ETHICS POLICY1.06 Suspension (moved from by-laws)
A. Team: Any member team can be suspended by the Council or the Board from any on-field participation for failure to pay its sponsor fee or for any other debt(s) to the League. Suspension may be appealed by the member to the Managers Council at any Council meeting.
B. Member:
1. Non-payment of dues or any other debts to the League constitutes automatic suspension.
2. Non-payment of debts owed to a member team.
3. Conduct on the field unbecoming of a good sport.
1.06.01 Ethics:
Purpose of the SFAAA Ethics Policy
Playing softball and attending SFAAA League functions as defined in Section 4 of this document, are a privilege as a SFAAA member. As part of that privilege, each member should be responsible for his/her own ethical behavior and the display of good sportsmanship. To ensure that all members can attend any League event in a competitive yet enjoyable environment, this policy identifies the behavior that has been defined as unacceptable and which will be reported and investigated as an ethics violation. It also defines the associated penalties should an offending member be found to be in violation of.
1.Un-sportsman like Conduct
Defined as the following, but not limited to:
· Unwarranted profanity or profane gestures
· Unnecessary throwing of objects in anger or retaliation
· Unsolicited demeaning or prejudicial comments, or derogatory racial slurs, directed at another player, umpire, park staff, Board or League member, or spectator
· Harassing or intimidating SFAAA Board members
· Harassing, intimidating, or arguing with umpires or park staff
· Harassing or intimidating League players by SFAAA Board members
First Offense: Verbal / Written warning
Second Offense: One (1) game suspension of the next scheduled game
Third Offense: Five (5) game suspension of the next five (5) scheduled games / review players eligibility to play in the World Series
Notes: Suspensions do not apply to out-of-town tournaments other than the World Series.
The Ethics Committee will make the determination if a suspension should carry over to the following season, if the current season ends before a player’s game suspension is completed.
Fourth Offense: One (1) calendar year suspension from date of offense
2. Physical Fighting
Defined as unwanted physical contact, which could include pushing or striking another.
It is the responsibility of the game umpires to document noted infractions on the scorecard. A copy of the notation will then be provided to the Board, where a copy will be maintained by the League secretary for tracking purposes.
First Offense: Immediate ejection from the game and a five (5) game suspension of the next five (5) scheduled games
Note: Ethics Committee to review and recommend to Board if player should be eligible for World Series
Second Offense: Lifetime expulsion from League play
Note: The two notes applying to out-of-town tournament and suspension carry over, as stated in Section 2 above, apply to this Section as well.
3. Definition of a League Function
A League function is defined as follows, but is not limited to participation or attendance in:
· League games
· League approved after game parties
· League picnics or other approved social events
Tournaments or World Series events whenever a member is representing the SFAAA League
4. Spectators (Non-League members attending games)
While the League appreciates non-playing members enjoying the game play, the spectators will be held to a standard of conduct consistent with good sportsmanship. If inappropriate behavior of fighting creates a hinder to game play, the umpire can give verbal warning to the Manager of the team in which the spectator is supporting. If the conduct continues, the spectator will be asked to leave the park.
Recommended Penalties
The penalties for each type of Ethics violation, listed in Sections 2 and 3 of this document, are merely the recommended penalties for each level of offense. Depending upon special or unusual circumstances regarding the reported ethics violation and any supporting evidence such as statements from umpires, players, and/or witnesses, the Ethics Committee may impose lesser or more severe penalties not to exceed the severity of penalties as defined in this Ethics Policy.
It is the responsibility of the Ethics Committee to check previous infractions to verify the appropriate level of the penalty. The actual penalty determined by the Ethics Committee will be recorded in the appropriate section on the EIR and will be communicated to the SFAAA Board and the affected League Member(s) by the Committee Chairperson, within 72 hours of the Committee’s final determination.
The Ethics Committee is the absolute authority in determining the final resolution (either disciplinary action or dismissal as a non-violation), of a reported ethics violation. Once a determination has been made by a majority of the committee members and is communicated to the affected individuals, if there is any disagreement with that determination, it should be addressed in an appeal as defined in Section 9 of this Policy.
Notes: If an individual or team is fined at the World Series, they will be responsible for paying the fine(s) unless the Manager’s Council or League membership votes otherwise.
Merely reporting an ethics violation is not cause for a player to be suspended from playing in any game or attending a League function. The exception being, if the player was ejected from the game or tournament by an umpire or tournament official.
5. Methods to Report Ethics Violations
Any SFAAA League member can report an ethics violation as defined in this Policy. When practical, a League member should report an ethics violation within 72 hours after becoming aware of the incident. Reported violations shall be done in either written (paper) or electronic (e-mail) format. The violation should address the type of ethics violation and the supporting facts that are available at the time the violation is reported. The violation can be reported to any active SFAAA Board Member, a player’s Manager or Coach, or directly to a member of the Ethic’s Committee.
The Ethics Committee Chairperson shall open an Ethics Incident Report (EIR) within 24 hours of being notified of a reported violation and also within that time frame, notify the SFAAA Board members that the EIR has been opened.
The Ethics Committee shall make every effort to review the incident and if determined to be a violation as defined by this policy, complete the investigation in a timely manner, not to exceed seven business days. If circumstances such as NAGAAA issues. prevent the committee from completing their review within that time, the Committee Chairperson will notify the involved parties and the SFAAA Board Chairperson within 24 hours.
Under no circumstances should any League member, engage in a confrontation or intimidation tactics with anyone involved in either reporting or witnessing the incident or any subsequent investigation of the incident. Such confrontation would include physical acts, verbal, written or electronic (e-mail) comments, and any such actions may result in the initiation of a separate un-sportsman like violation. Reporting members should only describe the facts related to the reported violation and should not attempt to sway or influence any member of the Ethics Committee or other League members who may be involved or who are identified as witnesses to the incident.
6. Ethics Committee Installation
The Board will have the Ethics Committee assigned and in place, prior to the first day of game play for each season. It should be noted that no member of the Ethic’s Committee would be permitted to voice a vote in any offense involving themselves or their team.
7. Disciplinary Review Process
Any League member has the right to appeal any disciplinary action to the Board. The members of the Board reserve the right to have the final decision in any disciplinary action, which would include any recommendations made by the Ethics Committee. The Board will respond to any appeals within 48 hours.
1.07
Expulsion:
A) Team: A team that forfeits three (3) games is no longer eligible to participate in the League for that season.
1. Eligible players from a team that is no longer eligible to play in the League may change teams subject to a majority vote approval of this change by the Managers Council.
2. All eligible players from such dissolved teams retain all League privileges regardless of whether they join another team.
3. When a team forfeits out of a regular season, all games played by that team will be eliminated from the standings and a new Win/Loss standing will be determined.
4. As determined by the Board each season, a fine may be assessed in an amount determined by the Board for each forfeited game. In order for that team to play their next scheduled game they must pay the fee to the Treasurer before their next game. After payment, appeals to overturn the fee only may be made to the Ethics committee.
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