REVISED ZERO-TOLERANCE POLICY – 6/01/2022

The REVISED ZERO-TOLERANCE POLICY aims to eliminate abusive behavior by spectators directed at game officials and other participants during a youth, girls, or high school game.

Should any spectator (including a parent, sibling, or other family members of a participant) of an AAHA team or association be removed from a youth, girls, or high school hockey game for abusive, profane, or other unacceptable conduct, which may consist of any loud, obscene or otherwise offensive language or gesture directed at any game official (“Abusive Conduct”) or other participants, that person shall be subject to discipline as prescribed below.

Spectators shall be subject to the prescribed discipline whether the removal is by a game official or Arena personnel or if the alleged Abusive Conduct is investigated after the fact by the proper Disciplinary Authority such as a Club, League, or Affiliate. If such alleged Abusive Conduct is found to have occurred by a preponderance of proof; the following disciplinary action shall be imposed on the individual(s) that were removed or found to have committed Abusive Conducted during AAHA sanctioned competition;

1. First Offense – a suspension from all activities involving the team for a minimum of thirty (30) days, a maximum of ninety (90) days;

2. Second Offense – a suspension from all activities involving the team for a minimum of sixty (60) days, a maximum of one hundred twenty (120) days;

3. Third Offense – a suspension from all USA Hockey activities for a period of one (1) Year, from the date of the incident or from the date of the findings of an investigation of the Abusive Conduct. The individual will be required to complete a certified anger management class and provide the Affiliate with a certificate of completion of other documentation from the course to be eligible to be a spectator at USA Hockey games and practices within the AAHA.

4. Abusive Conduct in games involving minor-age officials: Should the Abusive Conduct occur in a game where any of the assigned game officials are 18 or younger, the stated penalties shall double, regardless of whether the abusive conduct is directed at the minor-age official.

• Suspensions will include all activities, including practices (on-ice, dry land, and meetings), tournaments, and all games (District or Non-District).

• ARENA ENTRY EXCEPTION: A suspended parent/guardian shall be permitted to enter the rink if their child has been injured and needs the parent/guardian’s assistance to assess their child’s well-being and ability to return to play or assist the child in undressing to leave the arena for medical evaluation. Should the player return to the ice or player’s bench, the suspended parent/guardian must exit the building immediately.

If you wish to report allegations of Abusive Conduct directed at game officials (on-ice and off-ice officials), please use the following link. The identity of reporters will be kept confidential. However, reporters must provide their name and valid contact information. Anonymous reports, especially those presented without corroborating evidence such as video, are not likely to be acted upon.

REPORTER LINK: https://atlantic-district.sportngin.com/register/form/438191057

Allegations of verbal abuse by game officials shall be reported to the team’s Club President, who will submit the report to the AAHA President and Referee-in-Chief.