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MISCONDUCT
POLICY
Misconduct: A violation of the Victorian Dodgeball League’s (VDL) Code of Conduct.
Blue Card: A card issued to a player found breaching integrity.
Warning: An official notice given to a player for minor or initial misconduct. Subsequent violations may result in more severe penalties.
Purple Card: Awarded to a team when one of its players is issued a Blue Card.
Round Ban: A player is barred from playing in all divisions for an entire round in the respective ball type, as determined by VDL.
Multiple Round Ban: A player is barred from playing in all divisions for multiple rounds in the respective ball type, as determined by VDL.
Season Ban: A player is barred from playing in all divisions for the remainder of the current VDL season.
Walkover: A match is forfeited due to penalties. The team forfeiting must pay the match fees for both teams for the forfeited games ($180 per game).
Third-party Footage: Unedited, raw footage captured by players or spectators that meets the VDL's minimum quality standards.
VDL Integrity Panel: Representatives from a number of clubs/teams in the VDL community appointed by VDL to assist in processing Blue Cards.
In the interest of upholding honesty and integrity in the sport, the Victorian Dodgeball League (VDL) has introduced a new disciplinary system named the "Blue Card”. This process is designed to protect and safeguard the interests of both referees and players, and advance the reputation of the sport.
To submit a Blue card investigation, you must be a registered club manager or captain of the current season. Please communicate with your team before submitting an inquiry, as only one Blue Card can be active at a time per team. Submitting more than one Blue Card at a time may result in all of the club or team's Blue Cards not being processed at all.
Additionally, only teams directly involved in a match are eligible to submit a Blue Card for that particular game. To Submit a potential misconduct report, use the link 2025 VDL Misconduct Submission
During the season, each team will be given two opportunities (Blue Card Submissions) to report an instance where they suspect an opposing team's player has behaved dishonestly or otherwise breached sporting integrity.
VDL will investigate all reports made in accordance with this policy. If the VDL review panel investigation finds that the allegations are substantiated, the team which submitted the report will have one of their Blue Card Submissions restored. If the VDL investigation finds that the allegations are not substantiated, the team that submitted the report will have one of their Blue Card Submissions exhausted for the season. Once a team’s Blue Card Submissions for the season have been exhausted, that team can no longer make any further Blue Card Submissions for the remainder of the season. This system encourages fair play, deters frivolous, unfounded or targeted allegations, and provides a means for teams to report potential integrity breaches.
If VDL finds that a player has breached sporting integrity and/or behaved dishonestly during a match, that player may be issued a Blue Card. The penalty carried by a Blue Card will vary depending on the severity of the breach, ranging from a warning to a Season Ban.
If VDL determines that the player's misconduct impacted the ultimate match outcome, VDL may retrospectively alter the match outcome at its discretion.
All disciplinary outcomes are solely at the discretion of the VDL review panel.
Teams may only have one active Blue Card Submission at a time. Please ensure only the registered captain or club manager is submitting the report. Reports received from players who are not the registered captain or club manager will not be progressed. Additionally, only teams directly involved in a match are eligible to submit a Blue Card for that particular game. Submitting more than one Blue Card at a time may result in all of the club or team’s Blue Cards not being processed at all.
The captain of the team or the club manager, submits a video via the 2025 VDL Misconduct Form, including:
A link to the match or third-party footage.
A detailed breakdown of the alleged misconduct.
Information about how the player's alleged misconduct impacted the game.
VDL acknowledges receipt of the report.
VDL, with the assistance of the VDL Integrity Panel, investigates the report, determines whether the allegations have been substantiated (including by contacting the relevant player(s) whom the allegations have been made against) and determines the disciplinary outcome that will apply (if any).
VDL informs the player and their team captain or club manager of the outcome of the investigation and the disciplinary outcome that will apply (if any).
The submitting team retains or forfeits one of their Blue Card Submissions based on VDL's investigation findings. All outcomes are at the discretion of the VDL review panel and the ruling made by VDL is FINAL.
