NSBO Feel Safe / Fan Abuse Policy
NSBO wants to help with the growth of basketball by providing guidelines to ensure everyone has a positive and safe experience at a basketball game. All parties involved must show respect for each other and always communicate in a sportsmanlike manner. Officials will do their best to penalize all rough and non basketball plays that could lead to injuries. Coaches will respect their opponents, use good judgment by not running up the score, and keep their benches under control. Also coaches will only communicate with game officials during the stoppage of play. All fans will be expected to behave in a manner that promotes the sport of basketball and provides a supportive and safe environment for everyone. Love the game, love the people.
FEEL SAFE- FOUL CALLING
Officials will be expected to be consistent game callers in the below situations. These situations made lead to an upgrade in penalties.
- Illegal use of elbows and punching fouls.
- Contacting airborne shooters feet before the shooter lands will be penalized.
- Kneeing and tripping fouls will be called immediately.
- Players will be called on a foul for jumping on a pile during a scrum situation.
- Extra confrontation after the whistle will be penalized.
- Fouls with excessive contact will be called unsportsmanlike fouls.
FEEL SAFE –OFFICIAL’S CONDUCT
- Demonstrating respect to all individuals regardless of body type, physical characteristics, athletic ability, gender, ancestry, colour, ethnic or racial origin, nationality, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, religion, political belief, disability, or economic status.
- Avoid public criticism of athletes, coaches, officials, organizers, volunteers, employees and NSBOmembers.
- Consistently demonstrate the spirit of sportsmanship, sport leadership and ethical conduct.
- Officials should always exercise their authority in a fair and controlled manner.
- Officials must refrain from any behavior that constitutes sexual harassment, where sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual comments and sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, or conduct of a sexual nature.
- Officials should communicate with other officials, players, coaches and fans with dignity and respect.
- Officials should do their best to limit their conversations with fans. All conversations need to be professional and friendly.
FAN ABUSE
Fan abuse is when fans are being disruptive to the game and being unprofessional with the officials or teams. Fans are not permitted to use negative or vulgar language, racist comments or display physical behavior towards the officials or teams. Officials will only become involved when the officials hear abuse directed at one of the participants (eg. player, official, etc.) or where it is interfering with the game.
NSBO FAN ABUSE POLICY
The following procedures have been adopted for dealing with basketball fan abuse in NS.
- Both officials will inform bothcoaches or school representatives that fan abuse has happened.
- The game will not proceed until the coaches or their designate has cautioned the fan(s).
- The second incident of fan abuse, the coaches or representatives shall be informed that the fan(s) must be removed from the building.
- The game does not proceed until the fan(s) has been removed. If the fan(s) does not leave in a timely manner, the game will be terminated and both officials leave quietly together. The abused official is never to address the fan directly but follow the laid-out procedure.
- Severe fan abuse does not require a warning to have the fan(s) removed.
- If an official feels unsafe abused, or if there is unnecessary negativity the official may stop the game. Leave the gym together.
The abuse official will report the incident immediately(24 hours) to their area supervisor and send a fan abuse incident report to their supervisor. The league administrator will be contacted by the area supervisor. The league executive will be responsible to apply the penalties to the fan.
To report Fan Abuse, please complete the following form: