Crackdown on discrimination in Victorian sport
| 08 March 2010
Sports associations across Victoria will have to adopt a zero tolerance approach to abuse and vilification under a new code of conduct introduced by the state government.
The Victorian Code of Conduct for Community Sport is designed to crack down on discrimination, violence and ‘ugly parent syndrome’.
The state’s 16,000 community sporting clubs will have to comply with the code, or risk losing government funding.
Merlino said 84 sporting associations would need to sign up to the new code before July 1 this year, or they would not receive funding from Sport and Recreation Victoria.
“The Victorian Code of Conduct for Community Sport sends a loud and clear message – that bad behaviour, violence and intimidation has no place in community sport in our state,” Sports Minister James Merlino said in a statement.
“This behaviour will not be tolerated and we will come down hard on those who fail to enforce the code by stopping their funding.”
The new code states, in part:
“Every person: spectator, player, club member, official, participant, administrator, coach, parent or member of the community involved with the sport, should work to ensure:
• inclusion of every person regardless of their age, gender or sexual orientation
• inclusion of every person regardless of their race, culture or religion
• opportunities for people of all abilities to participate in the sport and develop to their full potential
• respect is shown towards others, the club and the broader community
• a safe and inclusive environment for all
• elimination of violent and abusive behaviour
• protection from sexual harassment or intimidation."
Anyone who vilifies, abuses, intimidates or is violent towards another participant on the grounds of gender, sexuality, age, race, religion or culture will be in breach of the code.
The code was developed in consultation with AFL Victoria, Football Federation Victoria and Basketball Victoria as well as VicSport, VicHealth and the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission.
In addition, the department would roll out a “confronting” promotional campaign to reinforce the message that antisocial behaviour will not be tolerated in community sport, Merlino said.
The introduction of the code has been welcomed by LGBT activists, but has also prompted a call for other government departments to lift their game.
Rob Mitchell, a member of the steering group that helped design the code, said it was great news for Victoria, but that the Department of Mental Health was lagging behind.
“We now have our sporting authorities implementing anti-discrimination policies across the state,” Mitchell told MCV. “Everyone else is on the train except the Department of Mental Health.”
Mitchell said despite the suicide rate being six times higher amongst LGBT youth than their straight counterparts, the Department of Mental Health funded less than 100 hours a week state-wide to deal with LGBT youth issues.
“I believe we need to force them to the table,” Mitchell said. “If people like the AFL can get up to speed on homophobia, why is the Department of Mental Health sitting out on its own?”
Subscribe to this comment's feed
