The Full Code of Conduct (SBA By-Law 001 - Code of Conduct) can be viewed on the website
All Individuals Code of Conduct:
1. All Individuals have a responsibility to:
a. Maintain and enhance the dignity and self-esteem of club members and other individuals by:
i. Demonstrating respect to individuals regardless of body type, physical characteristics, athletic ability, gender, ancestry, colour, ethnic or racial origin, nationality, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, religion, religious belief, political belief, disability, or economic status;
ii. Focusing comments or criticism appropriately and avoiding public criticism of athletes, coaches, officials, organizers, volunteers, employees, and members;
iii. Consistently demonstrating the spirit of sportsmanship, sport leadership, and ethical conduct;
iv. Acting, when appropriate, to prevent or correct practices that are unjustly discriminatory;
v. Consistently treating individuals fairly and reasonably;
vi. Ensuring adherence to the rules of basketball and the spirit of those rules.
b. Refrain from any behaviour that constitutes harassment, where harassment is defined as comment or conduct directed towards an individual or group, which is offensive, abusive, racist, sexist, degrading, or malicious. Types of behaviour that constitute harassment include, but are not limited to:
i. Written or verbal abuse, threats, or outburst;
ii. Displaying visual material which is offensive or which one ought to know is offensive in the circumstances;
iii. Unwelcome remarks, jokes, comments, innuendo, or taunts;
iv. Leering or other suggestive or obscene gestures;
v. Condescending or patronizing behaviour which is intended to undermine self-esteem, diminish performance or adversely affect working conditions;
vi. Practical jokes which cause awkwardness or embarrassment, endanger a person’s safety, or negatively affect performance;
vii. Any form of hazing where hazing is defined as “Any potentially humiliating, degrading, abusive, or dangerous activity expected of a junior-ranking participant by a more senior person, which does not contribute to either’s positive development, but is required to be accepted as part of a team, regardless of the junior-ranking person’s willingness to participate. This includes, but is not limited to, any activity, no matter how traditional or seemingly benign, that sets apart or alienates any teammate based on class, number of years on the team, or athletic ability.”
viii. Unwanted physical contact including, but not limited to, touching, petting, pinching, or kissing;
ix. Unwelcome sexual flirtations, advances, requests, or invitations;
x. Physical or sexual assault;
xi. Behaviours such as those described above that are not directed towards a specific individual or group but have the same effect of creating a negative or hostile environment;
xii. Retaliation or threats of retaliation against an individual who reports harassment to the club.
c. Refrain from any behaviour that constitutes sexual harassment, where sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual comments and sexual advances, requests for sexual favours, or conduct of a sexual nature. Types of behaviour that constitute sexual harassment include, but are not limited to:
i. Sexist jokes;
ii. Displaying sexually offensive material;
iii. Sexually degrading words used to describe a person;
iv. Inquiries or comments about a person’s sex life;
v. Unwelcome sexual flirtations, advances, or propositions;
vi. Persistent unwanted contact.
d. Abstain from the non-medical use of drugs or the use of performance-enhancing drugs or methods. More specifically, the club adopts and adheres to the Canadian Anti-Doping Program. Any infraction under this program shall be considered an infraction of this Code and shall be subject to disciplinary action, and possible sanction. The club will respect any penalty enacted pursuant to a breach of the Canadian Anti-Doping Program, whether imposed by the Ontario Basketball Association, Canada Basketball, or any other sport organization.
e. Refrain from associating with any person for the purpose of coaching, training, competition, instruction, administration, management, athletic development or supervision of the sport of competitive basketball, who has incurred an anti-doping rule violation and is serving a sanction involving a period of ineligibility imposed pursuant to the Canadian Anti-Doping Program and/or the World Anti-Doping Code and recognized by the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES).
f. Refrain from the use of power or authority in an attempt to coerce another person to engage in inappropriate activities.
g. In the case of adults, avoid consuming alcohol in situations where minors are present, and take reasonable steps to manage the responsible consumption of alcoholic beverages in adult-oriented social situations associated with club events.
h. Respect the property of others and not willfully cause damage.
i. Promote basketball in the most constructive and positive manner possible.
j. Adhere to all federal, provincial, municipal, and host country laws.
k. Comply at all times with the bylaws, policies, procedures, rules and regulations of the club, as adopted and amended from time to time.
