AFL QUEENSLAND SOCIAL NETWORKING SITE POLICY
AFL Queensland is concerned about the increasing number of complaints being made about the unacceptable use of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other social networking sites by people involved as players or officials with AFL Queensland.
There are examples where the sites have been used to bully footballers, to criticise umpires and to make racist or sexist remarks about other participants. This type of behaviour is totally unacceptable in Australian Football and will not be tolerated.
Many of the remarks are being made by the posters believing that, because those remarks can only be seen by people they have accepted as friends on their pages, they will not be made public. Fortunately, there are enough decent people around who bring this type of behaviour to the attention of AFL clubs, AFL Leagues and AFL Queensland. This occurs even when the posts are made by friends because those people recognise the harm and distress this type of behaviour can generate.
Under AFL Queensland’s, Reports and Tribunals regulations, behaviour which is unacceptable can be brought to a Tribunal even if the behaviour did not occur on the field. As long as an incident is Australian Football related, the Tribunal can deal with it.
AFL Queensland will have no hesitation in referring to the Tribunal the misuse of social networking sites, if the misuse relates to Australian Football that is under the jurisdiction of AFL Queensland.
AFL Queensland Racial & Religious Vilification Policy
QAFL Rule 20.7 - Racial & Religious Vilification
(a) No player in his capacity as a player of a club or, in the course of carrying out his duties or functions as or incidental to a player of a club or any director, officer, servant, or agent of a club (including without limitation any coach, assistant coach, trainer, medical officer, runner or person entitled to enter the arena during the course of or prior to or during any break in play in any match) shall act towards or speak to any other person in a manner, or engage in any other conduct which threatens, disparages, vilifies or insults another person ("the person vilified") on the basis of that person's race, religion, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin.
(b) In the event that it is alleged that a person has contravened rule 20.9 (a) an umpire, club or player may by 5.00pm on the first working day following the day on which the contravention is alleged to have occurred, lodge a complaint in writing with the person appointed from time to time by AFL Queensland or its affiliated League as the complaints officer for the purposes of this rule.
(c) AFL Queensland or its affiliated League shall:
(i) Inform the person alleged to have contravened rule 20.9 (a) of the complaint and provide that
(ii) person with an opportunity to respond to it.
(iii) Identify and obtain written statements from any available witnesses.
(iv) Obtain video or other evidence produced through the multi media.
(v) Arrange for the complaint to be conciliated and take all steps necessary for the complaint to be conciliated.
(d) The particulars of a complaint and the conciliation shall at all times remain confidential. A person shall not publicly comment on or disseminate to any person information concerning a complaint at any time during or after the conciliation.
(e) Where AFL Queensland or its affiliated League is of the opinion that the matter has not been resolved by conciliation, AFL Queensland or its affiliated League shall:
(i) In the case of a player, refer the complaint to the Tribunal to be dealt with as a reportable offence under the Laws of Australian Football; or
(ii) In the case of any other person, refer the complaint to AFL Queensland or its affiliated League to be dealt with under the rule covering inappropriate behaviour detailed in the rules and regulations of AFL Queensland and its affiliated Leagues.
(f) Where a person alleged to have contravened rule 20.9 (a) has previously taken part in a conciliation (other than as a person vilified), AFL Queensland or its affiliated League may refer the complaint directly to the Tribunal to be dealt with as a reportable offence under the Laws of Australian Football in the case of a player, or directly to AFL Queensland Commission to be dealt with as they see fit.
(g) Any conciliation referred to in rule 20.9 (c) shall be conducted by a suitable independent person appointed by AFL Queensland or its affiliated League upon agreement between the parties.
(h) In the event that a complaint is referred to the Tribunal rule 20.9 (d), no evidence shall be given to or accepted by the Tribunal relating to anything said or done in any conciliation carried out pursuant to rule 20.9 (c).
(i) In the event that a complaints officer has not been appointed for the purposes of these rules or if appointed is for any reason unavailable to act under these rules, the complaints officer for the purpose of these rules shall be the CEO of AFL Queensland or his appointed deputy.
(j) The complaints officer shall make all reasonable efforts to ensure that conciliation of a complaint under rule 20.9 (c) is completed by 5.00pm, on the third working day following the day on which the incident is alleged to have occurred.
(k) In any case where the complaints officer determines to refer the complaint to the affiliated League’s Tribunal or AFL Queensland, the complaint shall be referred in time for the affiliated League’s Tribunal or AFL Queensland as the case may be, to deal with it within 48 hours of any cessation in the conciliation process following the day on which the incident is alleged to have occurred.
(l) Any time limit for the doing of anything referred to in this rule may be extended by AFL Queensland or its affiliated League if in the opinion of AFL Queensland or its affiliated League it is just and equitable to do so.
(m) In the event that a complaint under these rules, in respect of conduct engaged in by a person, is found to have been proven by the affiliated League’s Tribunal or where AFL Queensland determines that a person, the subject of a complaint, has been involved in conduct which is unbecoming or prejudicial to the interests of the affiliated League, the club employing, engaging or otherwise associated with the person at the time of the conduct shall be deemed to be vicariously liable for the conduct of the person and shall pay to the League a penalty determined by AFL Queensland or its affiliated League.
(n) Rule 20.9 (m) does not apply to a contravention by a person if, in the opinion of AFL Queensland or its affiliated League the club took all reasonable steps to prevent persons employed, engaged or otherwise associated with the club from engaging in the conduct which contravened the vilification rules.
(o) Where a matter is resolved by conciliation the only public statement that shall be made concerning a complaint and its resolution shall be that agreed upon by the parties.
