All rugby stakeholders in Ghana have been asked to revisit the Ghana Rugby Football Union (GRFU) Code of Conduct at the beginning of the Ghana Rugby Club Championship (GRCC).

According to Mr. Abdul-Aziz Issah, GRFU Board Member and Secretary General, revisiting the Code of Conduct is a scheduled annual event on the GRFU agenda.

“Revisiting the Code of Conduct periodically is important to give all rugby stakeholders a time to reflect on their actions and behaviour in the past year and to again reinforce acceptable and not acceptable actions and behaviour,” he said.

The Ghana Rugby Code of Conduct is derived from World Rugby Article 20 that deals with issues of misconduct and the Code of Conduct.

The Code of Conduct explained its objective: “GRFU is dedicated to making the game safer for all, to uphold and revive the true spirit of rugby, to grow the game, and to improve the image of rugby union in the public’s eye. This Code of Conduct therefore seeks to establish acceptable standards of performance and behaviour for the game of rugby, both on and off the field.

The Code of Conduct covers performance and behaviour of players on the field as well as performance and behaviour of other stakeholder such as coaches, referees and administrators off the field.”

Mr. Steve Noi, GRFU Board Member and GRCC Tournament Commissioner, emphasized that Code of Conduct is not just another piece of paper that forms part of the red tape but that a practical and “live” guideline on how rugby stakeholder should and should not act and behave.

The President of the GRFU, Mr. Herbert Mensah, said that rugby is a value based sport guided by values such as integrity, passion, teamwork, discipline and respect.

“When rugby stakeholders lose sight of these values the appeal of the game of rugby to those who cherish these values as well as the appeal of rugby to the general public can easily vanish and destroy the game,” he said.

Transgression of the Code of Conduct may be met with serious sanctions may include suspensions for prolonged periods of time or even for life.

Mr. Mensah said that those who knowingly or maliciously bring the game of rugby in disrepute must face the consequences of their actions or behaviour, he said.

The full content of the GRFU Code of Conduct is as follows.

GRFU Code of Conduct

The GRFU Code of Conduct seeks to address the following issues regarding rugby in Ghana:

• Discipline on the field

• Foul play

• Violence and uncouth practices such as:

º Eye gouging

º Biting

º Scratching

º Ripping of nostrils

º Kneeing

º Punching

• The referee’s role in controlling the game

• Referee abuse

• Respect for the opposition

• Crowd/spectator management

• The Spirit of the Game

• Professionalism

• Honesty

• Integrity

• Match fixing

• Doping practices

• Racial/religious vilification

• Any behaviour that would be harmful to the game of rugby

The Code of Conduct seeks to establish a minimum acceptable standard of performance on the field, and behaviour of all involved in the game, to ensure that:

• The game is played in the true spirit of rugby, where fair play, discipline and mutual respect dominates

• That all involved in the game behave respectfully and appropriately towards each other on and alongside the field

The Code of Conduct also seeks to avoid and prevent any rugby-related conduct that may bring the game into disrepute, and influence public opinion negatively regarding:

• The honesty and orderly conduct of all participants in the game including players, coaches, management, medical staff, and officials

• The integrity and good character of all participants in the game, including spectators

1. Interpretation

a) Definitions In this Code of Conduct:

GRFU means the Ghana Rugby Football Union;

Bookmaker means a person or organisation that makes a living by the receiving, negotiating and/or settling of bets;

Competition means any form of playing the game that involves a Rugby Body or rugby structure. Competition can take the form of a trial match, a pre-season friendly match, a match against a touring side from another school, club, union or country, or a match forming part of any structured or formalised league or tournament;

Laws of the game means the official Laws of the Game as stipulated and accepted by World Rugby at the time;

Member union means a provincial union that forms part of, or is affiliated as a subsidiary to, the GRFU;

Officer means any official who forms part of, or represents, a recognised Rugby Body in either a management or administrative capacity;

Participant means any player, referee, assistant referee or any other match official, selector, coach, medical person (medical doctor, physiotherapist, biokineticist, emergency service provider, rugby medic, first aid), trainer, manager, or any other individual involved in the organisation, administration or promotion of Rugby;

Rugby body means the GRFU, any Member Union or Affiliated Union of the GRFU, or any school, club or other body in membership with, or affiliated to, the Member Union or Affiliated Union;

Rugby-related conduct includes any form of behaviour that may irrefutably damage the game of Rugby, or may negatively influence the public’s attitude towards, or support for, the game and/or its participants. This includes, but is not limited to, the integrity, good character and conduct of all participants during travel to and from games, tours, during any tours, at Rugby functions and promotional events, as well as any other conduct where a participant is involved in activities associated with the GRFU or any of its sponsors;

b) Interpretation

a. Any words in this Code of Conduct that make reference to the singular form include the plural and vice versa

b. Any reference to a specific gender is inclusive of all genders; and

c. Any reference to a paragraph is a reference to either a paragraph or subparagraph within this Policy

2. Object of this Code of Conduct

GRFU is dedicated to making the game safer for all, to uphold and revive the true spirit of rugby, to grow the game, and to improve the image of rugby union in the public’s eye. This Code of Conduct therefore seeks to establish acceptable standards of performance and behaviour for the game of rugby, both on and off the field.

