UNITED STATES YOUTH PREMIER LEAGUE (USYPL) 2023 Code of Conduct & Disciplinary Policy
 
Player, Parent, and Coach behavior during the USYPL is of utmost importance for the development of cricket in the country. Bad Behavior by franchises, parents, coaches, or players during the tournament puts the entire system into disrepute and it will not be tolerated.
 
USYPL issues this player Code of Conduct & Disciplinary Policy (this “Disciplinary Policy”) to provide disciplinary rules for all matches played under USYPL.

SECTION 1 - Players’ Code of Conduct and Spirit of Cricket

 

1.1        Outline

USYPL is committed to maintaining the highest standards of behavior and conduct. All teams and their players agree to comply with the “Player’s Code of Conduct” set out in 1.2 below and abide by the Spirit of Cricket (provided for in the Preamble to the Laws of Cricket) set out in 1.3 below.
 

1.2        Players’, Coaches and Parents Code of Conduct

The franchises, coaches, captains and the umpires are responsible at all times for ensuring that play is conducted in accordance with the Spirit of Cricket, the Laws of Cricket (the “Laws”), and other related policies, codes and playing conditions stipulated by USYPL
 
1.     Players and team officials must at all times accept the umpire’s decision. Players must not show dissent at the umpire’s decision or react in a provocative or disapproving manner towards another player or a spectator.
2.     Players and team officials shall not intimidate, assault, or attempt to intimidate or assault, an umpire, another player, any team official or spectator.
3.     Players and team officials shall not use crude or abusive language, make offensive gestures, or hand signals, or deliberately distract an opponent.
4.     Players and team officials shall not use language or gestures that offend, insult, humiliate, intimidate, threaten, disparage, or vilify another person based on that person’s race, religion, sexual orientation, age, color, descent or national or ethnic origin.
5.    Players are not allowed to gang up against one or more players of the opposite team to heckle, threaten, intimidate, or abuse the players of the opposite team. Send off or batsman who is out or receiving of incoming batsman in such a manner will not be tolerated.
6.    Parents shall not intimidate, assault, or attempt to intimidate or assault, an umpire, another player, any team official or spectator. Parents cannot yell at, make offensive comments, abuse, or threaten any player (including their own child) on the USYPL grounds.
7.    Parents shall not use crude or abusive language, make offensive gestures or hand signals towards any players, umpires, or officials.
8.     Franchise teams must take adequate steps to ensure the good behavior of their players, officials, parents, members, and supporters.

1.3        Spirit of Cricket

Cricket owes much of its appeal and enjoyment to the fact that it should be played not only according to the Laws, but also within the Spirit of Cricket. The major responsibility for ensuring fair play rests with the franchises, players, coaches, umpires, and parents.
●      Respect is central to the Spirit of Cricket.
●       Respect your team-mates, opponents, and the authority of the umpires.
●      Play hard and play fair.
●      Accept the umpire’s decision.
●      Create a positive atmosphere by your own conduct and encourage others to do likewise.
●      Show self-discipline, even when things go against you.
●      Congratulate the opposition on their successes and enjoy those of your own team.
●      Thank the officials and your opposition at the end of the match, whatever the result.
●      Cricket is an exciting game that encourages leadership, friendship, and teamwork, which brings together people from different nationalities, cultures and religions, especially when played within the Spirit of Cricket.

1.4        Compliance

If a player fails to comply with the Players Code of Conduct or to abide by the Spirit of Cricket set out above, he or she might be subject to disciplinary action under the below Disciplinary Policy,

1.5        Scope of Policy

This policy may extend beyond matches and be applied to comments made in the public domain, such as social media, which are reported to the Disciplinary Committee. This is also applicable to comments and behavior on the ground or outside of the ground that is related or unrelated to a particular match(es) but directed at USYPL umpires, officials, and volunteers.
 

SECTION 2 - Initial Incident Report

2.1        Submission of Initial Incident Reports by Umpires

If an appointed umpire or an USYPL official at a match believes that during the match a player, team official, parent, or team member (collectively, a “Match Participant”) has possibly breached the Players’ Code of Conduct set out in Section 1 (a “Potential Breach”), the umpire/official must provide as much detail as possible in their official Potential Breach Report (an “Initial Incident Report”). All such reports should be emailed to the Commissioner of USYPL Chandra Sabbavarpu via email usyplcricket@gmail.com or phone# +1(443)761-0655.
 
In principle, an Initial Incident Report will be a simple statement of events that occurred in the match and that the umpire/official believes it constitutes a Potential Breach.
All reports will be forwarded immediately to the USYPL Rules and Regulations Committee (the “Disciplinary Committee”)
 

2.2        Submissions by Other Sources

If the Committee receives a report or information from another credible source in relation to a Potential Breach, the Disciplinary Committee may decide that the report or information constitutes an Initial Incident Report.

2.3         Multiple Potential Breaches in Single Initial Incident Report

An Initial Incident Report may, in relation to one match, contain information about multiple Potential Breaches by one Potentially Breaching Match Participant, or multiple Potential Breaches by multiple Potentially Breaching Match Participants. In this case, the Initial Incident Report will be construed as applying to each of the multiple Potentially Breaching Match Participants. For the sake of clarity, in such a case, multiple Initial Incident Reports will not be required for multiple Potential Breaches in one match.

2.4        Investigations

If an Initial Incident Report under 2.1 and 2.2 is received, the Disciplinary Committee will decide either to;

1.  conduct further investigation of the facts (an “Investigation”) to determine whether each Potential Breach is an actual breach (a “Breach”) OR
2.  that the facts presented in the Initial Incident Report are inconsequential and disregard the Initial Incident Report. In this case, the Disciplinary Committee will immediately notify the submitter of the Initial Incident Report to that effect.

