Intramural Code of Conduct

Purpose

The spirit of intramural sports is to provide an outlet for physical activity, further the sense of community and support health and well-being among students. Intramural sports should be a safe and supportive environment for those who choose to participate. This code outlines how the program will be administered, along with participant responsibilities and general conduct. Intramural participants are expected to treat teammates, opponents and officials with respect and dignity as specified in the FAIR PLAY guidelines and the Intramural philosophy of fun for all.

All who participate in the Intramural program are bound by the details of the Intramural Code of Conduct, the Wilfrid Laurier University Non-Academic Student Code of Conduct (12.3), the Fair Play Code and the Intramural Captains’ Manual. Participants of the AWC leagues are also bound by the Residence Code of Conduct.

Inclusion

Wilfrid Laurier University Athletics and Recreation recognizes and celebrates the diverse student population among its players and encourages students to participate in intramural sports based on their expressed gender identity.

Wilfrid Laurier University Athletics and Recreation department has a Zero Tolerance Policy with regards to discriminatory behaviours of any kind. This includes any language or gesture that a participant finds offensive or disrespectful. Offending individuals will be held responsible for this behaviour regardless of the intent. If a participant understands a behaviour as discriminatory in any way, an investigation will be immediately launched.

Fair Play Code

Everyone who uses the Athletic Complex is bound by the fair play code. The code states that everyone who uses the facility should demonstrate respect for others, respect the facility, share equipment and space, maintain self-control, and contribute to the betterment of experiences at the facility. Strikes and penalties can also be issues for infractions as outlined below. Penalties may include a suspension from play and processes outlined by various codes which the participant is bound by.

The fair play system is generally based on a three-strike philosophy and may be issued at the discretion of league administration. Strikes are allocated in the following manner:

1st Strike (X) – League Convenor sends an e-mail to the team captain informing them that his/her team has received a strike against them. On the first strike, half of the fair play bond is forfeited.
2nd Strike (X) - The second strike against a team warrants a meeting between the team captain and league administration. In most cases, the second half of the team’s bond money will be forfeited, the seriousness of the situation and future participation will be discussed. If the full bond has been forfeited, teams will be required to pay a second performance bond to continue participating in the league.
3rd Strike (X) - The third strike against a team will result in automatic ejection from the league, loss of all remaining bond money and a meeting with the Sport Program Coordinator and Manager of Recreation to determine the appropriate discipline and future implications for the team.

Performance Bonds

Performance bonds are refundable deposits that are collected as part of the registration fee otherwise known as ‘bond money’ and will be returned at the end of the season, minus any penalties incurred, at the request of each captain. Bond money can be forfeited for any fair play code infraction, for defaulting games and during other disciplinary measures. Only team captains or those that paid the bond shall be able to receive returned bond money. Teams must decide themselves how they wish to divide up bond money distribution. Any money that is not picked up by the specified pick-up deadline will be forfeited.

Game Defaults

Intramural teams are expected to attend their scheduled game with the minimum required players for that sport. If a team is expecting to not have the minimum number of players or is unable to attend their scheduled game, the team is required to provide a minimum of 48 hours notice to the league convenor in order to keep their bond money. Teams that are unable to field a team, are charged with a default. Refer to sport-specific rules for the minimum number of players required for each sport. When 48 hours notice are not provided the result will be the following:

First offence - will result in a default loss and forfeiture of half the bond money paid.
Second offence - will result in a default loss, forfeiture of the remaining half of the bond and immediate removal from the league. Teams can be reinstated through a meeting with the Recreation Sport Programs Coordinator and payment of another performance bond.
Third offence - will result in immediate removal from the league and the forfeiture of the full performance bond.

League Discipline

When disciplinary action is warranted, it will be administered by the following processes:

Intramural administration (i.e., Recreation Sport Programs Coordinator) will administer disciplinary procedures in accordance with this code. The Recreation Sport Coordinator can escalate incidents to other entities such as the Dean of Students Office or Department of Residence when necessary.
If a disciplinary issue has been brought to the attention of any entity, the participant involved will be considered indefinitely suspended from all leagues until a decision has been made.
Discipline can fall into one or more of the following categories: team infractions, individual infractions and repeat offender infractions.
If a player has been suspended from one intramural sports league, they may not participate in any other leagues until the suspension has been served in that league.

