDO and Complainant/Respondent to any appeal.
No Member, Participant, Unit or Gymnastics Ireland Ltd, its Affiliate members may issue Court proceedings relating to such dispute in any Court in any jurisdiction.
No Member, Participant, Unit or Gymnastics Ireland Ltd, or its Affiliate members shall refer a dispute to SDSI Arbitration or CAS arbitration until all available avenues of resolution under the Gymnastics Ireland Rules have been exhausted For more details on Sport Dispute Solutions Ireland refer to http://sportdisputesolutions.ie/
