Leagues and Tournaments

These Terms and Conditions apply to all leagues, tournaments, competitions, festivals, and competitive events organised or administered by Loughborough Sport.

These terms are in addition to your statutory rights.

In these Terms and Conditions:

Competition means any league, tournament, competition, festival, cup, championship, or event organised by Loughborough Sport.

Participant means any individual registered to participate in a Competition.

Team means any club, organisation, school, university, or other group registered to participate in a Competition.

 

Parent/Guardian means the parent, legal guardian, or responsible adult with authority to make decisions on behalf of a Participant under the age of 18.

Team Organiser means the individual responsible for registering and managing a team.

Loughborough Sport includes Loughborough University, Loughborough Sport, Loughborough Lightning, its employees, volunteers, contractors, officials, referees, and authorised representatives.

2.1 By registering for a Competition, Participants agree to comply with these Terms and Conditions.

2.2 Loughborough Sport reserves the right to amend these Terms and Conditions where reasonably necessary. Updated versions will be published on the Loughborough Sport website.

2.3 Competition-specific rules may apply and will be communicated before the start of the Competition.

3.1 All registrations are subject to availability and eligibility requirements.

3.2 Participants must meet any age, membership, qualification, or eligibility requirements published for the Competition.

3.3 Registration will only be confirmed once all required information has been submitted and all applicable fees have been paid.

3.4 Loughborough Sport reserves the right to refuse or cancel registrations where eligibility requirements are not met.

3.5 Where a Participant is under the age of 18, registration must be completed or approved by their Parent/Guardian.

3.6 Parents/Guardians are responsible for ensuring that all registration and emergency contact information is accurate and up to date.

4.1 Participants, or Parents/Guardians where the Participant is under the age of 18, must provide any relevant medical, welfare, behavioural, or emergency contact information requested by Loughborough Sport.

4.2 Participants, or Parents/Guardians where applicable, are responsible for ensuring this information remains accurate and up to date.

4.3 Loughborough Sport reserves the right to request additional information where reasonably necessary to support safe participation.

4.4 Where emergency medical treatment is considered necessary and a Parent/Guardian cannot be contacted promptly, the Parent/Guardian authorises Loughborough Sport to seek appropriate medical assistance on behalf of the Participant.

5.1 Loughborough Sport will administer or arrange appropriate first aid where required during a Competition.

5.2 Participants, or Parents/Guardians where the Participant is under the age of 18, must provide accurate emergency contact information during registration and keep this information up to date.

5.3 Where emergency medical treatment is considered necessary and a Parent/Guardian cannot be contacted promptly, the Parent/Guardian authorises Loughborough Sport to seek appropriate medical assistance for the Participant.

5.4 Adult Participants authorise Loughborough Sport to arrange emergency medical assistance where reasonably believed necessary for their health, safety, or welfare.

5.5 Any associated medical treatment costs remain the responsibility of the Participant or Parent/Guardian unless otherwise covered by NHS services or alternative healthcare arrangements.

6.1 Competition fees must be paid in full before the registration deadline unless otherwise stated.

6.2 Competition fees contribute towards the costs of organising and delivering the Competition, including venue hire, facilities, staffing, administration, equipment, officials, and event operations.

6.3 Competition places are not guaranteed until payment has been received.

7.1 Competition entry fees are non-refundable once a registration has been confirmed.

7.2 No refund, credit, or transfer will normally be provided where:

  • A Participant or Team withdraws from the Competition.
  • A Participant can no longer attend.
  • A Team fails to attend fixtures or matches.
  • A Participant is injured, ill, suspended, or unavailable.
  • A Team withdraws after fixtures or schedules have been published.
  • A Participant is removed from the Competition due to misconduct.

7.3 Requests to transfer an entry to another individual or team may be considered at the discretion of Loughborough Sport where operationally feasible.

7.4 Refunds will normally only be considered where:

  • The Competition is cancelled by Loughborough Sport before it commences.
  • The Competition cannot be delivered due to circumstances within Loughborough Sport's control.
  • A refund is required by applicable law.

7.5 Where a Competition is cancelled by Loughborough Sport, a full or partial refund may be offered depending on the proportion of the Competition that has already been delivered and costs already incurred.

8.1 Loughborough Sport reserves the right to amend:

  • Competition schedules.
  • Fixture dates and times.
  • Venues.
  • Competition formats.
  • Rules and regulations.

8.2 Where reasonably possible, Participants will be notified of significant changes in advance.

8.3 Changes made for operational, safety, weather, facility, or participant welfare reasons shall not normally give rise to a refund.

9.1 Participants must:

  • Comply with Competition rules.
  • Respect opponents, officials, spectators, volunteers, and staff.
  • Follow all venue regulations and safety requirements.
  • Demonstrate appropriate sporting conduct at all times.

9.2 Loughborough Sport operates a zero-tolerance approach to:

  • Violence.
  • Abuse towards officials.
  • Discrimination.
  • Harassment.
  • Bullying.
  • Threatening behaviour.
  • Deliberate damage to facilities or equipment.

9.3 Participants, Parents/Guardians, coaches, and spectators must not engage in behaviour that is intimidating, abusive, discriminatory, or inappropriate towards officials, staff, volunteers, or other Participants.

9.4 Parents/Guardians are expected to support a positive sporting environment and comply with venue and safeguarding requirements.

