Governance and Sports Law

This report discusses the governance and administration structure of a field hockey club and the legal considerations for protecting its brand and logo. It covers topics such as risk management, code of conduct, and critical governance issues. The report also provides insights into sports law. Find all the study material and solved assignments on Desklib.

Governance and Sports Law 1
Governance and Sports Law

Governance and Sports Law 2
Table of Contents
Executive summary.........................................................................................................................3
Governance and administration structure........................................................................................3
Risk management.............................................................................................................................8
Code of conduct.............................................................................................................................11
References......................................................................................................................................13

Governance and Sports Law 3
Executive summary
The purpose of this report is to determine the governance and administration structure of a new
opening field hockey club in for the new residential area of Oxford on the outskirts of
Melbourne. The club comprises to male and female teams in grades A, B, C and D in the
regional hockey competition. It includes under aged 18, 16 and 14 year aged individuals. The
club will use the existing hockey facilities that are maintained and provided by the council for a
small annual fee. The report is describing governance and administration structure of the field
hockey club. It is essential for the management of club to establish appropriate policies,
guidelines and practices to manage the administration structure in proper manner. There are
several critical governance issues that can influence to efficiency of the club so that it is essential
for the management to consider these issues while developing the policies and guidelines for the
club. In addition, the risk management assessment can be conducted in the hockey club to
minimize the possible risks associated with the club in both direct and indirect manner. As well
as, the code of conduct provides principles for each of the individuals to perform their job in
ethical manner at the club.
Governance and administration structure
In order to manage a field hockey club, it is essential for the president to develop an effective
governance and administration structure. It would be easy to define the roles and responsibilities
of the each of the committee members of the club. In this concern, each of the club requires an
appropriate procedure and system to ensure that its entire operations are commenced effectively
and conducted in accord to the highest standards (Shilbury, 2017).

Governance and Sports Law 4
Visual presentation of the governance structure:
It is analysed that the new field hockey club will comprise both male and females in the regional
hockey competition of Oxford on the outskirts of Melbourne. In hierarchy of the hockey team,
the governance structure is divided into two parts i.e. board of directors and executive
committee. The governance structure for this field hockey club is determined as below:
(Source: Avoca Hockey Club, 2019)
In order to start the field hockey club with proper governance, each of the stakeholders will play
different roles and responsibilities. In this hockey club, the board of directors will be responsible
to promote the gaming activities in the community and implement the laws and regulation
concerning to the hockey club. They will be responsible for the generating legal obligations in
the club and take immediate action against the generating issues (King, 2016). As well as, the
committee members will be responsible to follow the supervision or direction of the directors for
success of the club. In this field hockey club each of the committee members of executive
committee will have different roles and responsibilities for proper administration of the club.
List of governance and accountability policies, guidelines and practices:

Governance and Sports Law 5
It is essential for the board of directors and executive committee of the hockey club to introduce all of
the stakeholders about the governance and accountabilities policies, guidelines and practices to run the
club without any legal issue. The management can manage the each of the activities in proper manner
through implementation governance and accountability policies, guidelines and practices in proper
manner as all of these terms enable the club to run ethically. The list of governance and accountability
policies, guidelines and practices is described in the below table:
Structure Explanation
Mission statement To establish the direction of club and introduce the potential
stakeholders about the value of club.
Code of conduct To make clear the expectation of club members and the staff about
conduct towards the fellow club members, opposition clubs, the public
and the association.
Training and
development for fitness
To introduce the community members how the club is be beneficial for
them in developing a healthy lifestyle (Zech et al., 2014).
Registration process To acknowledge the appropriate individuals in the club.
Safety and equipments To develop a healthy and protective environment during the sports
activities as well as entertainment activities.
Proper resources for
male and female
To determine how the club is responsible for each of the individuals
without any discrimination during the entertainment activities.
10 critical governance issues in field hockey club:

