Orillia Channel Cats Swim Club (CATS) is affiliated as a swim club through our governing bodies — provincially through Swim Ontario and nationally through Swimming Canada. CATS are required to register all our swimmers and officials through these governing bodies. As a registrant (swimmer and/or official) you must be familiar with the following documents that are built into the CATS Swimmer and Officials registration process but are available for reference here (as well as on Swim Ontario’s website — www.swimontario.com)
Complaints Process
Conduct that violates the Swim Ontario bylaws, policies, procedures and comprehensive code of conduct and ethics may be subject to filing a formal complaint. See link: Swim Ontario – Complaints Process
Please see the Swim Ontario site for more information about Sport Safety https://www.swimontario.com/sport-safety
Sport Safety Education for Coaches, Swimmers, Parents: https://www.swimontario.com/sport-safety/education
Important Contacts:
- The Canadian Sports Helpline
1-888-837-7678 – info@abuse-free-sport.ca – http://abuse-free-sport.ca/en/
The helpline will provide you with advice, guidance and resources on how to proceed/intervene appropriately in the circumstances. - Swimming Canada Safe Sport Officer – safesportofficer@safe-sport.ca
You may contact the Independent Safe Sport Official at safesportofficer@safe-sport.ca. This person is an independent third party who will guide you through the complaints process and/or explore other options. This Independent Official is empowered to supersede Swimming Canada staff and launch appropriate policies as required based on evidence or a situation reported. Your contact with the Safe Sport Official is confidential, subject to certain legal limits. The independent Safe Sport Official is a certified workplace harassment resources/investigator. For general disputes, you are encouraged to try to resolve your situation at the club or provincial level before contacting Swimming Canada.
What is a Dispute Resolution Officer (DRO)?
The Dispute Resolution Officers (DRO) is an independent person appointed to administer all Swim Ontario Code of Conduct complaints in a procedurally fair manner. The DRO may redirect complaints to Swimming Canada or the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner depending on the jurisdiction or nature of the complaint.
The DRO’s key responsibility is their independence from both Swim Ontario and the member clubs.
Their task and jurisdiction is to handle complaints independently of Swim Ontario and its Member clubs.
The DRO will not be unduly influenced by anyone from the swimming community regarding the complaint administration process.
They do not provide any legal advice to Swim Ontario or its member clubs.
What does the DRO do?
The DRO’s role is to address complaint matters.
The DRO hires external mediators, investigators and adjudicators for the complaints as needed, as part of the process.
The roles, responsibilities and obligations of the DRO are set out in the Swim Ontario Complaint, Discipline and Appeal Procedure
The DRO does not advocate for one side or the other.
The DRO remains neutral and procedurally fair throughout the process.
The DRO may need to report matters to law enforcement, child protection services and/or Swim Ontario’s insurers
What kind of cases are NOT processed/accepted by the DRO?
Some examples of issues not covered by Code of conduct and this procedure are:
-employment matters,
-financial matters /refunds
-swimming technical matters. (group moves, meet entries, etc.)
-any complaint that lacks the critical information of the 4 W’s (i.e. who, what, when, where,)