Team Infractions

Team infractions are related to the operations of the team or when the individual actor cannot be identified. These infractions extend to coaches and other individuals affiliated with the team (i.e., a spectator). These will usually result in a 50% or 100% forfeiture of the team's performance bond, and may include in a game forfeiture. For offences that would constitute an individual infraction of Class 2 or above, the penalty will likely also include the removal of a team from play until the perpetrator has been identified. The following represent team infractions:

Missing the captain’s meeting
Defaulting a game for not enough players or not providing enough advance notice to the convenor
Playing an ineligible player (may also enforce an individual penalty)
Late roster submissions
Players getting involved in an incident, and when these players cannot be identified by name
Failure to clean up litter, garbage or other items like water bottles or athletic tape after a game
Any sort of facility vandalism (will also enforce individual penalties)
Wearing an inappropriate uniform or article of clothing as outlined in the captain’s manual
Failure to perform request by the convenor and league. These may include duties such as fairly keeping score or responding to an eligibility check
An action by a team or player that league administration considers to be a travesty of sport
Any evidence of drug / alcohol that consumed at an intramural venue (including those offsite).
- In this case, the team will be responsible for any fines incurred by the department
Failing to adhere to the Fair Play Code
Failing to adhere to the Student Code of Conduct

Individual Infractions

Individual infractions occur when an individual commits an offence that is classified into one of the categories below. Multiple people who are involved in the same incident may be assigned individual infractions. Individual infractions will usually result in intramural-specific sanctions and the partial forfeiture of the team’s performance bond. They may also involve escalation to another entity, such as the Dean of Students Office. Individual infractions fall into one of 5 classifications. Examples of penalties are provided below:

Class 1 (Minimum 1 Game Suspension)

Relatively minor but warranting some disciplinary action. These are characterized by no intent to injure or cause harm; however, the player has been disruptive and / or disrespectful to a staff, opponents, or the department.

Excessive questioning or arguing with referees, convenor, or facility staff
Offensive language directed towards an opponent (i.e., swearing at an opponent)
Failure to follow basic facility rules
Throwing an object onto the playing surface (not directed at another person)
Pushing or enacting physical force on someone that it outside of the regular rules of play
Multiple sport-specific minor penalties in a game (e.g., 3 Yellow Cards, 3 minor penalties)
Sport-specific major penalties (e.g., Red Card, Technical Foul, 5 Minute Major, Game Ejection)

Class 2 (Minimum 3 Game Suspension)

Inappropriate incidents that warrant disciplinary action due to the level of disruption or potential harm the action may have caused

Striking an opponent (not a fight)
Checking from behind
Verbal abuse of referees or staff
Offensive language directed towards an opponent that is deemed more vulgar than a Class 1
Squirting someone with a water bottle
Failing to leave after ejection
Throwing an object at someone which is not considered apart of regular play (does not have to make contact)

Class 3 (Minimum 5 Game Suspension)

More serious incidents that very likely could have caused some harm to another person

Checking to the head
Fight as considered by the referees (usually when 2 or more strikes are thrown)
Head butt
Evidence of drugs, alcohol, or any inappropriate substances at an intramural venue
Playing under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or any substance not prescribed by a medical professional

Class 4 (120 Day Ban)

Very serious incidents that may also warrant the student(s) involved to be reported to the Dean of the Students Office in accordance with the Wilfrid Laurier University Non-Academic Student Code of Conduct (12.3)

Facility vandalism
Playing while suspended
Spitting on an opponent
Discriminatory slurs
Intentionally using equipment to strike the head of a participant
Instigator in a fight
Getting involved in a fight or altercation as the 3^rd person or more – also referred to as ‘3^rd man in’

Class 5 (365 Day Ban)

Very serious incidents that will also warrant a report to the Dean of the Students Office in accordance with the Wilfrid Laurier University Non-Academic Student Code of Conduct (12.3)

Intent to injure
Physical abuse of referee or other athletics and recreation staff
Continuing fight after an advantage has been gained
Leaving the bench to join a fight or altercation

