Code of Conduct
Version 1.0 | Effective date: 24th of March 2026
Registered address: C/O Fft, Reedham House, 31 King Street West, Manchester, M3 2PJ
Trading address: Linnyshaw Mill, 260 Manchester Road, Walkden, M28 3TR
General contact: info@rgasalford.co.uk
Conduct concerns: info@rgasalford.co.uk
When you train at Roger Gracie Academy Salford, you become part of a team. What each person does on the mat, at events, and in public reflects on everyone else who trains here and on the academy as a business.
This Code sets out the standards we hold as members of that team. It is not about telling you how to live your life. It is about being clear on what membership of this academy means, and what we expect from anyone who wants to be part of it.
1. About This Code
1.1 This Code sets out how everyone at Roger Gracie Academy Salford (the “Academy”) is expected to behave. It applies on our premises, during our sessions, at any event we organise or attend, and in any online space connected to the Academy.
1.2 This Code applies to all members, trial participants, parents, guardians, spectators, coaches, staff, volunteers, and visitors. By attending any session or event at the Academy, you agree to follow it.
1.3 If you are under 18, a parent or guardian must read this Code on your behalf and is jointly responsible for ensuring you follow it.
1.4 This Code sits alongside our other policies, all of which are available on our policies page. Where a policy covers a topic in more detail, the more specific document applies.
1.5 The Academy is affiliated with Roger Gracie Academy. Members are also bound by that body’s own code of conduct where it applies. Where both documents cover the same ground, we follow whichever sets the higher standard.
2. Respect and Conduct
2.1 The way you treat the people around you reflects on you and on the Academy. We expect everyone here to treat training partners, coaches, staff, and visitors with respect, regardless of background, experience, or rank.
2.2 Good training partners look after each other. Being mindful of size, experience, and ability differences when you train is part of what it means to train well here. We all share a responsibility to one another on the mat.
2.3 You do not have to agree with every decision made during a session. We ask that you follow coaching direction on the mat and raise any disagreement calmly and privately once the session is over.
2.4 When you compete or attend events as a member of this academy, you represent everyone who trains here. Win or lose, conduct yourself in a way the whole team would be proud of. This Code applies at external events in the same way it applies on our premises.
3. On the Mat
Focus during sessions
3.1 Sessions run better when everyone is present and engaged. If you need to step away to deal with something urgent, please move off the mat so you are not disrupting others. Return when you are ready.
3.2 Do not use training as an opportunity to settle a personal score. Bringing a personal grievance onto the mat is a serious breach of this Code.
Contact and sparring
3.3 Physical contact is a normal and necessary part of martial arts training. The rules in this section exist to make sure that contact stays safe and appropriate to the session.
3.4 Every training partner has the right to stop at any time. The standard signal is a clear tap — on your partner, on the mat, or on yourself. A verbal signal such as “tap,” “stop,” or “no” carries the same weight.
3.5 As soon as your partner signals to stop, you stop and release. No exceptions. Stopping when a partner taps is one of the most fundamental obligations we have to each other here.
3.6 You are responsible for the safety of the people you train with. Adjust your pace and intensity to match your partner’s ability, size, and experience. Using your size or strength to overpower a significantly less experienced partner unnecessarily is not what we are here for.
3.7 If you are injured, unwell, or unsure whether you are fit to train, please let a member of staff know before the session starts.
3.8 Academy management has the authority to stop any drill or sparring round they judge to be unsafe. Their decision stands during the session.
Sparring readiness
3.9 For children, the Academy runs age-appropriate sparring across its programmes. Tiny Champions (ages 3 to 4) and Little Champions (ages 5 to 6) take part in specific, game-based sparring formats only. They do not start standing or engage in full rolling. Submissions are not introduced until a student reaches the Juniors programme. From Juniors (ages 7 to 12) onwards, students take part in positional sparring and controlled rolling under coaching direction, with submissions introduced progressively.
3.10 For adults, students must have earned a minimum of three stripes on their white belt before they are permitted to take part in full live stand-up rolling. Until that point, adults take part in specific positional sparring and drilling under coaching direction in our Fundamentals sessions. Academy management may make individual exceptions at their discretion.
4. Hygiene
4.1 Good personal hygiene is one of the most basic ways we look after the people we train with. In a contact sport, poor hygiene puts training partners at risk, not just the individual.
