Member v Regional Campdrafting Association (with National Campdraft Council of Australia)

The Applicant is a Campdrafting athlete and member of the Respondent. The Respondent is an affiliated member of the National Campdraft Council of Australia (NCCA), the National Sporting Organisation for Campdrafting in Australia.

Following complaints concerning the Applicant's conduct at a Campdrafting event, a Respondent Disciplinary Sub-Committee found that the Applicant had breached the Respondent’s Member Protection Policy and Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy. On 11 March 2026, the Disciplinary Sub-Committee suspended the Applicant's membership rights for 12 months, imposed a further 12-month probationary period, and recommended that he complete behavioural training (the Sanction).

The Applicant appealed the Sanction pursuant to the applicable Model Rules. By agreement of the Applicant, Respondent and NCCA, the appeal was referred to the National Sports Tribunal (NST) for determination by a single NST Member. The Application was validated on 6 May 2026 and proceeded in the NST General Division.

The Applicant contended that the findings made by the Disciplinary Sub-Committee were not supported by the evidence, that the disciplinary process was flawed, and that the Sanction was disproportionate.

In summary, the NST Member found that the Disciplinary Sub-Committee had properly considered the evidence, afforded the Applicant procedural fairness, and was entitled to conclude that the Applicant had breached Respondent’s Member Protection Policy and Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy and engaged in conduct prejudicial to the Respondent. The NST Member was not satisfied that the suspension imposed was disproportionate or otherwise inappropriate.

However, the NST Member found that the Disciplinary Sub-Committee lacked power under the applicable rules to impose a probationary period. Accordingly, the appeal was allowed in part, with the probationary period set aside. The 12-month suspension was upheld, and the appeal was otherwise dismissed.