Governance and Sports Law 6
There are different governance issues that can influence the practices of field hockey club in big
manner. It is essential for the directors of the club to consider and discuss these issues in proper
manner to minimize the ethical concerns in the club. These issues are described in the below
table:
Issue (governance of
risk related)
Legal/governance
obligation.
Process Person responsible
Club has a bar Liquor license is
required.
The license will be get
from the regional
authority.
Development
officer
Club has a small
gymnasium
Get permission from
the local government.
A written permission will
be obtained from the
local government
(Litchfield, 2011).
Development
officer
Club has a café Permits and license is
required from food
department of the
region.
A business and food
service license will be
obtained from the
government
Vice president
Issue of trademark A logo is required to
identify the products
and services.
All of the stakeholders
will be asked to provide
most preferred logo for
the club and after that
most preferred logo will
be selected.
President

Governance and Sports Law 7
Liability for sports
injuries
Risk management
process is required to
manage the sports
injuries.
Each of the equipments
will be selected with
proper evaluation.
Vice president
Sexual harassment Legislation is required
against the sexual
harassment in the
club.
All of the legislations
regarding sexual
harassment will be
introduced to each of the
individuals in a written
form in the club.
Board of directors
Transgender policies
for gaming events
Implementation of
social discrimination
policy is required.
All of the individuals will
be welcomes without any
discrimination and a high
penalty will be imposed
for any type of sexual
discrimination in the
club.
President and vice
president
Retaliation against the
complaints
A systematic process
is needed to response
against the
complaints.
Each of the retaliation
will be processed in
written form for evident.
Captains of the
club
Social media issue Social media
promotion is required
The group members will
promote each of the
Entire stakeholders
of the club

Governance and Sports Law 8
to promote the club in
the community.
events of the club on
social media.
Facility management
legal issue
For proper
management of basic
facilities is required.
Two employees will be
recruited to manage the
basic facilities at the
club.
Vice president
Risk management
Risk management is the recognition, prioritization and evaluation of risks followed by economical and
coordinated application of resources to monitor, minimize and control the probability of adverse events.
In a field hockey club, it is essential for the governance board to collect and file regarding players, board
membership, coaching and administration staff to minimize the probability of risks in legal manner at
the club. In this concern, a risk assessment will be used by the board members (Vucic et al., 2016). The
aim of risk management is to ascertain better practices and culture to minimize or prevent the potential
hazards in the club. The risk assessment for this field hockey club is as below:
Hazard description Comments Actions Risk
“Slip, trip, or fall,
whilst walking down
slope to pitch entrance
causing fracture”
 Lighting OK.
 Slope down to metal
gate.
 Small patch of worn
Astroturf laid at top of
slope to remove mud.
Leisure Centre to
improve slip resistance
of entrance.
Medium

Governance and Sports Law 9
 Tarmac surface slippery
when wet.
 Have seen individuals
slip.
“Manual handling risk
whilst moving hockey
goals into position
resulting in back
injury”
 Goals are provided with
wheels at the front but
still have to lift goal to
engage the wheels.
 Leisure centre rules state
that they should move all
equipment but they never
do.
Ensure that goals are
moved by at least 4
people.
Medium
“Eye injury due to
brambles growing
through the fence.”
 West and North part of
the fence have vegetation
and brambles growing
through at 1 to 2m
height.
 Projecting up to 1m onto
pitch.
Leisure Centre to
arrange for vegetation
to be regularly cut
back throughout the
season.
Medium
“Trip on the central
dividing net causing
strain injury.”
 Dividing net angles
North due to prevailing
winds.
 Weighted cord is no
Coaches to be aware
of the risk and adjust
sessions accordingly.
Very low

