It is recommended that all clubs adopted these ‘best practice policies’ in accordance with their rules/constitutions as they are required to do so.

Template wording has been provided to help clubs do this.

Resources

• Board Adoption and Participation Agreement Wording

If a club’s constitution complaint handling process is out of step with these policies, it is recommended that clubs review their constitution and adopt the policies.

If a club chooses not to adopt the policies and decides to follow the process outlined in its constitution, this may limit the support that Bowls SA and Bowls Australia can provide. 

It should be noted, that clubs should not be handling complaints that are potentially within the scope of the NIF in the first instance.

Resources

Model Club Constitution

• Bowls SA is currently reviewing the Model Club Constitution and will factor these best practice policies into the template constitution.
• This template will be released once the review has been completed, which is anticipated in time for club AGMs in 2023.

For clubs who have to deal with a complaint, the following tips have been provided.

1.      Understanding Conflict of Interest

Understanding your “conflict of interest” or the “perceived conflict of interest” before you start to manage a complaint can help reduce the likelihood of the complaint escalating even more so. To understand more about “conflict of interest” click here.

2.      Understanding Natural Justice

Two words that are used extensively and often misused in disciplinary matters, are the words “natural justice”. (What is Natural Justice?, Play by the Rules website, 19 July 2022). It incorporates the following principles:

• both the Complainant and the Respondent must know the full details of what is being said against them and have the opportunity to respond;
• all relevant submissions must be considered;
• no person may judge their own case;
• the decision maker/s must be unbiased, fair and just;
• the penalties imposed must be fair.

For more information about ‘natural justice’, please review the information provided on the Play by the Rules website.

3.      Documentation is Key

As soon as an issue starts to develop, it is vital that clubs document all relevant actions and communication relating to the issue. Key points to document include but is not limited to:

• Relevant interactions – in person or via phone
• Emails or other correspondence
• Meetings – both formal and informal
• Key information such as:
  • Date
  • Who attended
  • Overview of conversation or matters discussed
  • Follow up actions
  • Any supporting information

It is also important to keep a database of incidents, complaints and outcomes. This database should include:

• The Alleged Breach;
• The Complainant;
• The Respondent;
• The Process;
• The Outcome;
• Any Sanctions and/or Provisional Action imposed.

It is important that records must be maintained in a secure and confidential place.

Resources

The following templates have been created to help clubs to document issues

• Incident Investigation Template
• Incident Database

4.      Unsure, Seek Advice

If there is an issue of concern occurring at your club and you are not sure how to address it, clubs are encouraged to reach out for support. Both Bowls SA staff and the South Australian-based Regional Bowls Managers are here to help. Speak up before it is too late.

Bowls SA Staff

• A number of the Bowls SA staff are qualified Member Protection Information Officers who are there to discuss problems at your club/association, particularly if someone is considering making a formal complaint.
• Where an issue is complex and sits outside the scope of these policies, Bowls SA can seek legal support through its own solicitor or Bowls Australia legal team.

Bowls Australia Regional Bowls Managers

• Regional Bowls Managers (RBMs) work closely with Bowls SA to support clubs with the issues surrounding each club in their area.

5.      Undertake training in how to deal with complaints

Play by the Rules provides information, resources, tools and free online training to administrators, coaches, officials, players, parents and spectators to assist them in preventing and dealing with discrimination, harassment, inclusion and integrity issues in sport.

Bowls SA recommends that all Club Board/Committee members undertake the free complaint handling course in conjunction with Play by the Rules and Sport Integrity Australia.

Setting a penalty for a breach can be tricky. What one person believes is suitable and fair, may not be the case for another. This can occur for a number of reasons including the fact that most volunteers do not have to deal with these matters often and have little access to precedent.

For this reason, Bowls SA has developed Disciplinary Guidelines. These guidelines have been developed:

• To create some consistency on what a suitable penalty for particular breaches
• In line with:
  • The new national Sports Tribunal Policies 
  • Other national guidelines in the bowls community
• It notes the different policies and legislation at play

The Guidelines are accessible via the Policy page of the Bowls SA website.

Integrity eLearning

Sport Integrity Australia eLearning offers a number of online courses relating to sport integrity, including child safeguarding, doping, match-fixing, illicit drugs and ethical decision-making courses.  There is also a new course specifically about the National Integrity Framework.

Bowls SA recommends that all Club Boards/Committee members undertake these free courses, especially those to do with the National Integrity Framework, Child Safeguarding and ethical decision-making

Specific anti-doping courses are also available for coaches, support persons, medical practitioners and parents. Bowls SA athletes, coaches, support persons, medical practitioners and parents who are required to complete this education can submit their ‘eLearning certificate’ here [create formidable form and link]

Sport Integrity app

The Sport Integrity app is a one-stop shop for all sport integrity needs, downloaded by more than 50,000 Australian athletes and support staff.

The app allows users to check whether their medications are banned in sport, find low risk supplements to reduce their change of testing positive accidentally, and check whether they need a Therapeutic Use Exemption. The app also provides direction on how to raise concerns about things like doping, match-fixing, harassment or illicit drug use. It features further information on eLearning modules, whereabouts and testing information and gives users the opportunity to provide feedback to Sport Integrity Australia.

The app is free and can be downloaded from the Apple and Android app stores.

Prohibited List of substances and methods

The Prohibited List outlines the substances and methods that are prohibited in sport. It is updated annually by the World Anti-Doping Agency. Remember that individual products or brands are not named on the Prohibited List. Athletes should check the status of all medications before they use them on GlobalDRO.

Checking your substances

Global DRO allows users to check whether the most commonly prescribed and over-the-counter medicines in Australia are permitted or prohibited in sport.

If an athlete requires use of a prohibited substance to treat a medical condition, the athlete needs to be aware of the Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) requirements. For more information on a Therapeutic Use Exemption visit Sport Integrity Australia’s website.

Stay up to date on social media

Keep up to date with all that is happening in sport integrity by following Sport Integrity Australia on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or listen to On Side, the official podcast of Sport Integrity Australia.

Additional points to consider adding are:

Ian tells me a “complaint” is defined as where a person finds something is unsatisfactory or unacceptable: ie a breach of any policy or code of conduct.

Ian says a “dispute” is defined as the hearing of the complaint – generally between 2 parties the complainant and the respondent.