We hope the following information can provide answers to some of the questions that you may have regarding reporting discrimination.
Your questions answered:
Q: Can I make a report anonymously?
A: Yes. You do not have to give your name when reporting an incident of racism or other discrimination. However, if an anonymous person is the only witness, we are likely to find it difficult to take formal action against the alleged offender.
Q: Once I make a report, what happens next?
A: The details reported will be assessed by an officer of the Royal Navy Football Association who will review the information provided and decide on the appropriate course of action. This will involve deciding, where necessary, who should investigate the allegation – this may be the Royal Navy Football Association, The FA, the police, Service Complaints Commissioner, etc. Once this decision has been made, you will be contacted and the process will be explained.
Q: Who will contact me once my report has been reviewed?
A: A member of the Royal Navy Football Association will contact you in the first instance although, ultimately, it could be The FA or another agency that deals with the complaint. If you have a preferred method for communications (i.e. telephone, letter, etc.) please let us know.
Q: How long can I expect to wait before I am contacted?
A: We will contact you as soon as reasonably possible, and within at least five working days.
Q: What is likely to happen to the alleged offender?
A: It is too early to say. Only if any football rules have been breached and there is sufficient evidence, will disciplinary action be taken, which may lead to some form of sanction. For service personnel, military discipline action may be taken once a complete investigation has been carried out and a decision reached. However, this cannot be certain at this stage. The first step is for us to assess the information available and decide on the most appropriate course of action.
Q: Will I have to give evidence?
A: If it is decided that disciplinary action will be taken against the alleged offender(s), that will usually mean that we charge them , with their case to be heard by a Disciplinary Commission.
In order to do this, we have to have enough evidence to prove what happened. We may therefore ask you to provide a statement, which means that your version of events is written down and you sign the document as an accurate record of the incident you witnessed. When you provide a statement, it enables us to use this evidence at a disciplinary hearing. It is an important part of the process, and we rely on people being willing to provide evidence to enable us to tackle the problems that are reported.
You should note that providing a statement may mean that you will be asked to attend a hearing and give your evidence in person. For service personnel there may be a need to provide evidence should the incident require military investigation.
If you wish to report a matter, or you have any further queries regarding this matter, please contact Steve Vasey (Secretary) on 02392 722671 or email secretary@navyfa.com
|