SOUTH AFRICAN RUGBY UNION CODE OF CONDUCT
1. For the purposes of these Regulations the terms below shall have the following
meanings assigned to them unless the context otherwise requires.
1.1 “Club” means a body or organisation as defined in clause 1.2.7 of the
Constitution of SARU;
1.2 “Game” means rugby played in accordance with the Laws of the Game;
1.3 “Match” means a Game in which two teams compete against each
other;
1.4 “Match Official” means a referee and/or assistant referee and shall
include when appointed, a Citing Commissioner and/or the fourth official
and any other match official appointed for a Match;
1.5 “Member” in the context of a member of SARU, shall mean a body of
persons as per clause 1.2.15 of the Constitution of SARU;
1.6 “Person” means
1.6.2 a Player, trainer, referee, touch judge; coach, selector, medical
officer, physiotherapist, or other individual who represents a Rugby
Body in whatsoever capacity or who is or has been at any time
involved in the Game, or in the organisation, administration or
promotion of the Game under the jurisdiction of SARU, a member
of SARU or a Rugby Body; or
1.6.3 player agents accredited by SARU; or
1.6.4 persons delegated by Members to represent them at general
meetings of SARU; or
1.6.5 members of SARU's Executive Council; or
1.6.6 members of standing committees and ad hoc committees of
SARU; or
1.6.7 members of national selection committees; and coaches and
members of team management of national teams; or
1.6.8 professional referees and referees on the panel of SARU; or
1.6.9 officials of SARU; or
1.6.10 all Players directly or indirectly affiliated to SARU or a Rugby Body;
or
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1.6.11 all players with whom SARU have entered into agreements or who
are otherwise affiliated to SARU.
1.7 “Player” means a player of the Game under the jurisdiction of SARU or a
Rugby body;
1.8 “Province” means a provincial union as defined in clause 1.2.21 of the
Constitution of SARU;
1.9 “Rugby Body” means a club as defined in clause 1.2.7 of the
Constitution of SARU, a Province, a rugby body as defined in clause
1.2.24 of the Constitution of SARU, or a group of Provinces or an entity
or body consisting of Provinces, or other body, commonly called a super
rugby franchise;
1.10 “SARU” means the South African Rugby Union;
1.11 “Series of Matches” mean two or more Matches;
1.12 “Stakeholders” mean the following (but not limited to), i.e. the IRB,
SANZAR partners, members of SARU, affiliates of members of SARU,
official sponsors of SARU, supporters and the media.
2. All Rugby Bodies and Persons:-
2.1 must ensure that the Game is played and conducted in accordance with
disciplined and sporting behaviour and acknowledge that it is not
sufficient to rely solely upon the Match Officials to maintain those
principles;
2.2 shall co-operate in ensuring that the spirit of the Laws of the Game are
upheld and refrain from selecting players guilty of foul play;
2.3 shall not repeatedly breach the Laws of the Game;
2.4 shall accept and observe the authority and decisions of referees,
assistant referees, Match Officials and all other rugby disciplinary bodies;
2.5 shall not publish or cause to be published criticism of the manner in which
a referee or assistant referees handled a Match;
2.6 shall not publish or cause to be published criticism of the manner in which
any rugby disciplinary body handled or resolved any dispute or
disciplinary matter;
2.7 shall not engage in any conduct or any activity on or off the field that may
impair public confidence in the honest and orderly conduct of a Match,
tour, tournament or Series of Matches (including, but not limited to, the
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supply of information in relation to the Game, directly or indirectly, to
bookmakers) or in the integrity and good character of any Person;
2.8 shall promote the reputation of the Game and take all possible steps to
prevent it from being brought into disrepute;
2.9 shall not commit a Doping Offence as defined in Regulation 21 of the
International Rugby Board or the SARU Anti-Doping Regulations;
2.10 shall not abuse, threaten or intimidate a referee, assistant referee or
other Match Official, whether on or off the field of play;
2.11 shall not use crude or abusive language or gestures towards referees,
assistant referees or other Match Officials or spectators;
2.12 shall not do anything which is likely to intimidate, offend, insult, humiliate
or discriminate against any other Person on the ground of their religion,
race, colour, national or ethnic origin or social origin, gender, sex or
political persuasion;
2.13 shall not do anything which adversely affects the Game, SARU, any
Rugby Body or any commercial partner of the Game.