The VDL accepts unedited VDL footage, or unedited third-party footage from any device which meets minimum quality requirements. The minimum quality for assessment is 60FPS at 1080P. Instances with poor video quality or unclear angles will be rejected and not progressed.
Edited Footage
If footage submitted with a Blue Card Submission is found to be edited, the submitting player and team may be immediately disqualified from the league.
Level 0 - A warning.
Level 1 - One Round Ban: The player is barred from playing all games in the respective ball format in a round determined by VDL.
Level 2 - Multiple Round Ban: The player is barred from playing multiple rounds in the respective ball format. The duration of the ban will be determined by VDL.
Level 3 - The player may be removed from the season. Players receiving multiple blue cards may be disqualified from the league at the sole discretion of VDL.
Blue Card penalties do not necessarily follow a linear progression from Level 0 to Level 3. The severity of the incident, its impact on the game, the surrounding circumstances and the player’s response to the allegations are key factors in determining the appropriate penalty. As such, players may receive a Blue Card penalty at any level, based on the findings of VDL’s investigation, even if the player has not had previous penalties imposed. VDL's core focus is on maintaining the fairness and integrity of the sport, and penalties will be applied accordingly.
All players who receive a Level 1 to Level 3 Blue Card penalty during a season will not be eligible for any MVP or player statistics awards awarded at the end of that season across all divisions.
Important: As each situation is unique, the penalty level and impact on each player can vary. All outcomes are determined at the discretion of the VDL review panel, and the rulings made by VDL are FINAL. These examples are provided for general guidance purposes only.
Example 1:
A player on a VDL3 Mixed team, inadvertently steps on the boundary, and a teammate notices but does not inform the player.
Potential Penalty Level:
Level 0 to Level 1
Potential Impact on Player:
The teammate who witnessed the incident and failed to inform the player is issued an official warning (level 0). Subsequent infringements of the same type by the same player will result in an increase in their offence level.
Example 2:
A player on a VDLW1 team steps on the boundary and continues to play, aware that they stepped out.
Potential Penalty Level:
Level 1 to Level 2
Potential Impact on Player:
The player who stepped out is issued a level 1 Blue Card and barred from playing all games in a round determined by VDL.
Example 3:
A player on a VDLM1 team engages in finger blocking or continues to play after getting hit on the body.
Potential Penalty Level:
Level 1 to Level 2
Potential Impact on Player:
The player is issued a level 1 Blue Card and barred from playing all games in the round determined by VDL
Example 3:
A player has multiple incidents of misconduct within a single game or round, or accumulates more than two Blue Cards across the season.
Potential Penalty Level:
Level 2 to Level 3
Potential Impact on Player:
The player is barred from playing all games and all teams in the respective ball format for multiple rounds. The player also risks being removed from the season (as determined at the VDL's discretion).
Players that are unable to play matches due to Blue Card penalties and are therefore unable to meet the minimum attendance requirement to qualify for finals will not be allowed to play in playoffs and finals. No exemptions will be granted in these instances.
The following outlines the team consequences when players receive Blue Cards:
VDL has established a structured team penalty system linked to the issuance of Blue Cards to players to encourage teams and clubs to play an active role in supporting players to adhere to the expected standards of sportsmanship and integrity. When a player receives their first Blue Card (Level 1 or above), the team is awarded a Team Purple Card, which stays with the team throughout the season. If the team accumulates a second Blue Card, they receive an additional Purple Card and are required to play with only five players in their next match. A third Blue Card may result in the team's disqualification from the league for the remainder of the season. This system is consistent with the increased severity of receiving multiple Blue Cards and the enduring impact of Purple Cards reinforces the league's commitment to upholding sportsmanship and integrity throughout the season.
Purple cards are issued specifically to the team whose player received the Blue Card.
