2018-08-07
The complainant's 13-year-old son has mild autism and anxiety and played a team sport with the respondent community sporting club. The complainant alleged that the club’s coaches removed her son from a team, saying his anxiety and shyness with other members of the team would cause confusion and ‘let down’ the team. The complainant’s son was no longer involved with the club at the time the complaint was lodged.
On being advised of the complaint, the club agreed to participate in conciliation.
The complaint was resolved with an agreement that the club write to the complainant’s son acknowledging that he felt hurt, humiliated and dissatisfied and apologising for any actions that caused him distress. In the letter, the club also thanked the complainant’s son for voicing his concerns and advised that, as a result of his complaint, policies and procedures on accommodating players with disability and responding to complaints would be implemented.
Year
Discrimination type
Disability Discrimination Act
Grounds
Disability
Areas
Clubs/incorporated associations
Goods, services and facilities
Sport
Apology
Anti-discrimination/EEO policy developed
Policy change/Change in practice
Amount