2.14 shall not do anything which adversely affects, or have the potential to
adversely affect the relationship between SARU and its stakeholders,
including but not limited to the sponsors of SARU and sponsors of a
Rugby Body.
2.15 must perform the functions of their office in good faith and honestly;
2.16 must act in the best interests of SARU and take all necessary steps to
assist SARU in achieving its objectives in such a way that SARU’s
credibility and integrity is not compromised.
2.17 must conduct themselves in a manner worthy of their position within
SARU:
2.18 must act with due care and diligence in the discharge of their functions for
and on behalf of SARU;
2.19 must disclose to SARU any direct or indirect personal or private business
interest that they or their spouses, partners or business associates may
have which may conflict with SARU’s interests.
2.20 must comply with the Conflict of Interest Protocol, annexed to this Code
of Conduct as Appendix 1, which forms part of this Code of Conduct , a
breach whereof shall be deemed to be a breach of this Code of Conduct
and be dealt with accordingly.
2.21 may not engage in conduct, behaviour or practices which may be
detrimental to the best interests of SARU;
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2.22 may not engage in any conduct, behaviour or practices which may bring
SARU or the game into disrepute;
2.23 may not disclose confidential information entrusted to them or obtained
as a result of their position in SARU unless legally obliged to do so;
2.24 may not disclose information, unless legally obliged to do so, in a way
which may damage the reputation of SARU or the Game;
2.25 may not use their position or privileges within SARU for private gain or to
benefit another person improperly;
2.26 may not commit or be responsible for, and/or party to any form of
discrimination including, but not limited to, discrimination on the basis of
race, colour, gender, sex, ethnic or social origin, religion, or political
persuasion;
2.27 may not harass any person on any grounds whether physical, mental,
professional or sexual;
2.28 shall not accept hospitality, either personally or on behalf of persons
accompanying them, whether relatives or otherwise, which is excessive
in the circumstances: Provided that referees may not accept any
hospitality which may cast doubt on their impartiality;
2.29 shall not accept gifts, other than gifts of nominal value in accordance with
prevailing local custom and given and accepted as a mark of respect or
friendship: Provided that gifts which exceed R1 000,00 in value should
be declared to the appropriate SARU structure and handed over to it
unless it decides otherwise: Provided further that referees may not accept
any gift which may cast doubt on their impartiality;
2.30 shall not accept goods or services which may influence or affect
judgment in the conduct of SARU’s affairs.
2.31 shall not give gifts or perform favours of any kind where it could appear to
influence others improperly or which may influence or affect judgment in
the conduct of SARU’s affairs.
2.32 shall not do anything which result in negative media publicity of SARU.
2.33 may not publish or cause to publish information which impairs the
confidence of stakeholders of SARU in the administration of SARU.
2.34 may not fail to follow administrative procedures which have a negative
impact on the orderly running of the administration of SARU.
2.35 may not publicly criticize decisions taken and / or policies promulgated by
the Executive Council or a general meeting of SARU.
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2.36 shall not make derogatory statements in public relating to SARU’s
intellectual property, including but not limited to the Springbok emblem.
2.37 Shall not act improperly in public by being under the influence of alcohol
or drugs whilst on official duty for SARU or being recognizable as having
an affiliation with SARU.
3. Each Rugby Body is under an obligation to:
3.1 Comply with and to ensure that each of its members comply with this
Code of Conduct; and
3.2 Adopt procedures to monitor compliance with and impose sanctions for
breaches of the Code of Conduct by Persons under its jurisdiction.
4. An alleged breach of the Code shall be adjudicated in accordance with the
provisions of SARU’s Disciplinary and Judicial Matters Regulations.
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