NEW ZEALAND FOOTBALL ETHICS

New Zealand Football (NZF) is committed to promoting responsible and respectful behaviour to ensure people feel safe when interacting with people involved in football in New Zealand.

NZF has established an independent Ethics Committee which is designed for complaints from anyone involved in football relating to breaches in the NZF Code of Conduct, the NZF Disciplinary Code, the NZF Code of Ethics, and the NZF Working with Children Policy. It will allow complainants to contact an independent Ethics Committee who will assist them in resolving their concerns.

All complaints will go to the independent Ethics Committee.

The privacy and confidentiality of this process are important and New Zealand Football respects the New Zealand Privacy Act provisions in this regard.​​​​​​​

WHAT CAN I EXPECT?

  • The Ethics Committee will listen to your complaint;
  • The Ethics Committee will inform you whether your complaint is something that can be dealt with through this process, and if not, the alternative options for pursuing your complaint;
  • The Ethics Committee will ensure that you have all of the information that is necessary for your complaint to be managed / resolved;
  • The Ethics Committee will record information about you and your complaint in order for it to be managed / resolved and in order for NZF to monitor the complaints being made and how they are being resolved. Personal information will be held and dealt with in accordance with the New Zealand Privacy Act.
  • All details will be kept confidential except in exceptional situations where disclosure is necessary to prevent or lessen a serious risk to the life or health of any person, as provided for in the New Zealand Privacy Act.
  • The Ethics Committee may refer to you and your complaint to the appropriate football organisation for it to be dealt with. This could mean NZF itself, a Federation, or a Club.
  • The football organisation may need to investigate the complaint, and may need to contact you to obtain more information.
  • The NZF Code of Ethics, and the NZF Disciplinary Code provides a range of offences and the potential sanctions from a caution or warning, to bans on attending matches, to suspensions from involvement in playing, refereeing, coaching, or administering football, and other sanctions as appropriate.
  • Employment complaints will be dealt with in accordance with the relevant employment legislation and agreements.
  • You will be advised on the result of the hearing by the Ethics Committee or relevant football organisation.

WHAT CAN I COMPLAIN ABOUT?

  • Unethical, dishonest or illegal behaviour.
  • Harassment (sexual or otherwise).
  • Bullying.
  • Misconduct.
  • Health and Safety risks.
  • Unlawful discrimination.
  • Offensive / insulting language or behaviour.

Note: This complaint process does not apply to:

  • Any on-field conduct during a match.
  • Selection decisions.
  • Eligibility behaviour by members of the public (e.g. fans in a crowd) who are not connected to football.

If you wish to comment on the above matters, or process, you can do so by contacting ethics@nzfootball.co.nz or your local Federation.