14 Del. Admin. Code § 1023-2.0 - Processing Violations

2.1 Procedures

2.1.1 The Executive Director is specifically authorized to pursue any matter which, on the surface, has indications of being a sportsmanship violation.

2.1.2 Within 20 calendar days of the incident, an alleged sportsmanship violation must be reported in writing to the Executive Director by the administrative head of a Member School or by the Executive Board of an officials' association.

However, investigations involving contest ejections or altercations involving students or coaches may require an expedited procedure and must be reported to the Executive Director within 24 hours. The Executive Director is authorized to expedite the procedure in order to assure a ruling prior to the next contest played at that level of competition including post season play.

2.1.3 The Executive Director shall transmit a copy of the report to the Principal or Headmaster or official designee of the school involved.

2.1.4 Each Principal or Headmaster concerned shall investigate and provide such information or answers to the report as are appropriate.

2.1.5 The Executive Director shall provide Member Schools and officials' associations with a specially designed form to facilitate the proper reporting of sportsmanship related incidents.

2.1.6 Upon receipt of all reports, the Executive Director shall review the documents and inform the school involved of the disposition of the matter. The Executive Director may, in turn, refer the matter to the Sportsmanship Committee to investigate and adjudicate what appears to be a violation of the Sportsmanship Rule.

2.1.7 The Sportsmanship Committee shall review such available evidence as it deems necessary to reach a conclusion. Actions such as requesting reports and conducting interviews should not be interpreted as casting aspersions on a school adhering to DIAA regulations, but as an effort to keep all parties properly informed. Penalties up to and including suspensions of Member Schools may be imposed by the Sportsmanship Committee.

2.1.8 A copy of the Sportsmanship Committee's action shall be filed with the Executive Director and the administrative head of the school involved.

2.2 Policies

2.2.1 The basis for the following policy statement is that a Member School shall not be represented by individuals whose conduct reflects discredit upon the school. Insofar as unsportsmanlike actions by participants and spectators are concerned, the Sportsmanship Committee shall refer to the items previously identified in the Code of Interscholastic Athletics as well as the following guidelines:

2.2.1.1 The school whose administrator or athletic director behaves in a manner likely to have an adverse influence on the attitudes of the players or spectators may be provided with a choice of:

2.2.1.1.1 Reprimanding its administrator or athletic director and providing written documentation to the Executive Director, or

2.2.1.1.2 Suspending its administrator or athletic director from representing the school in athletic events for a specified period of time not to exceed 180 school days, or

2.2.1.1.3 Having the entire school disciplined by DIAA.

2.2.1.2 An athlete shall not strike an official, opponent, coach, or spectator or display gross misconduct before, during, or after an athletic event. The athlete, depending on the seriousness of the act, may be declared ineligible by the Principal, Headmaster, Executive Director, or Sportsmanship Committee for a specified period of time not to exceed 180 school days.

2.2.1.3 In the case of spectators physically assaulting an official, coach, or player, the school may be given the option of either taking punitive action against the offender or accepting discipline from DIAA.

2.2.1.4 Member Schools that do not fully cooperate in promoting the spirit of the Sportsmanship Rule may be disciplined by DIAA.

2.2.1.5 The school whose coach behaves in a manner likely to have an adverse influence on the attitudes of the players or spectators may be provided with a choice of:

2.2.1.5.1 Reprimanding its coach and providing written documentation to the Executive Director; or

2.2.1.5.2 Suspending its coach from representing the school in athletic events for a specified period of time not to exceed 180 school days; or

2.2.1.5.3 Having the entire school disciplined by DIAA.

2.2.1.6 An administrator, athletic director, or coach may be considered as having committed an unsportsmanlike act if:

2.2.1.6.1 That person makes disparaging remarks about the officials during or after a game either on the field of play, from the bench, or through any public news media, or

2.2.1.6.2 That person argues with the official or indicates with gestures or other physical actions dislike for a decision, or

2.2.1.6.3 That person detains the official on the field of play following a game to request a ruling or explanation of some phase of the game, or

2.2.1.6.4 That person makes disparaging or unprofessional remarks about another school's personnel.

2.2.1.7 All actions by a Member School resulting from an investigation relative to the policies in subsections 2.2.1.6 through 2.2.1.6.4 shall be subject to approval by the Executive Director or the Sportsmanship Committee.

2.3 Penalties

2.3.1 Unless otherwise limited, the Executive Director and Sportsmanship Committee may impose penalties on a Member School, a particular team of a Member School, a particular athlete, coach, or administrator of a Member School, an official, or a spectator, as deemed necessary based on the particular circumstances. The following are examples of possible penalties and represent degrees of discipline in enforcing the Sportsmanship Rule:

2.3.1.1 Reprimand: a reprimand is official written notice that an unethical or unsportsmanlike action has occurred and that such an occurrence must not be repeated. A reprimand is a matter of record.

