NATIONAL COMMUNITY FOOTBALL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

NATIONAL COMMUNITY FOOTBALL TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

By submitting an Application, I confirm that:

(a) if I am the Participant, I have read, understood and agree to these Terms and Conditions, and confirm that the statements made and details provided in the Application are true and correct; or

(b) if I am registering a Participant who is under 18 years of age, I have authority to do so, agree to these Terms and Conditions on the Participant’s behalf, and confirm that the statements made and details provided in the Application are true and correct. I acknowledge that submitting an Application does not guarantee registration, and that the Football Bodies may refuse an Application in accordance with these Terms and Conditions.

1. DEFINITIONS

Activity means a Match, program, event or activity (including training) which is reasonably connected to Australian Football and within the purview of the Policy Handbook.

AFL means Australian Football League (ACN 004 155 211).

Application means the application to register a Participant in Australian Football. Australian Football has the meaning given in the Policy Handbook, and includes any Activity connected with it.

Competition means any Australian Football competition in which the Participant is registered, applying to be registered or otherwise participating.

Club means the club through which the Participant is registered or applying to be registered for participation in Australian Football.

Controlling Body has the meaning given in the Policy Handbook.

Fee means any fee payable in connection with the Participant’s registration or participation in Australian Football, as shown at registration.

Footage means photos, images, video, livestreams, recordings and audio that feature the Participant.

Football Body means the AFL, relevant Controlling Body or League involved in the Participant’s registration or participation in Australian Football.

Laws of the Game means the Laws of Australian Football as administered and controlled by the AFL and set out at https://play.afl/learning-resource/laws-game, as amended from time to time.

League means the league, association or body responsible for the organisation and conduct of the Competition in which the Participant’s Club participates.

Match means any Australian Football match played in a Competition.

Parent/Guardian means, where the Participant is under 18 years of age, the Participant’s parent, legal guardian or another person with legal authority to register the Participant and accept these Terms and Conditions on the Participant’s behalf.

Participant means the person registered, or applying to be registered, to participate in Australian Football, including as a player, volunteer or other registered participant. A Participant may be 18 years of age or older, or under 18 years of age and represented by their Parent/Guardian.

Policy Handbook means the National Community Football Policy Handbook, as amended from time to time.

Rules and Policies is given the meaning in clause 2(a) of these Terms and Conditions.

Terms and Conditions means these National Community Football Terms and Conditions of Participation.

2. RULES AND POLICIES

(a) The Participant must comply with these Terms and Conditions, the Policy Handbook, the Laws of the Game and any applicable policies, rules, regulations, by-laws or determinations made or adopted by the relevant Football Bodies (Rules and Policies).

(b) Failure to comply with the Rules and Policies may result in action being taken under the Policy Handbook or other applicable Rules and Policies.

3. SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE

(a) The AFL is committed to promoting and protecting the safety and wellbeing of children and young people involved in Australian Football.

(b) All Participants are required to comply with child safeguarding requirements under the Rules and Policies as well as any obligations they are subject to under relevant state or territory child safeguarding legislation.

(c) If the Participant is under 18 years of age, the Parent/Guardian must:

i. understand and comply with the applicable safeguarding and behavioural standards under the Policy Handbook;

ii. support the Participant to understand and comply with those standards in an age-appropriate way; and

iii. report any serious or ongoing safeguarding or behavioural concern to an appropriate Football Body.

(d) If a person believes that a child or young person is at imminent risk of harm or immediate danger, or that conduct towards a child or young person may constitute a criminal offence, they must immediately call 000, and lodge a report with the AFL via the AFL’s electronic complaint submission platform.

(e) If a person believes that another person has committed a breach of the safeguarding requirements in the Policy Handbook, they should contact the relevant Football Body as soon as possible and submit a written complaint in accordance with the Policy Handbook.

4. ELIGIBILITY AND REGISTRATION

(a) To register, a Participant must complete the Application, pay any applicable Fee and accept these Terms and Conditions.

(b) If the Participant is under 18 years of age, their Parent/Guardian must do those things on their behalf. The Participant, or if they are under 18 years of age, their Parent/Guardian, warrants that:

i. the information provided is true, accurate and up to date;

ii. if accepting these Terms and Conditions on behalf of a Participant who is under 18 years of age, they have authority to register the Participant and accept these Terms and Conditions on the Participant’s behalf;

iii. the Participant meets the age and eligibility requirements for the relevant Competition and Football Bodies; and

iv. where the Participant is under 18 years of age, the Participant’s PlayHQ account is created and managed by a Parent/Guardian or other adult with lawful authority.

(c) Subject to applicable law and the Privacy Policy, the AFL will not action a request to access, transfer or change a Participant profile or account unless the person making the request has appropriate authority.

5. HEALTH AND SAFETY

(a) If the Participant is aware of any medical condition, injury, allergy, disability, medication requirement, support need or other matter that may reasonably affect their safe participation in an Activity, or for which they seek adjustments or support, they should provide relevant information to their Club. Where the Participant is under 18 years of age, the Participant's Parent/Guardian should provide that information on their behalf.

(b) The Participant must keep this information, and emergency contact details, accurate and up to date. If the Participant is under 18 years of age, their Parent/Guardian must do this on the Participant’s behalf.

(c) Where the Participant is under 18 years of age, their Parent/Guardian remains responsible for:

i. supervising and supporting the Participant's health, wellbeing and medical needs; and

ii. providing any medication, treatment, equipment or support required by the Participant unless otherwise expressly agreed by the relevant Football Body.

6. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF RISK

(a) Australian Football is a body contact sport, and participation in Australian Football activities involves inherent risks, including the risk of serious injury.

