Clubs own the responsibility for handling misconduct cases, and excellent guidance is available for their race officials.

There are four different types of defined hearings within the rules, one of which is a misconduct hearing. Under the RRS it is the protest committee appointed by the organising authority or race committee who hears allegations of misconduct at an event, no different to any of the other hearings. This is an important thing to stress; rule 69.2 is quite clear that it is the protest committee’s role and responsibility to take actions on allegations of misconduct.

The protest committee can act on that responsibility based on its own observations, or after receiving a verbal or written report from anyone, whether or not they were involved in the regatta. Any report alleging misconduct no matter where it has come from or how it was delivered to the club’s protest committee, needs to be handled properly.

Fortunately, there is ample advice and guidance available from World Sailing and Australian Sailing. We recommend race officials review the most recent version of the World Sailing Misconduct Guidance. It is a complete reference work on misconduct for all race officials, in particular, clubs’ protest committees. The Judges Manual available from World Sailing also has sections dedicated to how misconduct is handled.

Australian Sailing can organise support from international judges experienced with the misconduct rules if a club’s protest committee needs that. Race officials who are uncertain how to handle a matter at their club can be put in contact with a network of support and expertise.

Judges and other protest committee members, club sailing committee members and sailing managers, and other people interested in learning more about handling misconduct cases should register their interest in attending an online induction on handling misconduct cases. Please register your interest in the induction, click here

The 2021 World Sailing Misconduct Guidance is available by clicking here 
The World Sailing Judges Manual is available by clicking here 

By Glen Stanaway