Basketball England Implementing and Embedding the Disciplinary Code

Updated: July 2025 

Definitions of terms used in this document can be found HERE

This guide should assist Affiliated Leagues with applying Basketball England’s new Disciplinary Code. All the latest guidance and information on the Disciplinary Code can be found on our website. In particular, the Guide for Affiliated Leagues HERE explains in detail what Serious Cases are and how they can be identified and reported. The Disciplinary Code itself can be viewed directly HERE.

The purpose of this additional guide is to assist Affiliated Leagues with implementing the Discipline Code and give some more practical support in making the Discipline Code successful within your League. Several additional guidance documents are included within the Appendices of this document and can also be provided, if requested, as separate documents for circulating more widely.

Get in touch at [email protected] to report any incidents or for further support. 

Understanding the impact on the league

Separating Cases

The biggest impact of the Disciplinary Code for Affiliated Leagues is the split of discipline cases into ‘Serious Cases’ that must be passed to Basketball England, and all other cases, which will remain with the League.

Basketball England will be responsible for investigating, charging and hearing any charges arising from Serious cases. The Discipline Code Guidance document HERE goes into more detail on what constitutes a Serious case and how to identify a Serious case; in brief, these include any case with a reference to discriminatory language or behaviour, any threat or violent conduct towards a game official and any allegation of misconduct by a game official.

Cases that are not considered as Serious cases remain with the League to deal with under the League discipline process. If there is any doubt about identifying a Serious case, get in touch with Basketball England at [email protected] for guidance and support.

A Sanction guideline document has been produced to assist Disciplinary Commissions with their decision-making and to help with consistency in the sanctions imposed. This can be found here***

Defining Processes

The Disciplinary Code sets out processes for charging and hearing cases, appeals, and dealing with Adults at Risk and Young People in the discipline process.

A lot of leagues will have their own process in place already, and its likely a lot of this will be similar to the processes set out in the Disciplinary Code. The Disciplinary Procedures General Provisions (point 7 in the Disciplinary Code) outlines the procedures and the processes that will be followed by Basketball England for any cases they hear. Whilst the discipline processes outlined are not mandatory for cases heard by an affiliate league, they provide a standard that can be adopted by the League, should the League choose to.

The process for any Adults at Risk or Young People involved in the Discipline Process should be followed by the League to ensure that suitable adaptions are made to any disciplinary process. This will ensure the League meets safeguarding expectations for disciplinary processes.

Guidance documents for these processes are included later in this guide.

Appeals

The Discipline Code outlines the cases that can be submitted to Basketball England for appeal, and the process that will be followed. The Appeal and Complaints guidance for Leagues explains where different types of cases should be initially heard and appealed. Leagues should ensure that where a participant has a right to appeal a decision they are made aware when they are notified of the decision.

The Appeals Guidance for Participants provides information about appeals for any Clubs, coaches, players or any other participants who have been subject to a decision. It explains the limits and requirements of submitting an appeal, as well as an overview of the process.

Implementing changes

Amending Rules and Regulations

Leagues may need to make amendments to League Rules to make it clear that certain offences will be handled by Basketball England, and will follow the procedures outlined in the Disciplinary Code. The following example is amended from the changes to the NBL and demonstrates how straightforward this can be:

• Matters considered a Serious Offence by Basketball England and those involving match officials will be considered under the Basketball England Disciplinary Code.
• Disciplinary matters related to misconduct by Participants, occurring during or immediately prior to, or following a Match will be considered by the League, or referred to Basketball England if appropriate.

Changes may need to be made to remove reference to any such cases within League documents, for example if the League has recommended sanctions listed for these offences this will need removing to avoid any conflict or confusion.

Amending Processes and Sanctions

Cases that remain with the League can follow current League discipline processes, but it is recommended that Leagues begin to move towards the procedures outlined by Basketball England for consistency. The paramount objective of any discipline process should be fairness to all involved. League processes and decisions will be subject to appeal so the League should be comfortable and confident that the processes being used are robust.

Appeals against decisions of the League can be appealed to Basketball England, and this should be clearly stated to clubs and participants within the League. The Appeal guidance explains this in more detail.

Game Day Delegate

A new role has been created and will be implemented across the NBL. Affiliated Leagues may want to consider how they can utilise game day delegates at a local level, but it is not mandatory. The guidance document is provided for information and to support those Leagues who choose to have game day delegates. If any significant changes are made to the role within a League, please rename the position to avoid confusion. 

Communicating with clubs and match officials

Clubs and Players

It is really important to try and get the message across to Clubs and Players so they are aware of the expectations around behaviour. Support documents for Clubs and Players are included later in the document and can also be found on the Basketball England website:

Reporting flowchart for Clubs and Players – this breaks down the steps to take at the time an incident occurs

Identifying Discrimination and Aggravated Language – this one page document gives an overview of what is meant by the terms ‘aggravated language’ and ‘discrimination’.

Clubs have a responsibility to ensure spectator’s conduct themselves in an appropriate manner, and can be held accountable for this. This guidance explaining due diligence should help Clubs to understand this Club Responsibility and Due Diligence Explained

Match Officials

Referees and other match officials have a crucial role to play in identifying and reporting any discipline matters and in particular any Serious incidents. It's vital that anyone taking on an officiating role at a basketball game understands the responsibilities that come with it.

The Disciplinary Code also offers greater protection to match officials, classing any threats or physical actions towards match officials as serious incidents, with significant sanctions to be imposed on any participant who has such a charge found Proven. This should act as a deterrent, with the intention of improving the behaviour towards match officials and subsequently creating a more positive environment for officials within basketball.

The Guidance for Match Officials can be shared with officials in your league to help them understand their role and the impact of the Disciplinary Code. It also includes flowcharts explaining how they can handle incidents reported to them. 

Appendices 

Young People and Adults at Risk in the Discipline Process HERE

Guide to the Personal Hearings HERE

Identifying Discrimination and Aggravated Language HERE

Spectator Behaviour and Due Diligence HERE

Reporting Discrimination and Aggravated Language HERE

Appeals and Complaints HERE

Appeals Process - Guidance for Participants HERE

Role of Game Day Delegate HERE

Disciplinary Code Guidance for Match Officials HERE

Sanction Guidelines HERE