DISCIPLINE AND PUNISHMENTS POLICY
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1
a No protest or complaint shall be determined by the BCGBA unless the matter has been considered by the relevant League, Association, County Association or other relevant affiliated body.
The only exceptions to this Bye Law are as follows:
(i) Where all other avenues have been exhausted, allegations of bringing the game into disrepute may be reported directly to the BCGBA.
(ii) Cases of misconduct occurring at events which are the direct responsibility of, or are directly organised by, the BCGBA.
(iii) Breaches of Bye Law 8(d) covering Open Contests.
In the three cases above, disciplinary proceedings may be instigated by the BCGBA without reference from a third party.
In all the above, the BCGBA shall, in its absolute discretion, decide whether to deal with the matter itself or refer the matter for consideration by an appropriate affiliated body.
b All questions of eligibility, qualifications of players or interpretation of the Rules shall be referred to the Management Committee.
c Protests and complaints which must contain full particulars of the grounds upon which they are founded must be lodged in duplicate with the Chief Executive, BCGBA, within 21 days after the hearing of the appeal to the County Association.
d No protest of whatever kind shall be considered by the Management Committee unless the complainant shall have deposited with the Chief Executive the sum of £100.00 which may be forfeited in whole or in part to the funds of the BCGBA. In the event of a complainant losing the case the Association shall have power to order the complainant making a losing or frivolous protest or complaint to pay the expenses of the enquiry or to order the costs to be shared between the two parties.
e Parties to a protest or complaint shall be afforded an opportunity of making a written statement to the Management Committee, shall be notified in advance the date upon which the protest or complaint is to be heard, and will be allowed the opportunity of copies of all correspondence appertaining to the protest or appeal.
f At the absolute discretion of the relevant Committee, parties to a protest or complaint may be allowed to make oral representations to the said Committee.
g An adhoc Committee consisting of three members of the Management Committee together with the President and Deputy President shall be convened to deal with questions raised under these Rules and of any disciplinary matters. The Management Committee members shall be automatically appointed in sequence from a list of all the Associations represented on the Committee. Where the list nominates for duty the representative of an Association directly involved in the matter under consideration, then that Association shall be replaced with the next listed. The aforementioned Association shall be reinserted elsewhere in the listing. The Isle of Man shall be excused on request. When exhausted the list/rota to be redrawn at random. In the absence of either the President or Deputy President, one other member of the Management Committee shall be co-opted onto the adhoc Committee. No person involved in the complaint/alleged offence, or with connections with the complainant(s)/alleged offenders or witnesses shall sit on this body.
h Any Club, League or Association who suspends a player from taking part in competitive Crown Green Bowls, shall report this fact to its County Association, who shall consider the facts of the suspension and, if the circumstances warrant it, extend the suspension to cover the area of their jurisdiction. County Associations shall report the facts of all suspensions to the BCGBA who may also extend the area of suspension, providing it is considered the circumstances warrant it. Only the adhoc Committee as indicated in 12(g) can increase or decrease the period of suspension. The Management Committee may demand the production of any books, documents or other evidence deemed necessary. Should any Club, League, Association or County Association refuse to furnish such evidence as may be required, or refuse to attend the enquiry, the Management Committee shall have power to suspend such Club, League, Association or County Association.
2 If a player makes a complaint and fails to get satisfaction from his Club, League, Association or County Association, he shall have the right to appeal to the British Crown Green Bowling Association in pursuance of rule 1.
3 Application for early reinstatement by offending Clubs or players from suspensions must be made in writing to the Secretaries of the respective County Association. Such applications (together with a report and recommendation from the County Secretary, countersigned by the Chairman), must be sent to the Chief Executive of the British Crown Green Bowling Association. Each County Association shall have the power to deal with offending players and application for reinstatement, subject to appeal to the next meeting of the Management Committee. Any Club or player under suspension for an offence other than provided for in Bye Law 11, may, on application, be reinstated at the discretion of the Management Committee.
4 No application for early reinstatement shall be entertained (except in special circumstances to be agreed by the Management Committee) from a player who has once been re-instated; this rule shall be retrospective in its action and shall apply to any member of a Club becoming affiliated as one of a number of Clubs admitted en-bloc from any particular area.
5 On misconduct being proved to the satisfaction of the Management Committee they shall have the power to
– Caution
– Reprimand
– Suspend
– Fine
– Expel
any Association, League, Club, Officer, Official, Player, Spectator or Affiliated Organisation, who shall infringe any Rule or Bye Law, or whose conduct shall, in their opinion, render him/her or them unfit for membership.
The Management Committee shall decide whether a Player, Club or Affiliated Organisation shall be dealt with first by being summoned to appear before the Management Committee to explain his/her or their conduct, and given the opportunity to advance his/her or their defence unless in the opinion of an emergency Management Committee such matters are serious enough to warrant immediate action.
In the case of misconduct meriting National Suspension or expulsion, at least two-thirds of the Management Committee then present must vote in support for suspension or expulsion. Anyone so summoned to appear before the Management Committee shall be entitled to receive notice of at least seven days, in writing by Recorded Delivery or E-mail from the Association Secretary, giving particulars of the breaches of conduct being the subject of complaint.
Where a Player and/or spectator is found guilty of infringement of any rule or Bye Law, the BCGBA Management Committee would endorse the following interpretation of the term ‘suspension’.
For the period determined appropriate by the Management Committee such player or spectator shall be suspended.
Such person MUST NOT
– 1 Play or Represent any Member Club/League/ Associations/Associate Members
Play or Represent any Affiliated Member Club/ League/Associations/Associate Members
Play or Officiate in any BCGBA Competitions, Championship or Individual Merit Competitions
For the duration of the suspension the person, club, league or Associations MUST NOT
Participate, take part, engage, join, get involved, play a part, play role, be a participant, partake, contribute, take part in any event or activity
– 2 Be an active member of any Club, Affiliated Club or Affiliated League or Associate Members within BCGBA
– 3 Be permitted to attend, organise or manage any event where crown green bowling takes place. The Management Committee when deciding the suspension may consider elements of the suspension as listed, but not limited to the above, when deciding the suspension.
Should any Individual, Member Club/League/Associations/Associate Members fail to manage compliance of the suspensions at their venues they shall be considered guilty of misconduct.
The management committee shall keep a record and notify all membership of the decisions where National Suspensions are imposed.’
6 The practice of any bowler paying a number of entry fees to enable him to achieve further progress in any competitions organised under the auspices of the BCGBA is not allowed.
LAST UPDATED – Saturday 5th March 2022