Notes:
*Each class represents a minimum suspension and harsher penalties may be assigned if the league administration deems warranted.
**Individuals who commit more then one infraction in a season are considered repeated offenders and the class of the infraction will automatically be increased (e.g., from Class 1 to 2). When the infraction pertains to a repeat offender, the league administration will have discretion as to whether the remainder of the performance bond will be forfeited to ensure non-offenders are not unfairly penalized for an individual’s repeated behaviour.
***League administration will review any incidents that are reported. When incidents are not directly observed by staff it may however be difficult to issue penalties. To combat this, all incidents that are reported will still be reviewed, documented, and at minimum, warnings will be issued. When trends of inappropriate behaviour have been brought forward, action may still be taken even if the behaviour is not directly observed by staff. Trends are defined as two or more similar complaints about the same individual or team.

Appeals

All appeals must be submitted by the team Captain to the Recreation Sport Programs Coordinator within 48 hours of the disciplinary notice. Appeals may be submitted through email. Upon receipt of an appeal, the Program Coordinator will determine if the merits of the appeal are appropriate to warrant a meeting. Suspended players will remain suspended until the appeal is heard. If an appeal is warranted, a meeting will be scheduled with the team captain and appeals committee to further understand the situation. After the meetings, the appeals committee will discuss, and the Full-Time Staff Member will issue a verdict. Verdicts may include upholding the penalty, a stricter penalty, or acquitting the penalty. The structure of the appeals committee may be modified if a member reveals a potential conflict of interest, or if the members of the committee cannot meet for a time sensitive matter. The appeals committee will generally be comprised of the following members:

2 Intramural Captains
2 League Convenors
1 Full-Time Staff Member (Program Coordinator or Recreation Manager)

Appeal Process

Captain is provided with a suspension notice from the Program Coordinator.
Captain has 48 hours to review, write an appeal and submit to the Program Coordinator
When an appeal is received, the Program Coordinator will determine if there is merit for the appeal. Merit will be determined by whether the suspension issued met the criteria of the infraction and the documentation submitted to the Program Coordinator.
If the appeal will be heard, the Program Coordinator will schedule a meeting with the captain and appeal committee.
Prior to the hearing, members of the appeals committee will review the supporting documentation and prepare 1-2 potential questions for the student who committed the infraction that they can ask these at the meeting.
During the hearing, the student who committed the infraction will speak first and be able to reiterate their reasons for appealing the decision. Members of the appeal committee may then ask their questions and seek further clarification.
1. If necessary, the referee or convenor may also be called to discuss.
After the hearing, the members of the appeals committee will discuss and provide the Program Coordinator with a recommended decision (e.g., Reduce, Uphold, Provide Further Discipline)
The final verdict will be issued by the Program Coordinator to the student.

Notes:
*1 game suspensions and Fair Play Strikes are not appealable
**Appeal process in the spring / summer may be adjusted due to limited number of staff available.

Game Protests

If a Captain wishes to protest a game, he or she may launch a protest only if a misapplication of the rules occurs. Only the team captain, as outlined through registration, may protest a game.

All protests must be made in writing to an Intramural Supervisor or the Recreation Sport Programs Coordinator within 24 hours of the contest. Protests musts be sent by the team captain as indicated through the registration process to the Recreation Sport Programs Coordinator via email.
All final protest rulings will be communicated by the Recreation Sport Programs Coordinator and will be considered final.

Player Eligibility

Only registered Laurier students with a valid student ID or anyone with a facility membership and are on the roster, are eligible to participate in the Intramural program. The following eligibility rules are to be respected:

Participants may only play for ONE team per League per night
Participants may only play in ONE division within the same League during a season
Anyone on a current varsity team roster or who had used their current year of USport eligibility (according to USport rules) is ineligible for Intramural competition in their respective sport for the remainder of that school year
- E.g., Varsity soccer players are ineligible to play Intramural indoor soccer, hockey players are ineligible to play ice or ball hockey
Teams may not have more than 2 ex-varsity players on their roster
- Ex-varsity players are defined as those who have used all their eligibility or are no longer practicing with the team and have no intent to return. The player cannot have practiced or participated in a varsity function in same academic year that they wish to play intramurals
Only players on the roster (i.e., on the game sheet) with completed waivers are considered eligible players
Players must sign in with the referee prior to the start of each game. Sign in involves presenting a valid student ID to the referee or league convenor. Only players who have signed in and have presented a valid student card will be recorded as ‘played’
League participants must be recorded as ‘played’ on the game sheet for a minimum of 3 of the regular season games to be eligible for post season play for regular 10-week leagues.
- Playoff eligibility may be adjusted for leagues of differing durations (e.g., Ice Hockey, Spring/Summer leagues)

