Basketball England - The Home of Basketball in England

Updated March 2025

Every participant in basketball has the right to take part in an environment which is free from abuse and bullying. This charter sets out what bullying is, our position in bullying, and responding to incidents of bullying.

Definitions of terms used in this document can be found HERE

Bullying can include:

Verbal bullying: Name-calling, taunting, mocking, making offensive comments and teasing
Physical bullying: Kicking, hitting, punching, pushing and pinching
Emotional bullying: Producing offensive graffiti, excluding people from groups, spreading hurtful and untrue rumours, being forced to do things against own will and taking belongings or money
Online /Cyber bullying: Offensive text messaging and e-mailing and sending degrading images by phone or the internet
Racist bullying: Bullying another person based on their ethnic background, religion or skin colour. Racist bullying is a criminal offence under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and Public Order Act 1986
Homophobic bullying: Bullying another person because of their actual or perceived sexual orientation
Transphobic bullying: Bullying based on another person’s gender ‘variance’ or for not conforming to dominant gender roles
Bullying motivated by prejudice or hostility against a person due to their religion/perceived religion, disability/perceived disability, sexual orientation/perceived sexual orientation
Sexist bullying: Bullying based on sexist attitudes expressed in a way to demean, intimidate or harm another person because of their sex or gender. Sexist bullying may sometimes be characterised by inappropriate sexual behaviours
Sexual bullying: Bullying behaviour that has a physical, psychological, verbal or non-verbal sexual dimension/dynamic that subordinates, humiliates or intimidates another person. This is commonly underpinned by sexist attitudes or gender stereotypes

Bullying is generally characterised by:

Repetition: Incidents are not one-offs; they are frequent and happen over a period of time
Intent: The perpetrator(s) means to cause verbal, physical or emotional harm; it is not accidental
Targeting: Bullying is generally targeted at a specific individual or group
Power imbalance: Whether real or perceived, bullying is generally based on unequal power relations

Basketball England’s position on bullying:

We are committed to eliminating bullying within basketball activities. Everyone has a responsibility to work together to stop bullying and create a positive, open culture where bullying behaviour can and is challenged.

Basketball England affiliated clubs and organisations are required to:

Recognise their duty of care and responsibility to safeguard all participants from harm
Promote and implement this anti-bullying policy in addition to our safeguarding policy and procedures
Ensure that bullying behaviour is not tolerated or condoned
Require all members of the club/organisation to sign up this policy
Investigate and respond to any reports of bullying
Encourage and facilitate children, young people and adults at risk to play an active part in developing and adopting a code of conduct for behaviour
Ensure that coaches are given access to information, guidance and training on bullying
Encourage all Club Welfare Officers to promote who they are and their contact details in case anyone needs to report an incident of bullying

Responding to Incidents of bullying:

Guidance for young people/adults if you are being bullied. Remember it is not your fault:

If possible, tell them to stop and tell them how you feel after you have been bullied
All bullying is wrong, and you do not have to stay silent about it
Tell somebody you trust about what has happened straight away. They have a responsibility to give you help and support around bullying
If you are scared to tell someone on your own, ask a friend to go with you
Keep on speaking until someone listens and does something to stop the bullying. When you are talking think carefully about:

- What has happened to you
- How often it has happened

- Who was involved

- Who saw what was happening

- Where it happened.

- Has anything been done about it previously? This will help them to understand how to support you with this issue

Please don't be worried about speaking to someone. They will listen and give you time to talk to them. Don't worry if you are not sure what words to use to describe the bullying, they will be able to use your description of the incident to help you.