4.2 The minimum standard expected of everyone who trains here is: arrive clean, train in freshly washed kit, keep nails trimmed short, and do not train if you have a contagious illness or skin infection. Our Hygiene Policy sets out these expectations in full and is available on our policies page.
4.3 If you are unsure whether a condition is contagious, check with a doctor before attending. Sitting out while you recover is the right call for everyone.
5. Children and Safeguarding
Behaviour around children
5.1 The Academy trains participants of different ages, including children. Everyone on the premises is expected to use language and behave in a way that is appropriate in the presence of children at all times.
5.2 Adults who interact with child members should keep those interactions appropriate to a training context. If something does not feel right about how an adult is interacting with a child, report it to academy management or the Designated Safeguarding Lead straight away.
Parents and guardians
5.3 Parents and guardians are welcome to watch from the designated viewing area: the seating area at the side of the mat. Please stay in this area during the session unless invited onto the mat.
5.4 The best thing you can do during your child’s session is let them train. That means no calling out instructions or corrections from the sideline — your child’s coach will handle it. If you have a concern about what your child is being asked to do, raise it with a member of staff privately after the session.
5.5 If your child is struggling to settle when you are watching, a coach may suggest you wait elsewhere for a while. This is common and is not a reflection on you or your child.
5.6 If you have a concern about what is happening at the academy, please raise it calmly with a member of staff at an appropriate time. Section 12 explains the process.
Safeguarding
5.7 The welfare of children at this academy is taken seriously. Our Safeguarding Policy sets out our responsibilities and procedures in full. If you have a concern about the welfare of any child, please report it immediately to our Designated Safeguarding Lead: Mike Dorrian, Academy Owner.
6. Bullying, Harassment, and Discrimination
6.1 Training closely with the same people over months and years builds genuine camaraderie. The banter and humour that develops between training partners who know each other well is part of what makes a good academy feel like a team. We value that, and we encourage it.
6.2 That familiarity is earned through shared time on the mat. It is built on trust between people who know each other well enough to know where the line is. It is not assumed with someone new, and it does not extend to conduct that a training partner has made clear they are not comfortable with.
6.3 We have zero tolerance for bullying, harassment, and discrimination. This applies on the mat, on the premises, at events, and online. It covers physical conduct, verbal conduct, and written conduct in equal measure.
6.4 Bullying means behaviour that has the effect of intimidating, humiliating, or excluding another person. In a training context this includes using rank, size, or experience to make someone’s time at the academy worse. Away from the mat it includes targeting someone through messages, social media, or any other channel connected to the academy.
6.5 Harassment means unwanted behaviour that a reasonable person would find offensive or distressing, whether it happens in person or online. Discrimination means treating someone less favourably because of who they are, including their age, sex, gender identity, race, ethnicity, disability, religion, or sexual orientation.
6.6 If you experience or witness behaviour that crosses these lines, Section 12 explains how to report it. All reports are handled fairly and with discretion. No one will be treated less favourably for raising a genuine concern.
7. Photography and Recording
7.1 The Academy may photograph and record sessions and events for its own use. How we manage this, including consent, is set out in our Media Consent Policy.
7.2 If you wish to photograph or record on the premises, please make sure everyone who will be identifiable in the footage is happy for it to be taken. Do not record a child who is not in your care without the express consent of their parent or guardian.
7.3 Footage taken at the Academy should not be shared publicly without the consent of everyone identifiable in it. If footage of you has been shared without your consent, please let a member of staff know.
8. Social Media and Public Conduct
8.1 Where your public conduct online reflects directly on the Academy or the people in it, it can affect your standing as a member. This is the same principle that applies on the mat: what one person does reflects on the team.
8.2 Conduct that breaches other parts of this Code — sharing footage without consent, harassment of training partners online, or anything that falls under our Safeguarding or Media Consent policies — will be treated in the same way regardless of whether it happens in person or online.
8.3 Conduct outside the Academy that directly affects the safety or reputation of the Academy or its members may also be considered under this Code.
9. Alcohol, Drugs, and Other Substances
9.1 Please do not attend any session or Academy event while under the influence of alcohol or any illegal substance. Training in this state is dangerous to you and to the people you train with.
9.2 Alcohol is not permitted on the premises except at events where it has been arranged by the Academy in line with applicable licensing laws. Illegal substances are not permitted on the premises at any time.
