Professional Ethics and Conduct Flashcards

A parent asks you, a team administrator, to share the home address of another athlete for a carpool arrangement. What is the ethically correct response?

Answer: Decline and suggest the parent contact the other family directly through the organization's official channels

Sharing athletes' personal information without their consent violates privacy standards; the administrator should facilitate the connection through proper channels instead.

Which scenario BEST illustrates a violation of emotional boundaries in a coaching relationship?

Answer: Repeatedly telling an athlete they are worthless and will never succeed to motivate them

Using demeaning language to 'motivate' an athlete constitutes emotional abuse and violates professional ethical standards in SafeSport.

Under SafeSport's Code of Conduct, social media contact between coaches and minor athletes should:

Answer: Be limited to public, team-wide accounts or platforms visible to parents and other staff

SafeSport requires that digital communications with minor athletes be transparent, using team or public platforms rather than private messaging.

What is 'hazing' as defined in SafeSport standards, and why is it prohibited?

Answer: Any initiation rituals or acts that humiliate, degrade, or endanger athletes, prohibited regardless of consent

SafeSport prohibits hazing — any act that humiliates, demeans, or endangers athletes — regardless of whether the victim consents or the act is framed as tradition.

A coach receives a gift from an athlete's family valued at $200. What is the ethically appropriate action?

Answer: Return or decline the gift to avoid any appearance of favoritism or obligation

Accepting valuable gifts from athletes or their families can create real or perceived conflicts of interest and should be declined per professional conduct standards.

Which of the following BEST describes 'power imbalance' in the athlete-coach relationship?

Answer: The authority a coach holds over an athlete's playing time, advancement, and athletic future

Power imbalance refers to the coach's control over an athlete's opportunities, playing time, and advancement, which makes athletes vulnerable to manipulation or coercion.

An organization's written policy prohibits one-on-one electronic communication with minor athletes, but the practice is widely ignored. What is the ethical responsibility of staff who know this?

Answer: Comply with the written policy and report non-compliance to leadership

Staff are obligated to follow written safeguarding policies regardless of common practice, and should report known non-compliance through appropriate channels.