Fair Sportsmanship
Inter-club events are undoubtedly fun and you will learn alot about windsurfing, but this will only remain so providing you, as sailors (and coaches) uphold the Team15 spirit.
The T15 spirit includes fair play. Fair play starts at Team15 inter-club level and goes right up to Olympic level. Everyone needs to understand and abide by the rules of fair sportsmanship.
The following is an extract from the Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) in terms of fair sportsmanship. This is the minimum that all T15 inter-club sailors (and T15 coaches) should know and abide by, along with the T15 Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions.
Question 1:
Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS)
Fundamental Rule 2; Fair sailing
This refers to the recognised principles of sportsmanship and fair play.
So what are these principles and what behaviours constitute their breach?
Answer 1:
The recognised principles of sportsmanship and fair play include the following (which is a non-exhaustive list):
Respect for the rules
Breaches of this principle include:
- Knowingly breaking a rule and not taking a penalty
- Deliberately breaking a rule
- Intentionally breaking a rule to gain an unfair advantage
- Collusion with another competitor to ignore rule breaches which may aggrieve or disadvantage other competitors
- Gamesmanship, defined as behaviour of questionable fairness but not strictly illegal tactics
Respect for other competitors
Breaches of this principle include:
- Bullying, intimidating or harassing others
- Verbal abuse, unnecessary shouting or foul language
- Ungracious acceptance of defeat
- Sailing to benefit another competitor to the detriment of own position (not applicable in Team Racing events)
Respect for race officials
Breaches of this principle include:
- Use of language which might convey incompetence, prejudice or insult
- Dissent against a race official decision
Respect for property
Breaches of this principle include:
- Reckless sailing likely to result in damage or injury
- Abuse of boats or equipment supplied by an Organising Authority or belonging to a competitor
- Careless damage to property
Question 2:
RRS Rule 69; Gross misconduct
This refers to gross breaches of a rule, good manners or sportsmanship.
So how are these breaches to be distinguished from Rule 2 (above) and what behaviours constitute such breaches?
Answer 2:
A behaviour must be classified as 'gross' to be considered a breach of Rule 69 rather than Rule 2. Examples of behaviours which might be considered 'gross' include:
- Repeated examples of Rule 2 breaches of sportsmanship above
- Inciting others to unsportsmanlike behaviour
- Breaking a racing rule which is so serious that the normal penalty may be inadequate
- Repeated abuse of race officials or competitors demonstrated by foul language or gestures
- Lying in a hearing
- Deliberate adjustment of a rig or equipment of a competitor boat to gain an unfair advantage
- Theft, wilful damage or abuse of property
- Engaging in any illegal activity during the event
- Engaging in any other activity likely to bring the sport into disrepute.
N.B. Allegations of gross misconduct under Rule 69 can be made against individuals or boats, whereas protests of unfair sailing under Rule 2 can only be made against boats.
The term "sportsmanship" has been taken verbatim from the RRS but is not intended to be gender-specific. It applies to all individuals irrespective of gender.
As with all competitive windsurfing events, Team15 inter-club events take place under the Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS).
Whilst newcomers to Team15 windsurfing should read the rules on fair sportsmanship above and understand those detailed in the T15 Sailing Instructions, you won’t need to know all the rules in depth just yet.
However, if you like racing and continue to move up to higher levels - i.e. RYA Zone Windsurfing Squad, UKWA racing - then you will need to know more rules. Rule books can be purchased through the RYA online shop.