Developments in technology have resulted in new opportunities and new ways to bully others; this is particularly evident with the rise of Cyber bullying. Cyberbullying is driven by the same intention as any other form of bullying and can include harmful messages being sent via social media platforms. It can also include the exclusion of others from social networking, posting videos on social media platforms, and can even involve impersonating others online in order to cause harm. If you experience bullying by mobile phone, text messages, any social networking site or email;

Don’t retaliate or reply
Save the evidence, do not delete anything

Make sure you tell someone who you trust

Contact your service provider or look at their website to see where to report incidents

Be careful who you give your mobile phone number or e-mail address to

Make a note of exactly when a threatening message was sent

Guidance for parents/carers if your child has been bullied:

Calmly talk with your child about his/her experiences
Make a note of what your child says including who was involved, how often the bullying has occurred, where it happened and what happened

Reassure your child that he/she has done the right thing to tell you about the bullying

Make an appointment to see your child’s club welfare officer

Explain to the club welfare officer the problems your child is experiencing. When talking with the club welfare officer about bullying:

Bear in mind that they may have no idea that your child is being bullied or may have heard conflicting accounts of an incident
Be as specific as possible about what your child says has happened, give dates, places and names of other children involved
Make a note of what action the club/organisation intends to take
Ask if there is anything you can do to help your child or the club/organisation
Stay in touch with the club/organisation and let them know if things improve as well as if problems continue

If your child is displaying bullying behaviour towards others:

Talk with your child and explain that what he/she is doing is unacceptable and makes other children unhappy
Show your child how he/she can join in with other children without bullying
Make an appointment to see your child’s club/organisation welfare officer and explain the problems your child is experiencing as well as discussing how you can work together to stop him/ her bullying others
Regularly check with your child how things are going
Give your child lots of praise and encouragement when he/she is co-operative or kind to other people

If your child is experiencing any form of cyber bullying:

Ensure your child is careful whom they give their mobile phone number and e-mail address to
Check exactly when a threatening message was sent and keep evidence of offending e-mails, text messages or online conversations. Do not delete messages

If the bullying involves a young person from a club/organisation contact the club/organisation to report this

Contact the service provider to report the incidents

If the cyberbullying is serious and a potential criminal offence has been committed, you should consider contacting the police

Guidance for clubs and organisations:

Upon seeing bullying or receiving a report of bullying it is imperative that action is taken
In the first instance, information should be taken from the alleged victim of the bullying. This should be undertaken sensitively allowing the person plenty of time to describe what has been happening
If the incident or incidents relate to an adult in a position of trust or child on child abuse, then a referral to the Safeguarding Team at Basketball England should immediately be made. This team will act as lead and direct on actions to be taken next
If the above is not the case, then once the alleged victim has provided as much information as is possible, parents should be notified, where appropriate - the only exception to this is where doing so would put a young person at risk of harm. In this case guidance should be sought from the Safeguarding Team at Basketball England
An investigation should then be opened which takes information from all relevant parties, this should involve the alleged perpetrator(s). All parents of children involved should be informed that their child is involved in an internal investigation. The exception to this is where it might put a child at risk of harm, in this case, guidance should be sought from the Basketball England Safeguarding Team
If during the course of the investigation any information comes to light that might indicate a case of child-on-child abuse or an incident involving an adult in a position of trust, then contact the Safeguarding Team at Basketball England
During the course of the investigation steps should be taken to protect the alleged victim from any further bullying activity. This may include temporarily removing the alleged perpetrator(s) from attending activity where the alleged victim is present
Upon the conclusion of any investigation, findings should be discussed with the victim (and parents if appropriate). This should include any steps going forward to ensure that no further bullying activity takes place
Findings should also be communicated to the alleged perpetrator(s) (and parents if appropriate). This should also include any steps going forward to ensure that no bullying takes place. It is important to communicate at this point the consequences of the perpetrator engaging in bullying activity again. It is important to remember that sometimes people bully others as a result of their own trauma, and this should also be explored and supported where appropriate
The Basketball England Disciplinary Code is in place to ensure that serious misconduct is dealt with appropriately, including all matters relating to aggravated offences. Clubs should keep Basketball England informed of any incidents defined as ‘serious’ in accordance with the Code, and the team will work with organisations to ensure correct processes are followed locally.

Any person who has a concern about bullying can report it to us HERE.

Additional information and support will be provided for those who request to remain anonymous.

For further information please contact our Safeguarding Manager at [email protected]

Useful contacts

NSPCC Helpline 0808 800 5000

Childline 0800 1111 / www.childline.org.uk

Kidscape

Anti-Bullying Alliance

Ann Craft Trust Ann Craft Trust: Safeguarding Adults and Young People at Risk

Basketball England Anti-Bullying Guidance