Ineligibility

Students are ineligible to participate in Intramurals if they fall into one of the following categories:

Student is suspended from Intramural play.
Student plays for a team that has been knocked out of the play-offs – i.e., the player cannot join another team that remains in play.
Student plays for a team that has been removed from the league or intramurals for any reason – i.e., the student may not join another team in the same league.

Misrepresentation

Misrepresentation occurs when a team knowingly or not uses an ineligible player in an Intramural game. Eligibility is determined according to the rules outlined in the section on player eligibility.
Any player who is not covered by these regulations or who has not received special permission from the Recreation Sport Programs Coordinator (e.g., hockey goalies) is deemed ineligible for Intramural play.
There are individual and team sanctions for misrepresentation. The minimum sanction is game forfeiture.

Playoff Structure

Playoff structure will be determined by the League Convenor of each league and there is no guarantee that all teams will make playoffs. Teams that have penalties or infractions may be deemed ineligible for playoffs. Playoff games are often scheduled based on standing; therefore, it is not always possible to accommodate game time requests.

Return to Play from Injuries

As in any sport, there is risk to injury. If an injury occurs, it will be the call of the Convenor and the player injured as to whether that player may return to play for the rest of the game. It is at the discretion of the player to decide if they are healthy enough to return to play for subsequent games. If a player is injured and staff recommend seeing a medical professional, it is the player’s responsibility to follow through with making that appointment and speaking to a professional about whether it would be safe for them to return to play.

Equipment

For the safety and protection of all participants, the following policies will be enforced:

Helmets, full facemasks (cage/plastic) and mouthguards must be worn and properly fastened for:
- Ice Hockey
- Ball hockey
Shin guards are recommended for all participants involved in all soccer leagues.
As equipment needs to be fitted to each individual and is of a personal nature, participants are expected to supply much of their own equipment.
Mouth guards are strongly encouraged for all sports
Equipment made of hard plastic (i.e., hard braces) is not permitted unless approved by the Recreation Sport Programs Coordinator
Braces must be soft
Watches are not permitted
Jewelry must be taped or removed
Glasses or lenses are permitted at the player’s own risk
Hats are not permitted for indoor sports
Brimmed hats are not permitted for outdoor sports
Soft cleats are permitted, however metal cleats are not allowed
Adhesive substances may not be applied to gloves or hands (e.g., Stickum, Glove juice, etc).

Refunds

A request for refund must be submitted to the Recreation Sport Programs Coordinator by midnight of the registration deadline. Request for refunds must indicate the reason for withdrawal from the league, the order number, and payment method. No refunds will be processed after the first day of play. If a free agent is transferred to a team other than the free agent or finds their own team to play on they shall not be eligible for refund. Free Agent fees WILL NOT be transferable to team captains who have free agents placed on their team as a service has been provided by the department.

Inclement Weather

The safety of players, employees and spectators is the primary concern in any weather event that occurs during any intramural league play. Waiting to stop play or not waiting to start play may result in serious injury or loss of life. Make up field space cannot be guaranteed for a later time or date. The activity still must end at completion of scheduled booking unless permission granted by the Athletics and Recreation Department. Facility staff are permitted to cancel any activity due to severe weather conditions at any time.

Lightning/thunder - If you hear thunder, you can get hit by lightning. As soon as thunder is heard, league administration will ask you to leave the field of play and get to a safe location. Once a rumble of thunder or sighting of lightning is heard on the outdoor field of play, players must stay inside for 30 minutes after the last rumble of thunder or sighting of lightning.
Heavy rain/sleet/snow/hail - If conditions are severe league administration will ask you to leave the field of play and get to a safe location or cancel games ahead of time.
Heavy Winds - If conditions are severe league administration will ask you to leave the field of play and get to a safe location or cancel games ahead of time.

Laurier Recreation - Waterloo Campus