(b) To the extent permitted by law, the Participant agrees not to bring a claim against a Football Body or its officers, employees, agents or volunteers for loss, damage or injury that arises solely from the inherent risks of participation. If the Participant is under 18 years of age, the Participant’s Parent/Guardian gives this agreement on the Participant’s behalf.

(c) To the extent permitted by law, a Football Body’s liability for services supplied in connection with registration or participation is limited to resupplying the services, paying the cost of resupply, or refunding the amount paid for the affected services.

(d) Nothing in these Terms excludes, restricts or modifies any right or remedy that cannot lawfully be excluded, restricted or modified, including under the Australian Consumer Law.

7. INSURANCE AND PERSONAL ACCIDENT COVER

(a) Registered Participants may be covered under the AFL National Risk Protection Program for certain sports injury benefits, subject to the applicable terms, conditions, exclusions and eligibility requirements of the personal accident cover. Participants should enquire with the Football Body with which they are registering to confirm whether they will be covered under the AFL National Risk Protection Program.

(b) The personal accident cover provided under the AFL National Risk Protection Program is not comprehensive and in particular does not provide cover for expenses that cannot lawfully be insured, including medical expenses for which a Medicare benefit is payable and the Medicare gap. Participants should consider their own personal circumstances including any need to procure their own private health or other personal insurance, loss of income protection or ambulance cover. If the Participant is under 18 years of age, the Participant’s Parent/Guardian should consider this on the Participant’s behalf.

(c) The insurance covers provided by the AFL National Risk Protection Program do not extend to persons not registered with the relevant Football Body as a Participant or appointed in an official or volunteer capacity (for example spectators and Parents/Guardians who are not appointed by the Football Body in an official or volunteer capacity).

8. IMAGES, VIDEO, STREAMING AND LIKENESS

(a) The Participant acknowledges that during Australian Football matches, training, programs, events and activities, Footage of the Participant may be captured by or on behalf of the Football Bodies.

(b) By agreeing to these Terms and Conditions, the Participant consents to the Football Bodies collecting, using and disclosing the Participant’s Footage and name, image, likeness, reputation and identity (Likeness) for purposes connected with Australian Football, including: i. administering, managing and promoting competitions, programs, events, matches, training, and activities; ii. education, training, integrity, tribunal, disciplinary and safety purposes; iii. media, communications, marketing and promotional purposes; and iv. use by the AFL, Football Bodies and their authorised partners in connection with Australian Football.

(c) If the Participant is under 18 years of age, the Parent/Guardian gives the consent in clause 8(b) on the Participant’s behalf.

(d) The Participant acknowledges that Footage may be edited, adapted, published, broadcast, livestreamed, communicated or otherwise used in any format or media, including online and on social media.

(e) Notwithstanding this clause, certain uses of Footage may be subject to separate Participant or Parent/Guardian consents, permissions or preferences specified by a Football Body from time to time. Where such a consent, permission or preference applies, the Football Bodies will handle the Footage in accordance with that consent, permission or preference.

9. PHOTOGRAPHY AND RECORDING

(a) Participants, Parent/Guardians and other attendees must not take photographs, videos or recordings:

i. in a change room;

ii. in a restricted access area;

iii. where photography, recording or mobile phone use is prohibited; or

iv. in a manner that breaches a reasonable direction, applicable law, child safeguarding requirement or another person’s privacy.

(b) Participants, Parent/Guardians and other attendees must not capture, share or distribute images or recordings containing private, confidential or non-public information seen at AFL, Club, or venue facilities.

(c) A change room means any space being used for changing clothes, showering, toileting, medical treatment or personal care.

10. REFUSAL, SUSPENSION AND TERMINATION

(a) In accordance with the applicable Rules and Policies, the AFL or Controlling Body may:

i. suspend, restrict, refuse the attendance of, and/or deregister a Participant from participation in Australian Football; or

ii. restrict or refuse the attendance of a Parent/Guardian.

(b) This may happen if the Participant, or where relevant the Parent/Guardian:

i. breaches these Terms and Conditions, the Policy Handbook or applicable Rules and Policies; or

ii. is subject to a sanction, suspension, restriction or other disciplinary outcome.

11. CODE OF CONDUCT

(a) By registering, the Participant agrees to comply with this Code of Conduct. If the Participant is under 18 years of age, their Parent/Guardian agrees to explain this Code to them in an age-appropriate way and support their compliance.

(b) The Participant, and where applicable the Parent/Guardian, must:

i. participate in, attend or support matches, training, programs and activities in accordance with the Laws of the Game and the applicable Rules and Policies;

ii. comply with the Policy Handbook including, but not limited to, all behavioural requirements in:

A. section 9.1 – Responsibility of a Person;

B. section 9.2 – General Code of Conduct;

C. section 10 – Vilification and Discrimination;

D. section 11 – Safeguarding Children and Young People;

E. section 12 – Social Media;

F. section 13 – Gambling and Match Fixing;

G. section 14 – Anti-doping and Supplements;

H. section 19 – Concussion;

iii. use facilities and equipment appropriately;

iv. respect decisions of officials and use appropriate channels for concerns or disputes;

v. follow reasonable safety and behavioural directions;

vi. not smoke, vape or consume alcohol where prohibited by law, venue rules, Competition rules or a reasonable direction of a Football Body; and

vii. take responsibility for their actions, where relevant, having regard to their age and capacity.

(c) The Participant acknowledges that a Football Body may take disciplinary action for a breach of this Code in accordance with the Rules and Policies as set out in clause 10 of these Terms and Conditions.