Athlete Code of Conduct:
1. In addition to the paragraph above of the Code of Conduct, athletes will have additional responsibilities to:
a. Report any medical problems in a timely fashion, where such problems may limit the athlete’s ability to travel, train or compete
b. Participate and appear on time, well-nourished and prepared to participate to one’s best abilities in all competitions, practices, training sessions, events, activities, or projects
c. Properly represent oneself and not attempt to enter a competition for which one is not eligible, by reason of age, classification, or other reason
d. Adhere to the club’s rules and requirements regarding clothing and equipment
e. Never ridicule a participant for a poor performance or practice
f. Act in a sportsmanlike manner and not display appearances of violence, foul language, or gestures to other players, officials, coaches, or spectators
g. Dress in a manner representative of the club with focus being on neatness, cleanliness, and discretion.
h. Act in accordance with the club’s policies and procedures and, when applicable, additional rules as outlined by coaches or chaperones
i. Participate because you want to, not just because parents or coaches want you to.
j. Play the game for the game’s sake. Be generous when I win and be gracious when you lose.
k. Play by the rules of basketball and in the spirit of the game.
l. Control your temper and understand that fighting and “mouthing off” can spoil the game for everybody and is unacceptable.
m. Respect your opponents.
n. Do your best to be a true team player and work for the good of the team.
o. Remember that having fun, improving skills, making friends and doing my best are more important than just winning games.
p. Remember that coaches and officials are there to help me and accept their decisions and show them respect.
q. Acknowledge all good plays / performances – those of your team and of your opponents.
Parents/Guardians and Spectators
1. In addition to paragraph 6 of the Code of Conduct (above), parents/guardians of individuals and spectators at events will:
a. Encourage athletes to play by the rules and resolve conflicts without resorting to hostility or violence
b. Never ridicule a participant for a poor performance or practice
c. Respect the decisions and judgments of officials and encourage athletes to do the same
d. Not question the judgment or honesty of an official or a club staff or board member
e. Respect and show appreciation to all competitors and to the coaches, officials, and other volunteers who give their time to the sport
f. Keep off of the competition area and not interfere with events or calls
g. Not force your child or others to participate in basketball.
h. Remember that children play organized sports for their own fun and benefit. They are not there to entertain, and they are NOT miniature professional athletes.
i. Explain the importance of “Fair Play” to your child and their coach along with others involved in basketball.
j. Encourage your child to play by the rules and to resolve conflicts without resorting to hostility or violence.
k. Teach your child that doing one’s best is as important as winning, so your child will never feel defeated by the outcome of the game.
l. Make your child feel like a winner every time by offering praise for competing fairly and trying hard.
m. Never ridicule or yell at your child or coach for making a mistake or losing a game.
n. Remember that children learn best by example and will applaud good plays by the home team and the visiting team.
o. Be on your best behaviour at all times and will not use profane language or harass players, coaches, referees, administrators, volunteers or the opposing team.
p. Never question the referee or coach’s judgment or honesty in public and will respect their decisions and involvement in my child’s development.
q. Show respect for the visiting team – without them there would be no game.
r. Make involvement in this basketball program for your child and others a positive experience.
s. Condemn the use of violence and verbal abuse in all forms.
t. Encourage players always to play according to the rules of basketball.
u. Attempt to relieve the pressure of competition, not increase it. A child is easily affected by outside influences.
1. Conduct that violates this Code may be subject to sanctions from the club, Ontario Basketball Association, or Canada Basketball.