4 . Standards of Behaviour

 

1. Legal compliance – Follow Australian law (WHS, Anti-Discrimination, Child-Safe standards).

2. Alcohol & drugs – No alcohol or illicit drugs while training, competing or on armour duty.

3. Language & conduct – Keep banter friendly; profanity, slurs or harassment trigger sanctions.

4. Media & social media – Promote the sport positively; no violent or confidential footage without consent.

5. Child-safety interface – If your club runs a separate junior class (HEMA, stage-combat, etc.) it must be under its own insurance with clear branding that it is not an AMCF program.

6. Medical cover – mandatory halt authority  

• A registered doctor or paramedic must be ringside for every combat bout, warm-up spar and armour inspection.  

• The practitioner may suspend, stand-down or permanently remove any participant on medical grounds; their decision is final.  

• If qualified medical cover is absent or withdrawn, all AMCF participation stops immediately until cover is restored.

 

5 . Weapons & Equipment Handling

 

• Members‑only rule – Only current AMCF members may handle armour, weapons or training devices except:

  • One supervised trial session – A prospective member who has signed the club liability waiver may handle basic training equipment during a single introductory session, under direct coach supervision.

• No unsupervised hand‑offs – Outside that single trial session, never give or loan a weapon, shield or training device to a non‑member.

• Checks & maintenance – Fighters present gear for safety inspection; damaged kit is pulled immediately.

• Transport & storage – Weapons are sheathed or otherwise secured and stored out of public reach when not in use.

 

 

6 . Duty of Care at Training

 

Every AMCF-sanctioned training session, demonstration or tournament bout must:

• have a registered first-aid officer (or higher) on site at all times; and  

• when sparring or competing in armour, have the designated doctor or paramedic present, visible and ready before the bout may start.

 

The Head Coach (or Head Marshal) and the medical practitioner share authority to pause or cancel activity if they identify a safety risk.

 

Coach-to-participant ratio – Each club conducts a risk assessment to set a safe maximum.

• Foundational or mixed-ability sessions: 1 : 12 is recommended.  

• Advanced adult sessions with qualified assistant coaches and an on-site first-aider may extend up to 1 : 25.  

• The Head Coach may cap numbers at any time.

 

New athletes receive a safety brief and must demonstrate control before sparring.

As a guide:

• Foundational or mixed‑ability sessions: 1 : 12 is recommended.

• Advanced adult sessions with qualified assistant coaches and an on‑site first‑aider may extend up to 1 : 25.

  The head coach remains responsible for supervision and may cap numbers at any time.

• A qualified first‑aid officer (or higher) must be present at every session.

• New athletes receive a safety brief and must demonstrate control before sparring.

 

 

7 . Reporting & Whistle‑Blowing

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Reportable events – An AMCF Incident Report is completed only when:

1. an injury requires medical attention, or  

2. an equipment or barrier failure creates a credible near-miss safety risk (e.g. broken visor hinge, snapped weapon haft, barrier collapse).  

Routine, non-hazardous fixes—such as a loose buckle tightened between rounds—are noted in the Head Marshal’s log and not escalated.

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Who completes the form – Head Marshal or Event Safety Officer (the attending medic may add clinical notes if desired).

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Timeline – Email the form to battle@buhurt.org.au and the Event Safety Officer (or club committee) within 24 hours.

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Data captured – date, member name, nature of injury/failure, action taken. No medical diagnosis or sensitive personal data.

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Good-faith reporters are protected from retaliation; anonymous reports are accepted, though identifying details assist investigations.

 

 

8 . Breaches & Sanctions

Removal authority

• Club training or social session – the Head Coach (or session coach in charge) may stand-down or remove any member whose conduct or equipment poses an immediate danger.  

• Event or tournament – a member may be removed from a match or team fight, or from the entire event, only when any two of the following agree: Head Marshal, Event Safety Officer, AMCF Committee Representative.  A single officer may act alone only for a life-threatening danger.

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