Policies and Procedures

Virginia United Football Club is committed to providing a safe, fair and inclusive environment for everyone involved in our club.

Member Protection Child Safety Policy

Virginia United FC (VUFC) proudly upholds the Football Australia Code of Conduct, ensuring a respectful and enjoyable environment for all. These standards apply both at home and at away games, as well as during training sessions, camps, internal competitions, carnivals and club events.

We ask all players, parents, and spectators to honour these guidelines by demonstrating sportsmanship, respect, and positive behaviour at all times.

Your cooperation helps make our club a welcoming place for everyone.

Thank you for your support!

If any Incident happens at Virginia United, please complete the attached form and send to admin@virginiaunitedfc.com.au

Applies to

All players, coaches, managers, Club officials, volunteers and support staff, as well as any spectators or members whose conduct gives rise to a sanction or fine connected to Virginia United Football Club.

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to set clear expectations that any fines, fees or financial penalties imposed in connection with disciplinary, misconduct or behavioural matters are the responsibility of the individual whose conduct gave rise to the sanction, and not the responsibility of Virginia United FC.

Scope

This policy applies to:

• All registered Virginia United FC players, coaches, managers, team officials, Club officials and support staff.
• All Club members and spectators whose conduct at, or in connection with, a match, training, event or football-related activity may lead to a fine or sanction being imposed on the Club by Football Queensland or any other governing body.

Individual responsibility for fines

Any fine, fee, cost or financial penalty imposed on a player, coach, manager, team official, Club official, member or spectator as a result of their conduct (including on-field misconduct, yellow/red card offences, off‑field misconduct, social media breaches, or behaviour captured under “Failure to Control Conduct” or similar offences) is the sole financial responsibility of that individual.

This includes fines issued directly to the individual, and any fine initially imposed on the Club where Football Queensland holds the Club jointly and severally liable for a participant’s fine under section 9.23 of the Disciplinary Regulations.

Virginia United FC will not pay, reimburse or subsidise such fines, and may take reasonable steps to recover from the individual any fine that is invoiced to or recovered from the Club on their behalf.

Club-level fines and “Failure to Control Conduct”

Where Football Queensland imposes a fine or sanction on the Club for “Failure to Control Conduct” or other Club‑level offences arising from the behaviour of identifiable players, team officials, members or spectators, the Club may recover all or part of that amount from those individuals, proportionate to their contribution to the incident.

Coaches and Team Officials are expected to manage sideline behaviour of spectators of their team. Every Virginia United FC team is required to appoint a 'Ground Official' and it is that team's responsibility for ensuring that the Ground Official controls all spectator behaviour at every match, regardless of the venue, whilst representing Virginia United FC. 

The Club may also impose internal sanctions (including suspension, removal from a role or termination of membership) where behaviour exposes the Club to significant disciplinary or financial risk.

Yellow card accumulation, suspensions and match bans

All suspensions arising from yellow card accumulation, red cards or other disciplinary decisions are administered under the Football Queensland Disciplinary Regulations, including rules around when suspensions are served, when they expire at season’s end, and whether they apply across roles or competitions.

Any fine associated with a yellow or red card, card accumulation, or a suspension (including where suspensions impact participation in friendlies, trials, finals or the following season) remains the responsibility of the individual concerned and must be paid before that individual returns to participation, in line with section 9.23(c) of the Regulations.

Friendly and trial matches

Participants who are under suspension must comply with Football Queensland’s position that suspended participants ordinarily may not participate in friendly or trial matches, unless Football Queensland grants specific permission following a Club application under section 19.6.

Any fine, fee or cost associated with a breach of suspension conditions, or any approval application fee, remains the responsibility of the individual whose conduct created the issue, unless explicitly agreed otherwise in writing by the Club.

Notification and payment

The Club will notify individuals of any fines or disciplinary costs it is aware of and, where necessary, will issue an internal invoice or notice specifying the amount owed and payment due date.

Fines must be paid promptly and by the stated due date. Non‑payment may result in the individual being stood down from training and matches, removal from coaching or official duties, suspension of membership, and/or further internal disciplinary action, until all amounts are paid in full.

Record keeping

Virginia United FC will maintain records of disciplinary sanctions and fines to monitor compliance with this policy and to meet Football Queensland’s requirements regarding responsibility for records under sections 10.9 and 11.8 of the Disciplinary Regulations.

Records will be used to support decisions on selection, appointment to roles, and any repeat‑offender considerations where a participant repeatedly exposes the Club to disciplinary or financial risk.

Acknowledgment

By registering with, representing, or attending Virginia United FC in any capacity (player, coach, official, member, volunteer or spectator), individuals acknowledge and accept this policy and agree to:

• Comply with all Football Queensland and Football Australia disciplinary regulations
• Assume full financial responsibility for any fines or disciplinary costs arising from their conduct, including fines that may initially be imposed on the Club but are referable to their actions.

Please refer to the FQ Disciplinary Regulations for 2026 in the below document.