2.5        Conducting an Investigation

If the Disciplinary Committee decides to Investigate, it must follow the procedure set out in Section 3 below.
 

SECTION 3 - Investigation Procedure

3.1         Requested Reports

If the Disciplinary Committee decides to Investigate, then it would inform each of the following persons of each Potential Breach mentioned in the Initial Incident Report:
1.              the academy operator of each team in the investigation.
2.              the umpires.
3.             any concerned match officials

3.2            Hearing

The Disciplinary Committee may, if necessary, schedule a meeting to interview Potentially Breaching Match Participants, umpires, coaches, officials, and captains in order to gain more evidence.
 
Potentially Breaching Match Participants, umpires, coaches, and captains shall be given no less than 24 hours’ notice of the scheduled hearing.

3.3            No Consultation

Each person requested to provide evidence must not consult with other persons submitting Requested Reports in relation to the content of those Requested Reports.
 

3.4         Action After Review of Requested Reports, Hearing, etc.

After receipt of the Requested Reports, the Disciplinary Committee will review the Initial Incident Report, Requested Reports, as well as any evidence provided in the hearing, and resolve to do the following:
1.     take no action, except to record that an Investigation has been conducted, record the details of that Investigation, and notify the teams involved.
2.     endorse any action already taken by the teams involved and notify the teams involved; OR
3.      if a Breach has occurred, determine the level of the Breach in accordance with the guidelines presented in “Breach Level Guidelines” and apply an appropriate penalty in accordance with “Section 5 Penalties” below.
 

SECTION 4 - Breach Level Guidelines

In principle, Breaches are divided into the four levels set out below, in accordance with the ICC Laws of Cricket.

Level 1 Breach

1. Willfully mistreating any part of the facility, equipment or implements used in the match.
2. Showing dissent at an umpire’s decision by word or action
3. Using language that, in the circumstances, is obscene, offensive or insulting.
4. Making an obscene gesture
5. Appealing excessively
6. Advancing toward an umpire in an aggressive manner when appealing
7. Any other misconduct, the nature of which is, in the opinion of the umpires, equivalent to a Level 1 offense.

Level 2 Breach

1. Showing serious dissent at an umpire’s decision by word or action
2. Making inappropriate and deliberate physical contact with another player
3. Throwing the ball at a player, umpire or other in an inappropriate or dangerous manner
4. Using language or gesture to another player, umpire, team official, or spectator that, in the circumstances, is obscene or of a seriously insulting nature.
5. Any conduct that might incur penalty runs including deliberately changing the condition of the match ball, deliberate attempt to distract the striker, deliberate distraction/deception or obstruction of the batsman, bowling of dangerous and unfair non-pitching deliveries, time-wasting by either side, player causing deliberate or avoidable damage to the pitch.
6. Or any other misconduct, the nature of which is, in the opinion of the umpires, equivalent to a Level 2 offense.

Level 3 Breach

1. Intimidating an umpire by language or gesture
2. Threatening to assault a player or any other person except an umpire.
3. Using language or any gesture that offends, insults, humiliates, intimidates, threatens, disparages, or vilifies another person on the basis of that person’s race, religion, sexual orientation, color, descent, or national or ethnic origin.

 

 Level 4 Breach

(1)    Threatening to assault an umpire
(2)    Making inappropriate and deliberate physical contact with an umpire
(3)    Physically assaulting a player or any other person
(4)    Committing any other act of violence.

SECTION 5 - Penalty Guidelines

5.1         Recommended Penalties

If the Disciplinary Committee recommends the imposition of a penalty against a Potentially Breaching Match Participant (franchise management, player, coach, manager or parent) who is found to have actually committed a Breach (a “Breaching Match Participant”), then, in principle, that penalty will be based on the level of the Breach (determined in accordance with “Section 4 Breach Level Guidelines”). The penalties imposed on a Breaching Match Participant below are provided as a guideline.
 
When Breaching Match Participant is a Player:
 

1. In the case of a Level 1 Breach:
   1. An official warning;
   2. if the Disciplinary Panel decides it is necessary, it may also recommend that the warning be combined with a suspended ban of 1 match
2. In the case of a Level 2 Breach:
   1. Ban of 2 to 4 matches
   2. A ban by the academy in matches conducted by local leagues - As determined by the academy and reported back to the Disciplinary Committee
   3. 10 hrs of volunteering service at the academy, or other tournaments
3. In the case of a Level 3 Breach:
   1. Ban of 4 to 6 matches
   2. The player will not be mentioned in the Honors List or any awards presented by USYPL
   3. The player will not be invited to any special camps or tournaments conducted by USYPL
   4. A ban by the academy in matches conducted by local leagues - As determined by the academy and reported back to the Disciplinary Committee
   5. 20 hrs of volunteering service at the academy, or other tournaments
4. In the case of a Level 4 Breach:
   1. Ban of 1 year from all USYPL tournaments
   2. The player will not be mentioned in the Honors List or any awards presented by USYPL
   3. The player will not be invited to any special camps or tournaments conducted by USYPL.
   4. A ban by the academy in matches conducted by local leagues - As determined by the academy and reported back to the Disciplinary Committee
   5. 40 hrs of volunteering service at the academy, or other tournaments

 All Penalties provided by the Disciplinary Committee are final and need to be adhered to by the players, managers, coaches and teams. All academy operators are required to enforce these penalties to continue to participate in USYPL.
 

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