To all AFL Goldfields players, club officials and members.
This week the AFL Goldfields dealt with our 1st instance of alleged Cyber Bullying for the 2019 season, and whilst I cannot go into details at the time of writing I can confirm that 2 Junior players have each received a 2 week suspension from playing, and a 3rd player is under investigation.

AFL Goldfields recognise that we have an obligation to maintain a safe physical and emotional environment for our affiliated leagues, their league officials, staff, registered players, umpires, coaches, club members, parents, spectators and sponsors.

The purpose of this message is to send a strong warning to all supporters, players and officials that AFL Goldfields has a Cyber Safety Policy in place, and we will treat any alleged breaches of this policy very seriously.

We recognise that children and young people are particularly vulnerable to the effects of cyberbullying, and it was revealed least year that children and young people who are currently experiencing a mental health problem are more than three times more likely to have been bullied online in the last year.

Therefore AFL Goldfields recognise our obligation to ensure that on line bullying, harassment, intimidation or threatening or abusive behaviour will not be tolerated under any circumstances.

Cyber bullying includes, but is not limited to, the following misuses of technology:
harassing, teasing, intimidating, racially vilifying or threatening another person by sending or posting inappropriate and hurtful e-mail messages, instant messages, text messages, phone messages, digital pictures or images, or Web site postings (including social network sites eg facebook or blogs) and the sending, receiving and/or possession of naked or sexually explicit images of a person.

Club members must also be aware that postings from their individual accounts, whether done by themselves or another person will remain the responsibility of the account owner.

Under the AFL Goldfields Cyber Safety Policy a MINIMUM 2 week suspension must be applied to any offence. It is worth noting that 2 breaches of this Policy in a Players Career will see him / her incur a lifetime suspension from playing AFL in any organised competition.

AFL Goldfields recognises the benefits of social media & associated technologies, and we hope that the stringent AFL Goldfields Cyber Safety Policy will minimise the dangers and manage the risks of these technologies.

We ask all AFL Goldfields registered players, officials, supporters to forward this message and use it as a timely reminder of the AFL Goldfields Cyber Safety Policy and that it should serve as a warning that we will treat any alleged breaches of this policy very seriously.

Yours sincerely

Rod Ward
Regional General Manager
AFL Goldfields

The full policy can be found in documents on Team App.