Complaints Procedure

The complaints procedure gives players, parents, clubs, coaches, officials, volunteers, employees, contractors, committees, Board members, participants, and other stakeholders a clear way to raise concerns connected with Padel Federation of Ireland activity.

It should be read alongside the PFI Constitution, Code of Conduct, safeguarding policies, competition regulations, club affiliation regulations, and the PFI Disciplinary, Grievance and Dispute Resolution Policy.

• Promote fair, transparent, and consistent handling
• Protect the rights of all parties involved
• Resolve issues as early, fairly, and efficiently as possible
• Provide a route into the correct policy process where needed

Complaints may cover federation services, communication, decisions, processes, public information, administration, events, or behaviour connected with PFI activity. They should be raised in good faith and supported by relevant details.

A complaint may also identify a grievance, dispute, or potential disciplinary matter. If another process is more suitable, PFI may direct the issue to that route.

• Registration, licence, affiliation, or administration concerns
• Club, coach, event, competition, or official-related concerns
• Communication, service, or public information concerns
• Concerns that may need referral to the disciplinary, grievance, dispute, safeguarding, anti-doping, or competition process

Not every concern should be handled as a general complaint. Safety, welfare, anti-doping, employment, competition integrity, or formal disciplinary matters may need a dedicated process.

If there is immediate danger, contact emergency services. Child welfare concerns may need statutory routes. Anti-doping matters, competition manipulation, disciplinary matters, and employment concerns may each follow specific rules or policies.

• Use safeguarding guidance for safeguarding or child welfare concerns
• Use anti-doping or sport integrity routes where those rules apply
• Use the Disciplinary, Grievance and Dispute Resolution Policy for formal grievance, dispute, disciplinary, appeal, or independent resolution matters
• Use statutory or emergency routes where safety requires it

Where it is appropriate and safe, PFI encourages parties to try to resolve issues informally before invoking formal procedures. Informal resolution may include direct discussion, facilitated meetings, mediation, or intervention by an appropriate committee or designated officer.

If informal resolution is unsuccessful, unsuitable, or the matter needs federation attention, a formal complaint may be submitted in writing.

• Direct discussion where appropriate
• Facilitated meeting or mediation where suitable
• Committee or designated officer support where relevant
• Formal complaint route where informal resolution is not suitable

A formal complaint should be submitted in writing. It should clearly outline the nature of the complaint, include relevant facts, evidence, and supporting information, and be submitted within a reasonable period of the incident occurring.

Use the Padel Federation Ireland contact page to submit a complaint or ask where a concern should be directed. The information should be factual, clear, proportionate, and respectful of privacy.

• Include your contact details and connection to the matter
• State the concern clearly, including relevant dates, locations, events, and names
• Attach or reference emails, messages, documents, or other supporting material
• Explain what has already happened and what outcome is being sought
• Avoid sharing sensitive information that is not needed

PFI will acknowledge receipt of a complaint and determine the appropriate process for review. Depending on the nature of the issue, it may be handled by the CEO, President, Board, Competition, Disciplinary and Child Welfare Committee, or an independent investigator appointed by the Board.

The investigation process may include receipt of complaint, preliminary assessment, collection of evidence, interviews with relevant parties, opportunity for all parties to respond, preparation of findings, and a recommendation to the appropriate decision-making body.

• Acknowledgement and initial assessment
• Referral to the correct person, committee, Board route, or independent investigator where needed
• Opportunity for relevant parties to respond
• Findings and recommendations where an investigation is required

A complaint may lead to clarification, correction of information, informal resolution, further information gathering, referral to another policy route, or formal action where the matter requires it.

Where a complaint raises possible misconduct, the Disciplinary, Grievance and Dispute Resolution Policy, Code of Conduct, safeguarding guidance, anti-doping rules, competition regulations, or independent dispute resolution routes may become relevant.

A person or organisation subject to a disciplinary decision may have an appeal route under the Disciplinary, Grievance and Dispute Resolution Policy. Where appropriate, disputes may also be referred to Sport Dispute Solutions Ireland.

• Clarification, correction, informal resolution, or referral
• Formal action where the issue requires it
• Fair handling and communication with relevant parties
• Appeal or independent resolution information where applicable

All parties involved in a complaint, grievance, disciplinary matter, or dispute should respect the confidentiality of the process. Information should only be shared where necessary to investigate, determine, or resolve the matter.

PFI will maintain secure records of complaints, investigations, hearings, decisions, appeals, and sanctions in accordance with applicable data protection legislation.

• Confidential handling of complaint information
• Secure records for complaints and related process steps
• Data protection awareness where personal information is involved