LTA CODE OF CONDUCT

This Code of Conduct is issued by Lawn Tennis
Association Limited (“LTA”), the governing body of
the game of tennis (including lawn tennis and padel
tennis) in Great Britain, the Channel Islands and the
Isle of Man (“Game”).

Am I covered by this Code of Conduct?
This Code of Conduct applies to all Participants in
the Game, including all players, those who are
supporting players (including parents), coaches,
officials and volunteers, amongst many others, when
engaging or participating in or with the Game on or
off the court. For a full list of “Participants” covered
by this Code of Conduct, please refer to paragraph 2
of Part A of the LTA Disciplinary Code1.

What is the purpose of this Code of Conduct?
The purpose is to set out the standards of conduct
that are expected and required of Participants.
These standards reflect the LTA’s vision to open
tennis up, the LTA’s mission to grow tennis by
making it more relevant, accessible, welcoming and
enjoyable and the LTA’s inclusion strategy, as well
as reflecting generally recognised standards of
disciplined and good sporting behaviour.

Which standards apply to me?
You will see that this Code of Conduct is arranged
so that the standards which apply to every
Participant (irrespective of their role or participation
in the Game) are set out first and then, for certain
Participant groups, additional more specific
standards are set out which are applicable to that
particular group. Please ensure that you are familiar
with all standards applicable to you and note that not
being aware of a standard will not be an acceptable
reason for not complying.

What are the consequences of not complying?
If you do not comply with any one or more of the
standards set out in this Code of Conduct, then it
may constitute “Misconduct” or “Prohibited Conduct”
(in terms of the LTA Disciplinary Code) and/or be a
breach of contractual obligations or of other relevant
regulations (such as the LTA Competition
Regulations2, the LTA Coach Accreditation
Regulations3, the LTA Official Licensing
Regulations4 and/or the LTA Venue Registration
Regulations5) and so may result in the LTA bringing
disciplinary proceedings or taking other action
against you.

1 https://www.lta.org.uk/about-us/what-we-do/governance-andstructure/
rules-regulations/
2 https://www.lta.org.uk/roles-and-venues/officials/competitionorganiser-
resources/competition-regulations/
3 The regulations (or similar) issued by the LTA relating to the
accreditation of coaches by the LTA, as amended from time to
time
4 The regulations (or similar) issued by the LTA relating to the
licensing of officials by the LTA, as amended from time to time
5 The regulations (or similar) issued by the LTA relating to the
registration of venues and the owners / operators of them by the
LTA, as amended from time to time

Please note that the LTA Disciplinary Code includes
(among other things) the LTA Disciplinary
Regulations, LTA Safeguarding Regulations, LTA
Anti-Doping Regulations and LTA Anti-Corruption
Regulations.

STANDARDS OF CONDUCT FOR ALL
PARTICIPANTS
Each Participant must:
1.1 conduct themself, and ensure that any
person supporting, working with, treating or
assisting them (including any Player Support
Person6) conducts themself, in a
professional and appropriate manner and in
accordance with the highest standards of
disciplined and sporting behaviour and
integrity, consistent with the LTA’s vision and
mission, and in the best interests of the
Game7;

1.2 help to create a safe, inclusive, accessible,
welcoming and enjoyable environment, both
on and off the court;

1.3 treat all other Participants (including
officials) fairly and with respect;

1.4 encourage other Participants to have
respect for one another and to conduct
themselves with integrity;

1.5 not verbally, physically or emotionally abuse
any other Participant in any way;

1.6 not act or do anything (physically and/or
orally) in a violent, threatening, intimidating,
harassing or deliberately provocative way or
in a way which may reasonably be
interpreted as such (which interpretation
may arise from the repetitive nature,
cumulative effect and/or pattern of
behaviour), or which is, or may reasonably
be interpreted as, intended to offend, insult,
humiliate, ridicule or cause harm or fear;

1.7 value diversity, and not unlawfully
discriminate against anyone, or treat anyone
less favourably or unfavourably, by reason of
age, disability, gender reassignment,
marriage, civil partnership, pregnancy,
maternity, race (including colour, nationality,
or ethnic or national origins), religion, belief
(including religious, philosophical or lack of
belief), sex or sexual orientation;

6 “Player Support Person”: any coach, trainer, manager,
agent, representative, team staff, official, nutritionist, medical or
paramedical personnel, any other person working with, treating
or assisting a player, or any parent, guardian, carer, family
member, relative, or other associate or supporter of a player

7 N.B. if a Player Support Person fails to act in a professional
and appropriate manner, then sanctions may be imposed upon
the player whom they are “supporting”, in terms of the LTA
Competition Regulations and/or under the LTA Disciplinary Code

