The following information provides a step by step guide on how to make a complaint regarding potential breach of EA policies.

Equestrian Australia Managed Complaints

Please contact your local law enforcement agency or dial ‘000’ if there is an immediate threat to an individual’s safety. For matters relating to a child or young person being at risk of harm, you may also wish to report your concerns to your local child protection agency. EA cannot assist in emergency situations.

STEP 1: Making a Complaint

• You can lodge a Complaint regarding discrimination or breaches of the Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy to Sport Integrity Australia using the SIA Online Form. Assistance is available by calling 1300 027 232 and selecting option 3.
• Complaints relating to Prohibited Conduct under the National Integrity Framework or breach of EA Policies other than Safeguarding Children and Young People or Discrimination matters should be submitted to EA by using the EA Online Form.

If a Complaint is about bullying, Sport Integrity Australia has created a ‘Bullying in Sport’ booklet that offers other pathways a person may choose to pursue.

STEP 2: Evaluation

When a Complaint is received, Equestrian Australia will conduct an initial evaluation to determine whether the complaint is in-scope. To be in-scope a Complaint needs to meet the following criteria:

• The person who submitted the Complaint is the person directly affected by the alleged conduct (or their authorised representative), or the parent/guardian of a Vulnerable Person directly affected by the alleged conduct.
• The alleged conduct meets the definition of Prohibited Conduct under any of the National Integrity Framework policies, or under one of EA’s relevant policies.
• The alleged Prohibited Conduct occurred after EA’s commencement of the National Integrity Framework or relevant policy.
• The person or organisation accused of wrongdoing was bound by EA’s policies at the time the alleged conduct occurred.

From this point on, the Complaint may also be referred to another organisation, such as SIA, the police or a child protection agency.

If the Complaint is in regard to a Safeguarding Children and Young People concern and or Discrimination based on Protected Characteristics including race, disability, sex, religion or age the Complaint should be reported to Sport Integrity Australia.

EA will determine which category the Complaint falls into based on the Case Categorisation Model.

If the Complaint is assessed as ‘Category 1’ it may be managed through a range of measures such as education, and the matter will be closed.

If the Complaint is assessed as Category 2 or 3, the Complaint may be investigated and will lead to a finding about what may have happened.

STEP 3: Investigation

An investigation is the process of determining what has happened based on the balance of probabilities. As part of an investigation, people involved with the Complaint, including witnesses, may be contacted to provide information about the allegations that have been made. In more complex matters, the people involved in the Complaint may be required to participate in formal recorded interviews.

It is important that enough information is received to make an informed decision, so depending on the complexity of the Complaint, this can take time. Parties to the Complaint will be kept updated at appropriate points during the process.

STEP 4: Findings

If a person’s Complaint is investigated, there are three possible findings that can be made.

Substantiated: If there is sufficient evidence to suggest the alleged conduct is more likely to have occurred than not, the allegation/s in the Complaint will be found to be substantiated.

Unsubstantiated: If, based on the evidence, it is more likely than not that the Respondent did NOT breach a policy, the allegations will be found to be unsubstantiated and the matter will be closed with no further action.

Unable to be Substantiated: If there are two equally plausible versions of events, or not enough evidence to make a finding either way, the matter will be unable to be substantiated.

STEP 5: Resolution

If a Complaint is found to be substantiated, EA will issue a Breach Notice to the Respondent and may also determine an appropriate sanction. A sanction can include a range of measures ranging from a reprimand to a suspension or expulsion from the sport, depending on the category of the breach. The Respondent can either accept the Breach Notice and proposed sanction, at which point the matter will be finalised, or they can choose to dispute the findings against them and/or the proposed sanction at a hearing tribunal.

EA will enforce any sanctions that result from the Complaints Process.