Calgary Ski Club

STATEMENT ON SAFE SPORT

Calgary Ski Club has a fundamental obligation and responsibility to protect the health, safetyand physical and mental well-being of every individual that is involved with the Calgary Ski Clubcommunity.

Calgary Ski Club takes any situation involving misconduct, Prohibited Behaviour or Maltreatment very seriously. For this reason, Calgary Ski Club is committed to enacting and enforcing strong,  clear, and effective policies and processes for preventing and addressing all forms of misconduct, Prohibited Behaviour, or Maltreatment.

The policies are intended to promote a safe sport environment in a manner that allows for consistent, immediate, appropriate and meaningful action should any issues arise, and they are also intended to prevent issues from arising in the first place by communicating expected standards of behaviour.

Should any individuals involved with Calgary Ski Club, including but not limited to Athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers, and parents/guardians of Athletes, wish to report any instance of misconduct, Prohibited Behaviour or Maltreatment, they may do so in accordance with Calgary Ski Club’s Discipline and Complaints Policy, as amended from time to time.

Calgary Ski Club acknowledges that Nordiq Canada adopted the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport (UCCMS) on January 31, 2023. As a cross country ski club registered with a Division Member of Nordiq Canada, the UCCMS shall be considered as incorporated by reference in the Calgary Ski Club Code of Conduct and Ethics and all Calgary Ski Club policies and will apply, as amended from time to time, to all UCCMS Participants. Any amendments to the UCCMS by the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada (SDRCC) shall come into effect immediately upon their adoption by the SDRCC, without the need for any

further action by Calgary Ski Club, Nordiq Alberta or Nordiq Canada.

Definitions

1. Terms in this Policy are defined as follows:

a) Athlete – An individual who is subject to the policies of Calgary Ski Club, and who may also be subject to the policies of Nordiq Alberta, Nordiq Canada and the

UCCMS

b) Minor – As defined in the UCCMS and as amended from time to time by the SDRCC

c) Participants – Refers to all categories of individual Members and/or Registrants as defined in the By-laws of Calgary Ski Club who are subject to the policies of Calgary

Ski Club, as well as all people employed by, contracted by, or engaged in activities with Calgary Ski Club including, but not limited to, employees, contractors, Athletes,

coaches, instructors, officials, volunteers, managers, administrators, committee members, parents or guardians, spectators, directors or officers

d) SDRCC – The Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada

e) UCCMS – The Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport, as amended from time to time by the SDRCC

f) UCCMS Participant – A Participant affiliated with Nordiq Canada, as designated by Nordiq Canada, and who has signed the required consent form. For Nordiq Canada,

UCCMS Participants Include:

a. Board members

b. Employees

c. Contract staff

d. Service providers who enter the national team environment

e. High Performance Committee members

f. Voting jury members

g. Master learning facilitators

h. National team athletes

i. Athletes

j. Staff and mentees who participate in national camps and/or competition

trips

g) Vulnerable Participants – As defined in the UCCMS and as amended from time to

time by the SDRCC

Commitment to True Sport Principles

Calgary Ski Club commits to the True Sport Principles which are:

a) Go for It – Rise to the challenge – always strive for excellence. Discover how good you can be.

b) Play Fair – Play honestly – obey both the letter and spirit of the rules. Winning is only meaningful when competition is fair.

c) Respect Others – Show respect for everyone involved in creating your sporting experience, both on and off the field. Win with dignity and lose with grace.

d) Keep it Fun – Find the joy of sport. Keep a positive attitude both on and off the field.

e) Stay Healthy – Place physical and mental health above all other considerations – avoid unsafe activities. Respect your body and keep in shape.

f) Include Everyone – Share sport with others. Ensure everyone has a place to play.

g) Give Back – Find ways to show your appreciation for the community that supports your sport and helps make it possible.

Commitment to a Sport Environment Free from Prohibited Behaviour and Maltreatment

Calgary Ski Club makes the following commitments to a sport environment free from Prohibited Behaviour and Maltreatment:

a) All Participants in sport can expect to play, practice and compete, work, and interact in an environment free from Prohibited Behaviour and Maltreatment. 

b) Addressing the causes and consequences of Prohibited Behaviour and Maltreatment is a collective responsibility and requires the deliberate efforts of all Participants, sport stakeholders, sport club administrators and organization leaders.c) Participants in positions of trust and authority have the general responsibility to protect the health and well-being of all other Participants. 

d) Adult Participants have a specific ethical and statutory duty and the additional responsibility to respond to incidents of Prohibited Behaviour or Maltreatment involving Minors and other Vulnerable Participants.

e) All Participants recognize that Prohibited Behaviour and Maltreatment can occur regardless of age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, race, ethnicity, Indigenous status, or level of physical and intellectual disability and their intersections. Moreover, it is recognized that those from traditionally marginalized groups have increased vulnerability to experiences of Prohibited Behaviour and Maltreatment.

f) All Participants recognize that individuals who have experienced Prohibited Behaviour or Maltreatment may experience a range of effects that may emerge at different time points and that can profoundly affect their lives.

g) All adults working with children and youth have a duty to prevent or mitigate opportunities for misconduct.

h) In recognition of the historic vulnerability to discrimination and violence amongst some groups, and that continues to persist today, Participants in positions of trust and authority have a duty to incorporate strategies to recognize systemic bias, unconscious bias, and to respond quickly and effectively to discriminatory practices.