Number of Blue Cards Received | Team Penalty | Impact on Team |
1st Blue Card 🟦 | 1st Purple Card 🟪 | When a player receives their first Blue Card, the team will receive a Team Purple Card as a warning. |
2nd Blue Card 🟦 🟦 | 2nd Purple Card 🟪 🟪 | If a team accumulates a second Blue Card, they receive a second Team Purple Card. In the next match, the team starts with only five players throughout the match, irrespective of further penalties that apply to individual players. |
3rd Blue Card 🟦 🟦 🟦 | 3rd Purple Card 🟪 🟪 🟪 | Upon receiving a third Blue Card, the team may risk being disqualified from the league for the remainder of the season. |
Impact on Team Examples
Important: As each situation is unique, the penalty level and impact on each team can vary. All outcomes are determined at the discretion of the VDL review panel, and the rulings made by VDL are FINAL. These examples are provided for general guidance purposes only.
Example 1:
“Player A”, Is on a foam VDL Mixed 1(VDL1) team and a Women’s 1 (VDLW1) team. “Player A” is found breaching VDL’s Code of Conduct in their VDL1 game and is issued a Level 1 Blue Card (One Round Ban) for their misconduct in Round 3.
Result:
“Player A’s” VDL1 team is issued a team Purple Card as a warning. “Player A” is barred from playing all games in a round determined by VDL. “Player A’s” VDLW1 team is unaffected.
Example 2:
“Player A” is again found breaching VDL’s Code of Conduct on their VDLW1 team. “Player A” is now issued a Level 2 Blue Card (Multiple Round Ban) for their misconduct in Round 4.
Result:
“Player A’s” VDLW1 team is issued a team Purple Card as a warning. “Player A” is barred from playing all games in multiple rounds as determined by VDL. Both “Player A” teams now have one Purple Card each.
Example 3:
“Player B”, is on “Player A’s” VDL1 team, and is also found breaching VDL’s Code of Conduct. “Player B” is issued a Level 1 Blue Card for their misconduct.
Result:
The VDL1 team that “Player A” and “Player B” are on, is issued a second Team Purple Card. In the team’s next VDL1 match they will play with five players for the entire match. “Player B” is barred from playing all games in a round determined by VDL.
Submitting an Application
Blue Card Submissions must be made within one week of the match footage being made publicly available, or within one week of the match if the footage is from an independent source.
VDL is not limited to any timeframe and may independently investigate cases of misconduct throughout the season, and additionally, carry over penalties into future seasons depending on the severity of the incident. However, VDL will endeavour to investigate and resolve matters within a reasonable timeframe taking into account the severity of the incident.
Processing Blue Card Submission
To carry out a thorough investigation, VDL may generally take up to 15 to 30 days to process a Blue Card Submission.
If a player or team is found to have breached sporting integrity and/or behaved dishonestly during the season and/or finals, VDL retains the right to alter match outcomes retrospectively.
Blue Card penalties may be imposed during finals which may include players being barred from subsequent matches within the finals series, and/or walkovers being imposed. VDL reserves the right to alter finals match outcomes or reschedule finals games where they are impacted by breaches of sporting integrity and/or dishonest behaviour.
It's important to note that any retrospective penalties and point deductions during the finals will be applied in alignment with VDL's commitment to fairness and transparency. All parties involved will be informed of the decisions, ensuring clarity and maintaining the integrity of the sport, as well as avoiding any abuse of this process.
Appeals Process
If you believe there are extenuating circumstances that were not initially accounted for in considering a Blue Card Submission, please contact VDL with any mitigating circumstances which VDL was not previously aware of. However, please note as per our process and commitment to fair play, the ruling made by VDL is final.
Confidentiality of Reports
The VDL places a strong emphasis on maintaining the confidentiality of all reports submitted through its mechanisms. When club managers or team captains report potential misconduct, their identities and any identifying details in their reports will remain strictly confidential. This ensures that these officials can contribute to upholding the integrity of the sport without fear of repercussions. This confidentiality extends to all stages of the investigative process, as well as to any subsequent actions taken.
VDL reserves the right to share information obtained through the Blue Card investigation process as necessary to process the reports submitted, including by sharing the information with its appointed VDL Integrity Panel. Members of the VDL Integrity Panel are expected to ensure that such information remains strictly confidential and is used only for the purposes of investigating reports made in accordance with this policy.