AFL QUEENSLAND SOCIAL NETWORKING SITE POLICY
AFL Queensland is concerned about the increasing number of complaints being made about the unacceptable use of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and other social networking sites by people involved as players or officials with AFL Queensland.
There are examples where the sites have been used to bully footballers, to criticise umpires and to make racist or sexist remarks about other participants. This type of behaviour is totally unacceptable in Australian Football and will not be tolerated.
Many of the remarks are being made by the posters believing that, because those remarks can only be seen by people they have accepted as friends on their pages, they will not be made public. Fortunately, there are enough decent people around who bring this type of behaviour to the attention of AFL clubs, AFL Leagues and AFL Queensland. This occurs even when the posts are made by friends because those people recognise the harm and distress this type of behaviour can generate.
Under AFL Queensland’s, Reports and Tribunals regulations, behaviour which is unacceptable can be brought to a Tribunal even if the behaviour did not occur on the field. As long as an incident is Australian Football related, the Tribunal can deal with it.
AFL Queensland will have no hesitation in referring to the Tribunal the misuse of social networking sites, if the misuse relates to Australian Football that is under the jurisdiction of AFL Queensland.
AFL Queensland Racial & Religious Vilification Policy
QAFL Rule 20.7 - Racial & Religious Vilification
(a) No player in his capacity as a player of a club or, in the course of carrying out his duties or functions as or incidental to a player of a club or any director, officer, servant, or agent of a club (including without limitation any coach, assistant coach, trainer, medical officer, runner or person entitled to enter the arena during the course of or prior to or during any break in play in any match) shall act towards or speak to any other person in a manner, or engage in any other conduct which threatens, disparages, vilifies or insults another person ("the person vilified") on the basis of that person's race, religion, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin.
(b) In the event that it is alleged that a person has contravened rule 20.9 (a) an umpire, club or player may by 5.00pm on the first working day following the day on which the contravention is alleged to have occurred, lodge a complaint in writing with the person appointed from time to time by AFL Queensland or its affiliated League as the complaints officer for the purposes of this rule.
(c) AFL Queensland or its affiliated League shall:
(i) Inform the person alleged to have contravened rule 20.9 (a) of the complaint and provide that
(ii) person with an opportunity to respond to it.
(iii) Identify and obtain written statements from any available witnesses.
(iv) Obtain video or other evidence produced through the multi media.
(v) Arrange for the complaint to be conciliated and take all steps necessary for the complaint to be conciliated.
(d) The particulars of a complaint and the conciliation shall at all times remain confidential. A person shall not publicly comment on or disseminate to any person information concerning a complaint at any time during or after the conciliation.
(e) Where AFL Queensland or its affiliated League is of the opinion that the matter has not been resolved by conciliation, AFL Queensland or its affiliated League shall:
(i) In the case of a player, refer the complaint to the Tribunal to be dealt with as a reportable offence under the Laws of Australian Football; or
(ii) In the case of any other person, refer the complaint to AFL Queensland or its affiliated League to be dealt with under the rule covering inappropriate behaviour detailed in the rules and regulations of AFL Queensland and its affiliated Leagues.
(f) Where a person alleged to have contravened rule 20.9 (a) has previously taken part in a conciliation (other than as a person vilified), AFL Queensland or its affiliated League may refer the complaint directly to the Tribunal to be dealt with as a reportable offence under the Laws of Australian Football in the case of a player, or directly to AFL Queensland Commission to be dealt with as they see fit.
(g) Any conciliation referred to in rule 20.9 (c) shall be conducted by a suitable independent person appointed by AFL Queensland or its affiliated League upon agreement between the parties.
(h) In the event that a complaint is referred to the Tribunal rule 20.9 (d), no evidence shall be given to or accepted by the Tribunal relating to anything said or done in any conciliation carried out pursuant to rule 20.9 (c).
(i) In the event that a complaints officer has not been appointed for the purposes of these rules or if appointed is for any reason unavailable to act under these rules, the complaints officer for the purpose of these rules shall be the CEO of AFL Queensland or his appointed deputy.
(j) The complaints officer shall make all reasonable efforts to ensure that conciliation of a complaint under rule 20.9 (c) is completed by 5.00pm, on the third working day following the day on which the incident is alleged to have occurred.
(k) In any case where the complaints officer determines to refer the complaint to the affiliated League’s Tribunal or AFL Queensland, the complaint shall be referred in time for the affiliated League’s Tribunal or AFL Queensland as the case may be, to deal with it within 48 hours of any cessation in the conciliation process following the day on which the incident is alleged to have occurred.
(l) Any time limit for the doing of anything referred to in this rule may be extended by AFL Queensland or its affiliated League if in the opinion of AFL Queensland or its affiliated League it is just and equitable to do so.
(m) In the event that a complaint under these rules, in respect of conduct engaged in by a person, is found to have been proven by the affiliated League’s Tribunal or where AFL Queensland determines that a person, the subject of a complaint, has been involved in conduct which is unbecoming or prejudicial to the interests of the affiliated League, the club employing, engaging or otherwise associated with the person at the time of the conduct shall be deemed to be vicariously liable for the conduct of the person and shall pay to the League a penalty determined by AFL Queensland or its affiliated League.
(n) Rule 20.9 (m) does not apply to a contravention by a person if, in the opinion of AFL Queensland or its affiliated League the club took all reasonable steps to prevent persons employed, engaged or otherwise associated with the club from engaging in the conduct which contravened the vilification rules.
(o) Where a matter is resolved by conciliation the only public statement that shall be made concerning a complaint and its resolution shall be that agreed upon by the parties.
