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Purple Card Policy

By Staff, 07/07/22, 5:30AM MST

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In response to tournament officials and site personnel complaints of increasingly bad behavior from parents and spectators, the Arizona Region Board of Directors approved the use of the Purple Card.

This policy was adopted in August 2017 and will be in use for the 2018 season and beyond. The official volleyball rules allow for an official to give point sanctions to players and coaches for bad behavior during a match (Yellow Card = Warning, Red Card = Penalty). The Purple Card has been added to the officials tools of the Yellow and Red cards but will be used to address spectator behavior during a match.

JANUARY 2022 STATEMENT

To all Arizona Region Club Directors,

Shortly after our Girls’ season began, the Region Office received reports that a number of incidents occurred, involving spectator/parent misconduct. This misbehavior consisted of verbal, often profane outbursts directed at court officials, reffing coaches, and junior players, specifically those assigned to line judge. Additionally, there were reports of physical confrontations in the stands during matches. These incidents have increased in the last few years. As a result of this type of behavior, many new and young officials have quit reffing, reducing the number of certified refs. Also, verbally attacking our junior line judges instills fear and intimidation in them, undermining their self-confidence.

Therefore, the Region is asking you, as directors, to communicate with your parents and remind them of our Spectator/Parent Code of Conduct policy, emphasizing the consequences of misconduct at any of our tournaments. This policy can be found online and is posted at all playing sites. As you know, misconduct by any registered USAV member is investigated and handled either through SafeSport or the Region’s Due Process policy. Sanctions may range from verbal warning to suspension. However, most spectators or parents are not USAV members and are subject to only one consequence for misbehavior: Ejection from one or more Region tournaments, depending on the severity of the violation.

Please be advised that in an effort to prevent this trend from increasing, the Region has adopted a zero-tolerance attitude toward any overt or profane outbursts, fighting, or other actions that pose a danger to others. Protection of our members, especially our young athletes, and maintaining a safe playing environment should be a priority for all of us. So, we will ask Site Directors and the Officials Division to be extra vigilant in monitoring misbehavior in the stands and sidelines. Be aware that Site Directors and Lead Officials at each tournament site are authorized by the Region to eject anyone violating conduct policies. Serious offenses will be reviewed to determine the length of the ejection/ban.

We thank you in advance for your cooperation and support in this matter. It is our sincere hope that we will all work together to address this safety issue and this in turn will help us maintain the high level of integrity and respect that we enjoy in the Region.

JR Salima | Ethics Compliance Officer
Arizona Region of USA Volleyball

The official volleyball rules allow for an official to give point sanctions to players and coaches for bad behavior during a match (Yellow Card = Warning, Red Card = Penalty). The Purple Card has been added to the officials tools of the Yellow and Red cards but will be used to address spectator behavior during a match.

The 1st issuance of the Purple card will be displayed in one hand together with a Yellow card. The captains will be called over and the offending spectator will be identified with a team or club. The TEAM will then be issued a warning regarding spectators.

The 2nd issuance of the Purple card during the same match to a spectator from the same team (it does not have to be the SAME spectator that was issued the purple card the 1st time) will result in a Penalty and will be displayed in one hand together with a Red card. This will cause the TEAM to be penalized. They will lose the serve and a point will be gives their opponent.

The 3rd issuance of the Purple card during the same match to a spectator from the same team will result in an ejection of the offending spectator from the tournament facility. The Purple card will be displayed with the Red card but held up in separate hands of the offical. The official will come off the stand, the site director and lead official will be called to the court and the offending spectator will be removed from the tournament site for the remainder of the day.

In the event of aggressive behavior, defiant behavior, fighting or any other behavior directed towards anyone or deemed unsafe toward others, the spectator will be BANNED from futher Arizona Region tournaments for the rest of the season. The spectator will have to appeal to the Region Ethics and Compliance Officer to be reinstated and allowed to return to any Arizona Region events.

This Policy replaces the Penalty Point Sanction Policy. Before and after matches, the spectator behavior will be governed by the Parent/Spectator Code of Conduct. Being a spectator at an event is a priviledge - it is not a right. NO ONE paid enough for club volleyball to disregard the rules of the facility or behave badly at an event.

The Arizona Region would like to have parents/spectators and club personnel encourage and cheer for their teams/players in a positive manner rather than have to deal with negative attacks toward our officials, tournament personnel and members of the opposing teams. Unfortunately we must be prepared for the worst.