This is to ensure that rugby is played in good spirit, in a disciplined and fair manner, and without any malice.

The Code of Conduct also seeks to prevent any act or behaviour that might damage the game of rugby and/or bring the game into disrepute. It additionally guarantees accountability and liability of all signed parties to honour the stipulations as set out in this Code of Conduct.

3. Code of Conduct

All participants in the game of rugby are contractually bound by signing this Code of Conduct:

a) To behave and conduct themselves within the laws of the game, whether as a player, coach, referee, manager, or any other official that may be involved in the game in any capacity whatsoever;

b) To comply with and implement the GRFU National Rugby Safety Program directives for all participants of the game;

c) To acknowledge that foul play, as well as any form of violent act, whether unintentional or malicious, will not be tolerated and is a punishable offence. Foul play includes, but is not limited to:

a. Eye gouging

b. Biting

c. Scratching

d. Ripping of nostrils

e. Punching a player(s)

f. Kicking a player(s)

g. Kneeing a player(s)

h. Stomping on a player(s)

i. Illegal tackles

d) To discourage and openly condemn any acts of foul play and violence associated with the game, both on and off the rugby field;

e) To duly respect and act in such a way as to not intentionally offend, intimidate or insult any rugby participants both on and off the field, regardless of but not limited to:

a. Ethnicity

b. Colour

c. Religious orientation

d. Sexual orientation

e. Physical or mental impediments

f) To ensure that appropriate measures are in place at home games to manage effective crowd control, and to discourage and openly condemn any negative, intimidatory or abusive crowd/spectator behaviour directed towards any participants of the game;

g) To encourage and reinforce respect for the culture, ethos and spirit of rugby in all participants of the game, with regard to but not limited to the following:

a. Professionalism

b. Honesty

c. Integrity

d. Sportsmanship

e. Self-respect

f. Dignity

g. Fair play

h. Camaraderie

h) To acknowledge that the referee is in sole charge of any game, and:

a. To refrain from abusing, threatening or intimidating the referee, assistant referees or any match officials involved in the game;

b. To accept that the referee’s decision is final;

c. To avoid any obvious acts of dissent, displeasure or disapproval directed towards any referee, assistant referees, or any match officials during and/or after the game;

d. To acknowledge that any person who abuses the referee as part of the match or fixture, whether a parent, spectator, administrator or coach, can be reported to the relevant rugby union and placed into the judicial system.

i) As a referee, assistant referee or match official of the game, to ensure that:

a. Player safety is paramount at all times;

b. Players from both teams are controlled and managed effectively, within the laws of the game;

c. Any forms of illegal tactics, foul play or violent acts are dealt with immediately and appropriately;

d. No favouritism will be shown towards any team, regardless of any intimidatory tactics that may be applied by a partisan crowd or group of spectators.

j) To condemn, and not participate in, any activities including but not limited to any the following:

a. Illegal betting;

b. Match fixing;

c. Providing any information to bookmakers about match- or participant-related activities that you may be involved in, or connected to, in any capacity;

d. Accepting any bribes or financial benefits resulting from these illegal practices.

k) To positively promote the game of rugby at all times, and to avoid bringing the game into disrepute;

l) To not engage in any illegal Doping Practice as defined in the World Rugby’s Anti-Doping By-Law Regulation 21.

m) To not behave in any manner, or engage in any activity either on or off the field, that would damage public confidence in the honesty, integrity or good character of any participants involved in rugby;

n) To refrain from any behaviour that discredits the game, the GRFU, any Member Union or Affiliated Union of the GRFU or any squad, team, competition, tournament or sponsor. Such behaviour includes, but is not limited to, any illegal act or any act of dishonesty or fraud.

4. Officers of a Rugby Body

An officer must, in relation to the Rugby Body of which he is an official:

a) Always act in the best interests of the Rugby Body;

b) Should never place his personal interests, or those of any other person, above the interests of the Rugby Body;

c) Should always act in an ethical and honest manner; Code of Conduct

d) Should not disclose to any outside person(s) any confidential information regarding, but not limited to, the internal governance or internal deliberations associated with the involved Rugby Body, for personal gain.

5. Duty to Comply

Each Member Union and/or each Affiliated Union to the Member Union and/or the GRFU Rugby is obliged to comply with this Code of Conduct. They must also ensure that any rugby-playing school, club or other body in membership with, or associated to, the Member Union or Affiliated Union, complies with this Code of Conduct.

6. World Rugby Regulation 20 - Misconduct & Code of Conduct

This GRFU Code of Conduct does not replace World Rugby Regulation 20 - Misconduct & Code of Conduct and must be read in conjunction with World Rugby Regulation 20.