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1.8 not do anything8, on or off the court, that (i)
is or may be (a) unsporting, (b) insulting,
and/or (c) contrary to the integrity of,
adversely affects and/or detrimental to the
interests of, the Game, and/or (ii) brings or
has the potential to bring the Game, a tennis
event, another Participant, themself, the LTA
and/or a sponsor or other commercial
partner of the LTA into disrepute;

1.9 not use any language, or make any
communication or statement, on or off the
court (including in e-mail, online, on social
networking platforms or on group chat or
messaging applications or sites) whether
orally or in writing, that is or may be contrary
to, or not compliant with, any other standard
set out in this Code of Conduct;

1.10 not use an audible obscenity and/or make an
obscene gesture of any kind (including
towards another Participant) while
participating in any way in, or in connection
with, the Game (including playing, coaching,
supporting and spectating);

1.11 take responsibility for their actions or
conduct, and the effects of those actions or
conduct, and not condone conduct that
breaches this Code of Conduct;

1.12 comply with all rules, regulations, policies,
codes of conduct, codes of behaviour,
protocols and procedures adopted or issued
from time to time by the LTA, the
International Tennis Integrity Agency and
UK Anti-Doping, and (to the extent
applicable) by Tennis Europe, the ITF, the
ATP/WTA and/or other governing bodies,
associations and committees (as
appropriate), including the LTA Disciplinary
Code, LTA Competition Regulations, LTA
Coach Accreditation Regulations, LTA
Official Licensing Regulations and LTA
Venue Registration Regulations;

1.13 comply with all laws, rules, regulations,
guidelines, guidance and advice (including
those relating to COVID-19) made or issued
from time to time by the UK government (or
any other relevant government, or
governmental or public health department or
authority) which directly or indirectly apply in
connection with the Game or tennis in any
way, including for participation in or travel
(whether domestic or international) in
connection with any participation in tennis;

1.14 keep confidential any confidential
information disclosed to, or obtained by,
them in their capacity as a Participant (for
example, medical information relating to a
player);

8 For example, unsporting and/or insulting behaviour might
include comments relating to a lack of sporting ability or athletic
potential or sporting classification (including wheelchair tennis
sport class or sport class status), and/or socio-economic status

1.15 assist the LTA in ensuring the safety and
welfare of children9 and adults at risk who
are involved in the Game or tennis in any
way by maintaining appropriate standards of
conduct and behaviour in their dealings with
children and adults at risk in accordance with
the LTA Safeguarding Policy10, and promptly
report any concerns or worries to the LTA
Safeguarding team;

1.16 not commit a criminal offence (or commit any
act, or engage in other conduct, that would
constitute a criminal offence), whether or not
committed/conducted in a tennis context,
that the LTA believes would adversely affect
the sport, the reputation of the sport, any
other Participant, the LTA and/or its
commercial partners or sponsors;

1.17 not participate in, or in connection with, the
Game in any way (including playing,
coaching and officiating) having ingested or
used or while under the influence (or
potentially under the influence) of any (i)
drug (except one required for legitimate
medical treatment) or illegal substance of
any kind, whether or not performanceenhancing,
or (ii) “Prohibited Substance” in
terms of the LTA Anti-Doping Regulations;

1.18 comply with the reasonable directions of the
LTA or any official;

1.19 if so requested, cooperate fully with any LTA
(or other governing or official body)
investigation and provide comprehensive,
honest and accurate information and
responses; and

1.20 comply with the spirit and intent of the
standards set out in this Code of Conduct.

PLAYERS – ADDITIONAL STANDARDS OF
CONDUCT
2. Each Player must:

2.1 act with honesty, integrity and in a sporting
manner (including with regard to any oncourt
matters, such as line calls);

2.2 accept and respect (i) the authority of
officials, (ii) the role of officials in ensuring
that competitions are conducted fairly and
according to the relevant rules and
regulations, and (iii) decisions made by
officials;

2.3 not violently, dangerously, in anger, or with
the intention to cause harm or damage to a
person, the object itself or another object or
property, hit, kick, throw or use as a weapon,
a tennis ball, racket, or other equipment;

9 A child is an individual under the age of 18

10 https://www.lta.org.uk/globalassets/aboutlta/
safeguarding/british-tennis-safeguarding-policy.pdf

2.4 during any match:

2.4.1 not receive coaching (including during
the warm-up), except (i) where play is
suspended and the Players are off
court, or (ii) where explicitly permitted
in terms of the relevant competition
rules or regulations11; ‘coaching’ is to
be interpreted widely and considered
to be communication, advice or
instruction of any kind, audible or
visible, and by any means, to a Player;