Governance and Sports Law 10
longer effective.
“Various injuries
resulting from hockey
play or practice”
 Emergency services can
be contacted from leisure
centre.
 First aid facilities and
first aider at Leisure
centre.
 Team provide local first
aid kit.
Ensure that a mobile
phone is available
pitch side for all
events.
Medium
In addition, the negligence insurance is an effective tool, which helps the club against the poor
management or conduct. In situation of negligence insurance, each of the members will be aware
for the risk management activities and perform their responsibilities in proper manner to
minimize the possible risks during the entertainment or playing activities.
Legal steps and consideration for the club to protect its brand, logo and identity:
In order to protect the brand, logo and identity with legal steps, a copyright logo will be used by
the club. The legal steps for this are discussed as below:
 Create a copyright notice: It is the first step of copyright the logo. In this step, a creative
logo is prepared and considered for registration in with the authority.
 Registration of the copyright: At this step, the copyright is processes through online
process to get certificate of registration.

Governance and Sports Law 11
 Registering logo as a trademark: In this step, a trademark is obtained to protect the logo
indefinitely. The similar trademarks are also checked at this step. After the checking of
similar logos the certificate of logo is received.
Code of conduct
There are several codes of conduct for different individuals in a hockey club. All of the code of
conduct will be helpful in developing an attractive and pleasure environment in the hockey club.
As well as, these codes of conduct will be helpful for the administration to make good market
reputation of the club in the market (Litchfield, 2015). These codes of conduct in concern to risk
management are described as below:
Code of conduct for the players:
 Play with proper rules.
 Never dispute with the officials. In situation of any dispute they can approach to their
captain, manager or coach for the same.
 Work hard equally for benefit of the team.
 Cooperate with team-maters, coach and opponents in appropriate manner (Tremayne et
al., 2011).
 Respect to dignity, rights and all of the participants regardless of their ability, gender and
cultural background.
Code of conduct for the coaches:
 Keep in mind that young person participate for winning and pleasure, which is part of
fun.

Governance and Sports Law 12
 Never mock at young players of their mistakes for failure.
 Function with proper rules and regulations of the sport and educate each of the team
members to do equal.
 Show the cautions and concerns towards injured and sick players.
 Respect the dignity and rights of each individual regardless of their cultural background,
gender and ability.
Code of conduct for administrators:
 Include the young people in leadership, planning and decision making activities (Renz,
2010).
 Give equal opportunity to all of the individuals.
 Develop a path for the youth people to participate in gaming activities just not a player
but as an administrator, coach or referee.
 Help the officials and coaches to highlight apposite skill development and improve
standards of officiating and coaching.
 Make strict regulations abusing young people.
 Respect the dignity and rights of each individual regardless of their cultural background,
gender and ability.

Governance and Sports Law 13
References
Avoca Hockey Club (2019) Club Governance. [Online]. Available at:
https://avocahockeyclub.com/club-governance/ (Accessed: 3 April 2019).
King, N. (2016) Sport governance: An introduction. USA: Routledge.
Litchfield, C. (2011) Finding Safe and Affirming Spaces in Women's Field
Hockey, International Journal of Sport & Society, 2(3).
Litchfield, C. (2015) Gender and leadership positions in recreational hockey clubs, Sport in
Society, 18(1), pp. 61-79.
Renz, D. O. (2010) Leadership, governance, and the work of the board, The Jossey-Bass
handbook of nonprofit leadership and management, 3, pp. 125-156.
Shilbury, D. (2017) Golf governance. In Golf Business and Management . USA: Routledge.
Tremayne, M., Thiel, D. V., and Nottle, S. (2011) Accelerometer measures of field hockey skills
development, Sports Technology, 4(3-4), pp. 122-127.
Vucic, S., Drost, R. W., Van Wijk, A. J., Wesselink, P. R., and Wolvius, E. B. (2016) Patterns of
orodental injury and mouthguard use in Dutch field hockey, Br J Sports Med, 50(11), pp. 661-
668.
Zech, A., Klahn, P., Hoeft, J., Zu Eulenburg, C., and Steib, S. (2014) Time course and
dimensions of postural control changes following neuromuscular training in youth field hockey
athletes, European journal of applied physiology, 114(2), pp. 395-403.