Rule 47. Harassment of Officials, Unsportsmanlike Conduct/Misconduct

Team officials shall be responsible for their conduct and that of their players at all times. They must endeavor to prevent disorderly conduct before, during or after the game, on or off the floor and any place in the rink. The Referee may assess penalties to any of the above team officials for failure to do so and shall report full details of the incident to the President.

(a) A Minor penalty shall be assessed to any player or team official who challenges or disputes the rulings of any official during the game or who displays unsportsmanlike conduct. If a player or goaltender persists, she shall be assessed a Misconduct penalty and any further disputes will result in a Game Misconduct penalty being assessed to the offending player or goaltender. If a team official persists, she shall immediately be assessed a Game Misconduct penalty. A Referee  is not required to assess a Minor penalty under this rule before assessing the Misconduct or Game Misconduct, but may assess either of these penalties initially.(b) A Misconduct penalty shall be assessed on any player who:

(1) uses obscene, profane or abusive language or gestures to any person.
(2) persists in disputing or shows disrespect for the ruling of any official.
(3) intentionally knocks or shoots the ball out of reach of an official who is retrieving it.

A player who, after receiving a Misconduct penalty, persists in any of the actions of (b) above, shall be assessed a Game Misconduct penalty.

Note: In the case of a team official, a Bench Minor penalty shall be assessed instead of a Misconduct penalty. A team official after receiving a Bench Minor penalty would receive a Game Misconduct penalty if the actions continue. A Referee is not required to assess a Bench Minor penalty under this rule before assessing a Game Misconduct penalty.

(c) If the Referee is unable to identify the person responsible for the use of obscene, profane or abusive language, a Bench Minor penalty shall be assessed the offending team.

(d) A Misconduct penalty shall be assessed any player who does not proceed immediately and directly to the penalty bench when she has been penalized. Where the penalized player causes any delay by returning for their equipment (gloves, sticks, etc…), the Misconduct penalty shall apply. The equipment shall be delivered to their on the penalty bench by a player of their team on the floor at the time of the infraction.

Note: It shall be necessary to place a substitute on the penalty bench. Such substitute may return to the floor as soon as the Misconduct penalty to the offending player commences.

(e) A Misconduct penalty shall be assessed to any player who shows any course of conduct (including threatening and abusive language or gestures or similar actions) designed to incite an opponent into incurring a penalty. Any player who removes their helmet to incite an opponent would also receive a Misconduct under this rule.

(f) *NEW* Any player or team official who engages in
taunts, insults, or intimidation based on discriminatory grounds will be assessed a Gross Misconduct
penalty. Discriminatory grounds include the following,
without limitation:
– Race, national or ethnic origin, skin colour,
or language spoken
– Religion, faith or beliefs
– Age
– Sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity/
expression
– Marital or familial status
– Genetic characteristics
– Disability
Note 1: The Referee will report the individual(s) by
completing a Game Incident Report including full details and submitting the Report to the appropriate
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Rule 47. Harassment of Officials, Unsportsmanlike
Conduct/Misconduct
Member or League delegate.
Note 2: If an incident occurs that was not witnessed
by the Referees, but is reported to by members of
either team, the referees will verbally advise both
head coaches about the accusations. The referees
will complete a Game Incident Report including full
details, submitting it to the appropriate Member or
League delegate.

Note: Officials must complete a game report and report to the President any penalty incurred under Rule 47 (f).

(g) A Misconduct penalty shall be assessed any player or players who, except for taking their position on the penalty bench, enters or remains in the Referee’s crease while the Referee is reporting to or consulting with any game official, Timekeeper, Penalty Timekeeper, Official Scorer or Announcer.

(h) Where a team official has been assessed a Game Misconduct penalty under this rule, the Referee shall report the individual in full details to the President, who may assess further penalties.

(i) A Bench Minor penalty shall be assessed a team where any player or team official on the bench protests an official’s ruling through verbal or physical gestures that may be considered disrespectful in any way, or who bangs the boards or playing surface with a stick or any other object in protest of the ruling.

Note: When the penalty is assessed against a player on the penalty bench, another player from the floor must serve the Bench Minor penalty.

(j) When the player on the floor commits the infraction described in (i), the Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalty shall be assessed.

SITUATION 1 Rule 47 (a)
There appears to be some misunderstanding as to when and how this rule should be used. You will note that this rule does not replace any other already in effect under Rule 47 – “Harassment of Officials, Unsportsmanlike Conduct/Misconduct”, nor is it a substitute for the corresponding penalties. The Referee may assess a
penalty under this rule when unsportsmanlike actions are directed against either a game official (On-floor or Off-floor Officials) or any opposing player. Any unsportsmanlike actions that are directed at an individual should be penalized promptly. The overzealous application of this rule to restrict enthusiasm displayed by a player who has made an important play or scored a goal is not the intent of this rule. Officials should not penalize enthusiasm unless it has crossed the line that separates enthusiasm from baiting, good taste or disrespect. Due to the wide scope of this rule, guidelines for judgment are difficult to describe. The preceding comments should provide some assistance for the interpretation of this rule.

SITUATION 2
Any team official who is assessed a penalty shall not be permitted to serve that penalty on the penalty bench. If a time penalty is involved, it shall be served by a player of that team who was on the floor at the time of the infraction.

SITUATION 3 Rules 47 (a)
Where obscene, abusive or profane language is directed at the official, then a Misconduct or Game Misconduct may be assessed, without going through the unsportsmanlike conduct penalty first.

SITUATION 4 Rule 47 (i)
QUESTION: What penalty is assessed a goaltender or any player who harasses the Goal Judge by banging their stick against the glass?
ANSWER: A Minor penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. If the action persists, assess a Misconduct or Game Misconduct.

SITUATION 5
QUESTION: The play is in progress and a player verbally harasses a Referee. Can the Referee stop the play to assess the Misconduct?
ANSWER: The Referee cannot stop play to assess the penalty. They must wait for a stoppage of play.

SITUATION 6 Rule 47 (a)
In cases where a single Minor penalty has been assessed and the penalized player is guilty of unsportsmanlike conduct, the Referee is encouraged to assess the additional Minor penalty for “Unsportsmanlike Conduct”. However, if a teammate on the floor is guilty of unsportsmanlike conduct, the Referee is encouraged to assess a Misconduct in this situation.

SITUATION 7 Rule 47 (e)
Two players are about to square off in a fight. The player from Team ‘A’ removes their helmet or undoes their chin strap.
QUESTION: What penalty is assessed to the Team ‘A’ player if the fight does not occur?
ANSWER: A Misconduct Penalty.

QUESTION: What penalty is assessed to the Team ‘A’ player if the fight does occur?
ANSWER: A Gross Misconduct Penalty plus any other penalties they incur.