2.4.2 not leave the court (including during
the warm-up) except with the
permission of an appropriate official
appointed in respect of the relevant
match/competition (unless an
appropriate official is not on the court
and the player is calling for the referee
in terms of LTA Competition
Regulation 5.55);

2.4.3 not refuse to play or fail to be ready to
play within 15 minutes of their match
being called or within the allowed time
due to a medical condition or
treatment or having left the court with
appropriate permission;

2.4.4 use their best efforts to win each
match in which they participate; and

2.4.5 complete each match in which they
participate unless they are not
reasonably able to do so;

2.5 not play with or against a Participant who is
under suspension or ban whether issued by
the LTA’s Judicial Panel, the ITF, the
International Tennis Integrity Agency, UK
Anti-Doping or any other competent body;

3. Each player who is supported by the LTA
financially or in kind12 (including those
participating in or receiving, as applicable, a
Junior Grand Slam grant, the Men’s and
Women’s Programme, the National Age Group
Programme, the Pro Scholarship Programme, the
Tournament Bonus Scheme, the Wheelchair Elite
Programme, official trips, national camps, trip
grants, or by access to or use of any facilities or
services at the National Tennis Centre or
elsewhere) must:

3.1 make every effort to maximise their potential
as a player by developing their sporting
abilities in terms of skill, technique, tactics
and fitness, prioritising their personal
development, and giving maximum effort to
strive for the best possible performance
during each game and competition; and

3.2 conduct themself in a professional and
11 For the avoidance of doubt, this is not permitted in terms of the
LTA Competition Regulations
12 Some other examples of support “in kind” would include
provision of coaching, travel, food, accommodation, camps
considerate manner while at the National
Tennis Centre (and any other venue used to
facilitate LTA training or any matches), which
includes:

3.2.1 being punctual to all sessions;

3.2.2 ensuring that they leave areas that
they enter (e.g. player’s lounge,
bedrooms, café, gym, sports science
rooms, etc) in a clean and tidy state;

3.2.3 wearing appropriate shoes and
clothing; and

3.2.4 not smoking, drinking or being under
the influence of alcohol.

COACHES, PARENTS AND OTHER PLAYER
SUPPORT PERSONS – ADDITIONAL
STANDARDS OF CONDUCT

Each parent, coach and other Player Support
Person must:

4.1 act as a positive role model by maintaining
the highest standards of disciplined and
sporting behaviour and projecting a
favourable image of tennis and (where
relevant) the tennis coaching profession or
other Game-related vocation;

4.2 accept and respect (i) the authority of
officials, (ii) the role of officials in ensuring
that competitions are conducted fairly and
according to the relevant rules and
regulations, and (iii) decisions made by
officials;

4.3 refrain from (i) becoming involved in any oncourt/
in-match matter, including line calls
and scores; (ii) engaging with the player’s
opponent(s) and/or playing partner; and/or
(iii) engaging with the opponent’s Player
Support Person(s) or any other
Participant(s), other than in a positive and
respectful manner;

4.4 act in the best interests of the player(s) they
support, including by being honest, realistic
and consistent with them, and teaching them
(and accepting) that the player(s) can only
do their best;

4.5 be sensitive to each player’s self-esteem
when providing constructive feedback,
including where the player may have made
a mistake or lost a match;

4.6 involve each player in decisions that will
affect them;

4.7 prepare each player to respond to success
and failure in a dignified manner and
encourage and facilitate each player’s
and/or trips at no or reduced cost to the player and/or any Player
Support Person. Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of
what constitutes support “in kind”
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independence and responsibility for their
own behaviour, performance, decisions and
actions;

4.8 actively discourage the ingestion or use of
any (i) drug (except one required for
legitimate medical treatment) or illegal
substance of any kind, in either case
whether or not performance-enhancing, or
(ii) “Prohibited Substance” in terms of the
LTA Anti-Doping Regulations;
Each coach and other Player Support Person
(with the exception of the parent, guardian, carer,
family member and relative of the player in
question) must:

5.1 be aware of power imbalances that may
arise between a coach or other Player
Support Person and a player;

5.2 maintain appropriate boundaries and
relationships (including online, on social
networking platforms or on group chat or
messaging applications or sites13), and
avoid any improper intimacy (sexual or
otherwise) with a player while that
relationship exists;

5.3 ensure that any physical contact is
appropriate and necessary, and is carried
out within applicable guidelines, and (except
in a medical emergency) only with the
player’s (and/or, if the player is under 18 or
an adult at risk, their parent’s, guardian’s,
carer’s, family member’s or relative’s)
consent;

5.4 avoid situations with players that could be
construed as improper or compromising,
and actions that could be perceived as
improper or inappropriate;