2.3.1.2 Probation: probation is a more severe penalty and may be expressed in one of the following ways:

2.3.1.2.1 Conditional probation wherein the offending individual or Member School may participate in regular season contests, sanctioned events, and conference and state championships provided the offending person or the school files with the DIAA office a plan indicating the measures that shall be taken to alleviate the problem which caused the offending person or the school to be placed on probation; or

2.3.1.2.2 Restrictive probation wherein a Member School or a particular team of a Member School may engage in its regular season schedule but may not enter any sanctioned events, participate in any playoff toward a conference or state championship, or be awarded a conference or state championship.

2.3.1.3 Suspension: a suspension means that the offending individual or Member School shall not attend or participate in any DIAA sanctioned interscholastic competition and may also include tryouts.

2.3.2 Game Ejection

2.3.2.1 A player or coach disqualified before, during, or after a contest for an unsportsmanlike act shall be suspended from the next complete (a winner is determined or a tie is declared) contest at that level of competition and all other complete or suspended contests in the interim at any level of competition in addition to any other penalties which DIAA may impose.

2.3.2.1.1 A player who leaves the team bench area and enters the playing field, court, or mat during a fight or other physical confrontation shall be ejected from the contest. Additional penalties may be imposed if a player leaving the bench area becomes involved in the altercation.

2.3.2.2 A disqualified player or coach shall not be physically present at any contest in that sport during the suspension.

2.3.2.2.1 The coach or player shall not be present at any game-related activities immediately before the contest, during the intermission, or immediately after the contest. The coach or player must be "out of sight and sound" of the game and game-related activities regardless of whether the coach or player is physically on school premises.

2.3.2.2.2 If the offending coach or player is present at a game or game-related activity during the suspension in any capacity, including manager, statistician, site worker, spectator, etc., the coach or player shall be suspended for 1 additional game at that level of competition.

2.3.2.3 If a coach or athlete is disqualified from the final contest of the season, the suspension shall carry over to the next year in that sport.

2.3.2.3.1 Coaches who do not fulfill their penalty in the same sport shall be disqualified for the appropriate length of time in their subsequent coaching assignment.

2.3.2.3.2 Athletes who do not fulfill their penalty in the same sport or who do not retain eligibility shall be disqualified for the appropriate length of time in their next sport.

2.3.2.3.2.1 Seniors shall fulfill their penalty in another sport during the same season or another sport during a subsequent season.

2.3.2.3.2.2 When a senior is disqualified from the last game of the student athlete's high school career, the Member School shall take appropriate administrative action to discipline the offending student, which may include withdrawing the student from a post-season all-star game. The Member School shall report the action taken to the Sportsmanship Committee.

2.3.2.4 A player or coach ejected for a second time during the same season shall be subjected to a 2 game suspension and shall meet, in a timely fashion, with the Sportsmanship Committee accompanied by the Principal or designee and, in the case of an athlete, by the coach.

2.3.2.5 Appeal of a contest suspension resulting from a game ejection

2.3.2.5.1 A coach or player may appeal a contest suspension resulting from a game ejection to the DIAA Executive Director. Contest suspensions that may be appealed include suspensions from game ejections under the individual sport playing rules, other DIAA policies, or a suspension under subsections 2.3.1.1 or 2.3.1.1.1. The Executive Director may decide the appeal or, in the Executive Director's discretion, refer it to the Sportsmanship Committee or a subcommittee that may include the Board's Chairperson, the Sportsmanship Committee's Chairperson, the committee chairperson of the applicable recognized sports committee, the State rules interpreter for the applicable sport, a representative of the applicable officials' association, and any other individuals the Executive Director deems necessary.

2.3.2.5.2 If the Executive Director is unable to make a decision before the next contest, the suspension remains in effect. The Executive Director's, Sportsmanship Committee's, or subcommittee's decision to uphold or rescind the suspension resulting from a game ejection may not be appealed to the Board.

2.4 Appeals.

Decisions of the Executive Director or Sportsmanship Committee with the exception of those to uphold or rescind the suspension resulting from a game ejection may be appealed to the DIAA Board of Directors in accordance with the procedure found in 14 DE Admin. Code 1006, Section 10.0. In accordance with 14 DE Admin. Code 1006, subsection 10.1.1.3.1, the notice of appeal shall be served by certified mail within 10 calendar days after the appellant's receipt of the written notice that official action has been taken by the Executive Director or Sportsmanship Committee. An appeal shall not stay the decision of the Executive Director, the Sportsmanship Committee, or any other subordinate.

Notes

14 Del. Admin. Code § 1023-2.0

3 DE Reg. 436 (09/01/99)
6 DE Reg. 285 (09/01/02)
7 DE Reg. 1692 (06/01/04)
11 DE Reg. 1635 (06/01/08)
15 DE Reg. 69 (07/01/11)
19 DE Reg. 493 (12/1/2015)
22 DE Reg. 162 (8/1/2018)
23 DE Reg. 114 (8/1/2019)
28 DE Reg. 292 (10/1/2024) (Final)