Pledge

The stakeholders, members, and leaders of Calgary Ski Club are expected to live by the True Sport Principles and Calgary Ski Club pledges to embed the True Sport Principles in its governance and operations in the following ways:

a) Conduct Standards – Calgary Ski Club will adopt comprehensive conduct standards that are expected to be followed by Participants

b) Athlete Protection – Calgary Ski Club will provide coaches and other stakeholders with general and sport-specific athlete protection guidelines

c) Dispute Resolution and Investigations – Calgary Ski Club will have dispute resolution processes that are confidential and procedurally fair and that require independent investigation for certain alleged violations of the conduct standards

d) Strategy – Calgary Ski Club will have strategic plans that reflect the organization’s mission, vision, and values

e) Governance – Calgary Ski Club will have diverse sport leaders and will adhere to principles of good governance

f) Risk Management – Calgary Ski Club will intentionally manage risks to their operations and events

Conduct Standards

Calgary Ski Club has adopted a Code of Conduct and Ethics that describes standards of conduct and behaviour for all Participants. General standards of conduct apply to all Participants and specific standards are described for positions within the organization. The Code of Conduct and Ethics will have specific stakeholder sections, including but not limited, to:

a) Athletes

b) Coaches

c) Officials

d) Directors and Committee Members

e) Parents and Spectators

The safe sport policies will incorporate the terms set out in the UCCMS or otherwise contain detailed definitions of key terms, including:

a) Maltreatment

b) Prohibited Behaviour

c) Harassment

d) Abuse

e) Discrimination

f) Workplace Harassment

Athlete Protection

Screening

Calgary Ski Club has adopted a comprehensive Screening Policy that requires some Participants, including some athletes, to pass a screening process before being permitted to interact with Athletes.

The Screening Policy will:

a) Categorize positions in the organization as ‘Low Risk’, ‘Medium Risk’, and ‘High Risk’ and require progressive screening measures for individuals serving in each category of risk

b) Describe how frequently some Participants must obtain a criminal record check and which type of check(s) they must obtain

c) Describe how frequently some Participants must submit Screening Disclosure Forms and Screening Renewal Forms

d) Empower a Screening Committee to prohibit Participants who do not pass screening from participating in certain positions

e) Empower a Screening Committee to attach conditions to a Participant’s participation in certain positions

Calgary Ski Club has developed an Athlete Protection Policy that can be used by coaches, managers, medical personnel, and other Persons in Authority. Calgary Ski Club may provide training on the policy and take steps to ensure the policy is being implemented. Calgary Ski Club will conduct a regular review of the policy to add and/or modify new content as appropriate.

Resources

Calgary Ski Club will regularly provide information to Participants about resources and training related to athlete protection. Resources and training opportunities can include:

a) NCCP modules

b) Respect in Sport

c) Commit to Kids

d) Red Cross – Respect Education Courses

Athlete Engagement

Calgary Ski Club will engage with Athletes to determine the level of success of their athlete protection measures as well as to identify any gaps or Athlete concerns. This engagement may take the form of:

a) Anonymous athlete surveys

b) Athlete involvement in organizational decision-making

Dispute Resolution

Calgary Ski Club has and will maintain a comprehensive suite of dispute resolution policies that will include:

a) Discipline and Complaints Policy

b) Dispute Resolution and Appeal Policy

c) Event Discipline Procedure

Taken together, the suite of dispute resolution policies will include the following features:

a) An independent individual to whom complaints can be submitted

b) Information regarding the mechanism to report alleged breaches of the UCCMS by UCCMS Participants to the OSIC

c) Sanctions for violations of conduct standards

d) Mechanism for provisional suspension of individuals pending the conclusion of the process

e) Non-biased and experienced case managers, decision-makers and/or investigators

f) Protection from reprisal for submitting complaints

g) Independence of appeal procedures, when appeals are permitted

h) Opportunity for alternative dispute resolution

i) Investigations of complaints as circumstances merit

j) In-event discipline procedures (when an event does not have its own disciplinary procedures)

Governance and Operations

Calgary Ski Club will have a comprehensive plan in which athlete protection and safe sport are top priorities for the organization.

Calgary Ski Club will pursue a governance structure and organizational culture that reflects the diversity of the athletes and stakeholders within the sport, that adheres to all applicable federal and/or provincial/territorial legislation, and that moves toward a national alignment strategy for the sport in Canada.

Calgary Ski Club will continually monitor and evaluate their policies, practices, and procedures.

Privacy

The collection, use and disclosure of any personal information pursuant to this Policy is subject to Calgary Ski Club’s Privacy Policy.