Rule 11.2 – Abusive Behaviour

Abusive behaviour includes targeted, persistent, or excessively profane conduct that is intended to intimidate, threaten, belittle, or demean an individual, which is often of a personal nature, but does not rise to the level of conduct described in Rule 11.4 – Discrimination.

Note: If any behaviour described in Rule 11.2 includes behaviour described in Rule 11.4 – Discrimination, the individual must be penalized under Rule 11.4, in addition to any other penalties that individual might receive.

A Bench Minor penalty will be assessed to a team official or unidentified player from the bench who uses abusive conduct towards the Referee or any other person.
No Major penalty may be assessed under this rule.
No Match penalty may be assessed under this rule.
A Misconduct penalty will be assessed to any player who uses abusive conduct towards the Referee or any other person.
A Game Misconduct will be assessed:
1. To any player who persists in the use of abusive conduct.
2. To any team official who uses abusive conduct to the Referee or any person.
Note 1: A Referee is not required to assess a Bench Minor or Misconduct penalty under this rule before assessing a Game Misconduct penalty.

Note 2: Where a player or team official has been assessed a Game Misconduct penalty under this rule, the Referee will report the individual(s) by completing a Game Incident Report, including full details and submitting the report to the appropriate Member or League delegate.
A Gross Misconduct penalty will be assessed to any player or team official who conducts themselves in a manner as to make a travesty of the game by using obscene, profane or threateningly abusive language, gestures or actions towards any person. Such actions may also be described as verbal or physical taunts or gestures that intend to humiliate, demean, belittle, cause offense to or harm the reputation of the person or group targeted.

INTERPRETATIONS
Interpretation 1	Rule 11.2 (a) & (d) In making the determination between Unsportsmanlike Conduct and Abusive Behaviour, officials should consider whether or not the comment is personal in nature. If the conduct criticizes or protests the official’s decision, this should be categorized as Rule 11.1 – Unsportsmanlike Conduct. If the comment or actions attack the official’s character or integrity, this must be penalized under Rule 11.2 – Abusive Behaviour. If the comment or actions are based upon discriminatory grounds, then they must be penalized under Rule 11.4 – Discrimination.
Interpretation 2	Rule 11.2 (c) QUESTION: The play is in progress and a player is verbally abusive towards a Linesperson. Can a Linesperson stop the play to assess the Misconduct penalty? ANSWER: The Linesperson cannot stop play to assess the penalty. They must wait for a stoppage of play, then notify the Referee.
Interpretation 3	Rule 11.2 (f) If a player, reacting to verbal harassment, goes into the stands to confront a spectator, the Referee must assess the player a Gross Misconduct for making a travesty of the game. If the player attempts to injure or deliberately injure that spectator, the offending player will also be assessed a Match Penalty under Rule 7.1 (c) – Attempt to Injure or Deliberate Injury When a player becomes involved with a spectator, the Referee must be sure of the cause of the trouble. If the player did not cause the trouble and is acting in self-defence, they should not be penalized for their actions. However, if those actions become escalated and, in the eyes of the Referee, unjustifiable, then the Referee must penalize the offending player.
Interpretation 4	Rule 11.2 (f) Wherever a Referee has reasonable grounds to believe that a player or team official is impaired by alcohol and/or drugs, they should encourage that player to voluntarily withdraw from the game. However, if a further incident occurs, with penalties that require a written report, the possible use of alcohol and/or drugs should be noted in the Official Game Report.