Rules of Behaviour for Participants at OFSAA Championships
- Any Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) Championship must attempt to achieve a standard of organizational and educational excellence which will serve to place it beyond reproach in either area.
- A school athlete jointly represents both school and association when attending an OFSAA championship. This consequently confers a responsibility upon them during the time of absence from school. This responsibility assumes greater meaning when individual teacher-coaches instruct their competitors in the degree of importance attached to it. The following principles and rules will therefore apply to all OFSAA Championships, and are in addition to the OFSAA Standing Rules (Playing Regulations) and Governing Rules of athletic contests:
- The teacher-coach must prepare participants with regard to the behaviour expected of them at the Championship.
- The teacher-coach bears the responsibility for supervising his or her athletes for the entire period during which they are absent from school or home. If the coach of a team is of the opposite sex, a suitable adult chaperone of the same sex, as approved by the principal of the school, must be present and on-site for the duration of the Championships [Reference By-Law 6 – Section 1(c)].
- The consumption of any alcoholic beverages by student participants, whether of legal drinking age or not, at any time during an OFSAA Championship, is expressly forbidden. Up to and including 18 years of age, drinking is illegal, plain and simple. Although 19 year-olds have the legal right to drink, they have, in view of the circumstances, the responsibility of abstaining – a responsibility which, in value, far outweighs any immediate gain that an individual might perceive as accruing to himself or herself as a result of exercising this right.
- Drugs, other than medication prescribed by a medical doctor for a specific competitor, are expressly forbidden.
- All participants will deport themselves in a manner becoming representatives of their school association and OFSAA while attending a Federation Championship. Attention must be paid to:
- Respect for others - all participants have the right to freedom from harassment (as defined by the Canadian Human Rights Commission), equal treatment without discrimination based on race, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, creed, physical or mental ability, sexual orientation, or sex;
- Respect for property;
- Conduct;
- Language;
- Dress.
- Participants staying in tournament accommodations are expected to respect the right of others to undisturbed rest. Those who create disturbance in rooms or corridors after a reasonable hour will be subject to disciplinary measures. Student-athletes are expected to observe any curfew imposed by the OFSAA convenor at the Championship.
- All schools entering a Federation Championship shall, by signature of the school principal on the Championship Entry Form, acknowledge responsibility for making restitution for damage resulting from misconduct of their participants. [Reference By-Law 6 – Section 2 (f)].
Procedure
- Actions contrary to these rules shall be referred to the Competition Committee, which shall investigate the matter and decide on the penalty, if any, to be assessed. A report of the matter in question, and penalty, if any imposed, shall be sent to the principal of the school and the appropriate association representative. The report will also be forwarded to the Board of Reference - Sanctions where further action may be taken and/or penalties imposed.