Washington Area Frisbee Club

WAFC Conduct Policy

The Washington Area Frisbee Club (WAFC) requires all participants to adhere to the following conduct policy.

The system of ensuring proper conduct is the disciplinary oversight of the WAFC Board. The Board employs a complaint-defense-review-appeal process to ensure justice in resolving allegations of improper conduct. If a conduct complaint is filed and the Board determines that the complaint merits hearing, the player will be given an opportunity to submit a defense against the allegations, and, as described below, the Board will rule based on the complaint, the defense, and its own investigation. The defendant may appeal the ruling. The Board ensures that conduct complaints are adjudicated with prudence and that violations are met with appropriate punishments.

The Code of Conduct described here applies to all WAFC members in every disc-related activity, as well as to all disciplinary authorities within WAFC.

A. Code of Conduct

WAFC members are expected to behave in a manner consistent with the ideals and vision of the organization. A member's responsibility to this charge manifests itself on the playing field, in his or her interactions with the administration and officers of WAFC, and in his or her dealings with the greater ultimate community. The same expectations are made of teams and other groupings of players.

i) On-Field Conduct

"On-Field Conduct" refers to the actions of players and teams during the course of a tournament or other WAFC event, and is not limited to actions during a game. Players and teams are expected to treat one another with respect, to conduct themselves in a safe and orderly manner, and while playing to adhere to the rules of ultimate as well as to any tournament and site regulations.

Violations of conduct occur upon the breach of these expectations. On-field violations may therefore include (with the clause being violated appearing in parentheses), but are not limited to, abusive heckling (respect), spiking the disc on another player (respect, safety), dangerous play (safety), spitting at another player (respect), cheating (rules), deliberate fouling (rules), reckless behavior at a tournament party (order, safety), drinking on the sidelines when prohibited (site regulations), taunting (respect), creating a hostile environment (respect, order) and violence against another player (respect, order, safety).

Repeated, excessive or deliberate inappropriate conduct constitutes a violation of this conduct policy. An individual instance of inappropriate conduct may also warrant sanctioning by the Board if the action is severe enough.

ii) Conduct within the Ultimate Community

Players are expected to act consistently with the mission of WAFC to promote the sport of ultimate. Actions inimical to the sport of ultimate are violations of conduct. Such violations may include, but are not limited to, libel against ultimate players or organizers in the printed media, obscene acts on televised media featuring ultimate, and vandalism or other destructive behavior, including playing on closed fields, toward an ultimate facility.

B. The Judicial Process

i) Complaint

A complaint against a player or team can be filed by any member or group of members, member of the administration of WAFC, or by any officer or other person or entity designated by WAFC. In the case of a complaint against on-field conduct, the complainant must be a witness to the conduct in question. (A player who hears of but does not witness offensive conduct may request an investigation by the administration or officers or directors, who may act on such requests at their discretion.) A complaint is lodged by submitting a formal complaint in writing outlining the nature of the complaint to the player’s team captain unless the complaint is against the team captain. The team captain shall review the complaint and if deemed significant, forward it to the league commissioner. The league commissioner shall review the complaint and either act upon it or forward it to the WAFC Vice President. The Vice President shall review the complaint and either act upon it or bring it up to the entire Board. If the complaint is against the team captain or the league commissioner, the complaint may be filed directly to the WAFC Vice President. The complaint must be filed within thirty (30) days of the conduct in question, unless an extension has been granted by the Board. Multiple complaints regarding a single allegation of poor conduct may be treated as a single complaint. The Board will determine whether a complaint is credible enough to warrant a hearing. In the event that it is, the Board will inform the defendant of the complaint, making known to him or her the allegations being charged. The defendant will have thirty (30) days to submit a written defense.

ii) Review

Complaints are heard by the Board, which acts as the standing disciplinary committee of WAFC. The Board has the sole authority to impose sanctions for conduct. Rulings of the Board are based on majority vote among present or voting members when no consensus can be reached. In the event of a tie, the President casts the deciding vote. Rulings must be delivered within sixty (60) days of receipt of the defendant's statement (or failure to file or stated waiver of the right to file, whichever is earliest). Unless otherwise stated, rulings take effect immediately. The Board will adjudicate based on the complaint, the defense, and any pertinent evidence obtained in the course of investigating the complaint.

iii) Appeal

A member found to have been in violation of proper conduct will have the opportunity to challenge the decision of the Board by submitting a written appeal to the Board within thirty (30) days of notification of the decision. Appeals may contest the decision, challenge the appropriateness of the punishment, or introduce compelling new evidence. Appeals that merely restate a case will be deemed frivolous. The Board will hear appeals and rule within thirty (30) days of receipt. Rulings on appeals of the Board are based on majority vote among present or voting members when no consensus can be reached. In the event of a tie, the President casts the deciding vote. The ruling on an appeal cannot be appealed. Unless otherwise stated, rulings on appeal take effect immediately. In the event that a penalty or sanction by the Board pertains to an impending event, the appellant may request an expeditious hearing of his/her appeal. The decision of the Board (by majority vote, as above) whether to honor such a request cannot be appealed.

C. Sanctions

The Board is not limited in its range of sanctions, except by the requirement that the penalty be proportionate with the severity of the action or its consequences. Such sanctions may include, but are not limited to, public or private censure, demand of public or private apology, demand of completion of service to the ultimate community, probation, and suspension from participation in WAFC events. Suspensions or penalties occurring for a duration of time longer than one (1) year will be reviewed annually by the Board.