Coaches - What to do now

As a coach you are responsible for creating a safe, non-discriminatory environment and upholding and promoting your club’s policies and guidelines – particularly those related to harassment, discrimination and infectious diseases.

• Make sure all players know about your club’s Member Protection Policy (MPP) and Infectious Disease/Blood Rule policies (if your sport has these policies).
• Let team members know who they should contact if they have concerns or complaints.
• Enforce the club’s Member Protection and Infectious Diseases/Blood Rule policies at all times. As part of this process make sure that team members:
  • know about infectious diseases and how they are transmitted
  • regard all blood and body fluids as potentially infectious
  • do not share personal equipment and toiletries
  • avoid spitting (slagging or snotting).
• Make sure anyone who is bleeding leaves the field until the bleeding has stopped.
• Advise anyone with blood on their clothes to go and change.
• Ensure that bleeding is stopped quickly using safe handling techniques.
• Ensure that blood or body fluid spills are cleaned up straight away irrespective of where the spill occurs.
• Take quick, appropriate and consistent action if policies are breached.

If one of the players complains they could catch AIDS from a gay team member

Advise the player that:

• such comments reinforce inaccurate stereotypes;
• the club does not discriminate against people on the basis of their sexuality;
• the club has a policy which refers to the transmission of infectious diseases (provide a copy and discuss the issues raised above);
• every person connected with the club is responsible for following safe practices  (i.e. Blood Rules) at all times e.g., on the field, in the dressing rooms, at training and in the use of personal equipment.

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If a team member reveals they have hepatitis B

Advise the player that:

• the club has a Blood Rule/Infectious Diseases Policy (provide a copy and discuss);
• the information will remain confidential unless the player wants it otherwise;
• you will continue to reinforce the club’s Blood Rule policy as part of your normal practice;
• the club has a Member Protection Policy covering discrimination and harassment should this become an issue;
• any performance issues that may arise will be handled fairly.

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