5.5 avoid being alone (including for travel) with a
child or an adult at risk14, except only when
necessary for the proper performance of
their professional services (for example, on
court for 1:1 coaching session);

5.6 when providing any service, provide a
positive experience, appropriate to the age
and developmental stage of each player,
that respects their long-term welfare and
best interests, and recognise the player’s
right to consult with other Player Support
Persons and other specialists; and

5.7 not misrepresent their qualifications,
professional affiliations and/or experience.
Each coach must:

6.1 fully engage in and give maximum effort
13 In the context of appropriateness, there must be no
online/social media relationship with a child or an adult at risk,
and no direct contact with them, unless that contact is
(simultaneously as part of one and the same communication)
sent to (i) the child’s or adult at risk’s parent, guardian or carer
and/or (ii) another LTA accredited coach
during all training undertaken (including
continuing professional development (CPD))
and when leading or otherwise delivering
coaching; and

6.2 maintain a high level of personal hygiene
and a professional appearance (including
with regard to the equipment used and its
state of repair).
OFFICIALS – ADDITIONAL STANDARDS OF
CONDUCT
Each official must:

7.1 act as a positive role model by maintaining
the highest standards of disciplined and
sporting behaviour and projecting a
favourable image of tennis and of officiating;

7.2 be honest, impartial, objective, and
courteous both (i) with all players, other
officials, Player Support Persons and other
Participants, and (ii) when applying the rules
of the Game (and aim to be consistent when
doing so);

7.3 avoid situations with players, Player Support
Persons and other Participants that could be
construed as compromising their impartiality
and avoid actions that could be perceived as
improper or inappropriate15;

7.4 not accept gifts, hospitality or other benefits
that might reasonably be thought to
influence, or be intended to influence, their
LTA-related decision-making or where doing
so has the potential to bring the Game
and/or the LTA into disrepute;

7.5 not have conversations or otherwise interact
with spectators while officiating, except in
the ordinary course of controlling spectators
during a match;

7.6 not officiate any match in which they have a
conflict or potential conflict of interest;

7.7 not criticise or attempt to explain calls or
decisions by other officials to anyone
(including online, on social networking
platforms or on group chat or messaging
applications or sites), other than, privately, to
those officials, the supervisor/referee and/or
the chief umpire/manager, and/or to the LTA,
the LTA’s Judicial Panel, the International
Tennis Integrity Association or the officiating
department of the appropriate governing
body;

7.8 not misrepresent their qualifications,
professional affiliations or experience;

14 In this context, “being alone” is construed as there not being
another adult present

15 For example, inappropriately socialising with a player at an
event at which they are officiating

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7.9 be punctual and on time for all matches
assigned to them;

7.10 when acting in their capacity as an official,
maintain a high level of personal hygiene
and a professional appearance, and wear
the correct uniform (if any);

7.11 not consume any alcohol before any match
on the day they are officiating (and, in any
event, for at least 12 hours prior to officiating
any match), or at any time on-site while play
is in progress or while in their uniform; and

7.12 not officiate having ingested or used or while
under the influence (or potentially under the
influence) of any (i) drug (except one
required for legitimate medical treatment16),
(ii) other illegal substance, or (iii) “Prohibited
Substance” in terms of the LTA Anti-Doping
Regulations.

COUNCILLORS – ADDITIONAL STANDARDS OF
CONDUCT
8. Each Councillor must:

8.1 keep confidential all confidential or
business/commercially sensitive information
disclosed to, or obtained by, them in that
capacity and not use any such information
for private purposes or disclose any such
information to any third party;

8.2 not discuss any LTA-related matters with
representatives of the media, unless
specifically authorised to do so in the terms
of their appointment to the Council or by the
LTA CEO or by the LTA President or LTA
Deputy President;

8.3 comply with any policy relevant to
Councillors regarding conflicts of interests,
and ensure that any real or perceived
conflicts of interest are notified to the LTA
company secretary through the annual
declaration process and promptly on an
interim basis if a new issue arises;

8.4 avoid situations where there may be a
conflict or potential conflict of interest or any
allegation of impropriety;

8.5 not accept gifts, hospitality or other benefits
that might reasonably be thought to
influence, or be intended to influence, their
LTA-related decision-making or where doing
so has the potential to bring the Game
and/or the LTA into disrepute;

8.6 act in the best interests of the LTA and the
Game, and in accordance with the LTA
governing documents; and

8.7 adhere to and promote the values of the
LTA.

16 Provided that if such drug may have side effects that could
affect officiating performance, such as drowsiness, they must
notify the event organisers and LTA Officiating team immediately
and in advance of officiating