9.3 If you are taking prescribed medication that could affect your ability to train safely — such as medication that affects your balance, alertness, or pain perception — please let a member of staff know before your session. You do not need to say what it is for. We simply need to be aware so we can keep you and your training partners safe. This will be treated in confidence.
10. Care of the Facility
10.1 The training space and equipment are shared by everyone here. Please treat them with care and leave them as you found them.
10.2 Return equipment to its proper place after use. Report anything damaged or unsafe to a member of staff straight away rather than continuing to use it.
10.3 Keep drinks in sealed containers away from the mat. Food is not permitted in the training area.
10.4 Please leave changing areas, toilets, and communal spaces tidy after use. These are shared by a wide range of people, including children.
10.5 Damage caused deliberately or through reckless use may result in the Academy seeking to recover the cost of repair or replacement. Accidental damage should be reported as soon as it happens.
11. Consequences of Breaching This Code
11.1 Where we become aware of a breach of this Code, we will take action that is proportionate to what happened.
11.2 Visitors and trial participants who breach this Code may be asked to leave immediately and refused future access. The full disciplinary process set out below applies to members only.
11.3 For serious breaches — including violence, deliberate harm to another person, or sexual misconduct — we reserve the right to move straight to suspension or permanent removal without prior warnings, and to contact the relevant authorities.
11.4 Any behaviour that puts a child at risk will be treated as a safeguarding matter and handled under our Safeguarding Policy, including referral to the appropriate authorities.
11.5 Where a complaint has been received but a formal suspension has not yet been issued, Mike Dorrian (Academy Owner) may, at their discretion, ask the person concerned not to attend sessions while the matter is being assessed. This is a precautionary measure, not a finding of fault, and will not normally extend beyond 14 days without a further review.
The process
11.6 In most cases, the first step is a conversation with Mike Dorrian (Academy Owner) setting out the concern. This is a verbal warning and will be noted internally.
11.7 If the behaviour continues or a further breach occurs, a written warning will be issued. This sets out what happened, what is expected going forward, and what the consequences of any further breach will be.
11.8 If the behaviour continues after a written warning, or if the breach warrants it, the person may be suspended pending a review. During a suspension, the person may not attend the premises or any Academy event. Any membership billing during this period will be paused or adjusted in line with our Membership Terms. Where a membership is terminated permanently, the financial position is governed by the Membership Terms.
11.9 Following a review, Mike Dorrian (Academy Owner) will decide whether to lift the suspension, extend it, or end the person’s membership permanently. The person under review will be given the opportunity to put their case before a decision is made.
Appeals
11.10 If you receive a written warning, are suspended, or have your membership ended and you believe the decision was unfair, you have the right to appeal. Submit your appeal in writing to info@rgasalford.co.uk within 14 days of being notified. The appeal will be reviewed by a person who was not involved in the original decision wherever possible, and you will receive a written response.
11.11 Records of warnings, suspensions, and terminations are held securely in line with our Privacy Policy.
12. Raising a Concern or Complaint
12.1 If something does not feel right, please say so. You do not need to be certain that something wrong has happened to raise a concern.
Concerns between members
12.2 If you have a disagreement with another member, the first step is to raise it directly and calmly with that person if it is safe and comfortable to do so. If that is not possible, or if it does not resolve things, speak to a member of staff.
Formal complaints
12.3 For serious concerns, or where informal steps have not worked, you can submit a formal complaint in writing to info@rgasalford.co.uk. Please include what happened, when and where, who was involved, and any supporting information.
12.4 All formal complaints will be acknowledged within 5 working days and we will aim to provide a full response within 28 days. Both parties will be given the opportunity to share their account.
12.5 Complaints about any member of staff should be submitted to info@rgasalford.co.uk for the attention of the Academy owner. Where a complaint cannot be resolved internally, it may be escalated to Roger Gracie Academy.
12.6 Concerns about the welfare of a child are handled under our Safeguarding Policy. Please refer these directly to our Designated Safeguarding Lead: Mike Dorrian, Academy Owner.
12.7 If someone is in immediate danger, call 999 first.
12.8 No one will be treated less favourably for raising a genuine concern. Complaints made falsely or maliciously are themselves a breach of this Code.
13. Changes to This Code
13.1 We may update this Code from time to time. When we do, we will update the version number and effective date at the top of this document. The current version will always be available on our policies page.
13.2 If we make a significant change that affects your rights or responsibilities, we will let current members know before the change takes effect.