10.1 Loughborough Sport reserves the right to suspend, disqualify, or remove any Participant or Team who:

  • Breaches Competition rules.
  • Engages in misconduct.
  • Creates a health, safety, safeguarding, or welfare risk.
  • Fails to comply with reasonable instructions from staff or officials.

10.2 No refund or compensation will be provided where suspension, disqualification, or removal results from misconduct.

10.3 Where a Participant under the age of 18 is removed from a Competition due to misconduct, the Parent/Guardian may be required to arrange immediate collection where appropriate.

10.4 No refund or compensation will be provided where suspension, disqualification, or removal results from misconduct.

11.1 Photography, filming, livestreaming, and recording may take place during Competitions in accordance with Loughborough Sport safeguarding, data protection, and photography policies.

11.2 By participating, Participants acknowledge that they may appear in photographs, video footage, broadcasts, livestreams, or promotional content.

11.3 Such content may be used by Loughborough Sport for:

  • Competition coverage.
  • Marketing and promotion.
  • Social media content.
  • Educational purposes.
  • Historical and archival records.

12.1 Participants are responsible for ensuring they are medically fit to participate.

12.2 Participants must comply with all health and safety instructions issued by staff, officials, facility operators, or emergency services.

12.3 Loughborough Sport reserves the right to refuse participation where attendance may present a safety, welfare, or safeguarding concern.

13.1 Loughborough Sport is committed to providing a safe, inclusive, and positive environment for all Participants regardless of age.

13.2 Participants, Parents/Guardians, staff, coaches, volunteers, contractors, and spectators are expected to comply with relevant safeguarding and welfare procedures.

13.3 Any safeguarding, welfare, or wellbeing concerns should be reported immediately to a member of staff.

13.4 Additional safeguarding measures may apply to activities involving children, young people, or adults at risk.

14.1 Participants are responsible for all personal belongings, equipment, clothing, and valuables brought to a Competition.

14.2 Participants are encouraged not to leave personal belongings unattended at any venue.

14.3 Loughborough Sport accepts no responsibility for loss, theft, damage, or deterioration of personal property unless caused by its negligence.

14.4 Any property found at a Competition venue may be retained and managed in accordance with the University's lost property procedures.

14.5 Participants are responsible for ensuring that any equipment they bring to a Competition is safe, suitable, and fit for its intended purpose.

14.6 Parents/Guardians remain responsible for the personal belongings and equipment of Participants under the age of 18.

15.1 Personal information provided as part of the registration process will be processed in accordance with applicable data protection legislation and Loughborough University's Privacy Notice.

15.2 Information collected may be used for:

  • Competition administration.
  • Fixture scheduling and communication.
  • Eligibility verification
  • Health, safety and welfare management.
  • Safeguarding.
  • Emergency contact procedures.
  • Competition results and rankings.
  • Event promotion and reporting.

15.3 Participants, or Parents/Guardians where the Participant is under the age of 18, are responsible for ensuring that the information provided is accurate and kept up to date.

15.4 Personal information will only be shared where necessary for the administration and delivery of the Competition, where required by law, or where otherwise permitted under applicable data protection legislation.

15.5 Additional information relating to Participants under the age of 18 may be collected where reasonably necessary to support safeguarding, welfare, and safe participation.

15.6 Participants acknowledge that competition information including names, team names, results, league tables, rankings, and awards may be published on Loughborough Sport websites, social media channels, event programmes, and other competition-related Communications.

16.1 Competition entry fees do not include parking unless expressly stated otherwise.

16.2 Participants, spectators, officials, volunteers, and accompanying persons are responsible for any parking charges incurred when attending a Competition.

16.3 Parking on University premises is subject to availability and compliance with Loughborough University's parking regulations and applicable charges enforced by APCOA Parking.

16.4 Loughborough Sport does not guarantee the availability of parking spaces at or near Competition venues.

16.5 Up-to-date parking information, including charges and parking arrangements at Loughborough University, Loughborough Campus, can be found on the Loughborough University website.

16.6 Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras operate across on campus to identify vehicles for which the appropriate parking charge has not been paid via the APCOA website and to monitor the duration of a parking sessions.

16.7 Parking charges may be issued to unregistered vehicles and to any vehicle found to be in breach of the University's Motor Vehicle Use Terms and Conditions. Breaches include, but are not limited to:

  • Parking anywhere on campus other than in a dedicated marked bay
  • Causing an obstruction
  • Exceeding the maximum permitted stay or waiting time 
  • Failure to display a valid Blue Badge where requires and/or failure to pay the applicable parking charge
  • Incorrect use of parking bays 
  • Parking in a restricted area 
  • Parking on grass, verges, or footpaths
  • Allowing a parking session to expire
  • Unauthorised parking; and
  • Parking in a bay reserved for another user, including disabled parking bays

16.8 Any penalty charges, penalties, fines, or enforcement action arising from a failure to comply with parking regulations shall be the responsibility of the vehicle owner or driver. Any dispute relating to a parking charge must be raised directly with APOCA and not with Loughborough University.

17.1 Loughborough Sport reserves the right to postpone, suspend, shorten, amend, or cancel a Competition due to circumstances beyond its reasonable control, including:

  • Extreme weather.
  • Facility closures.
  • Utility failures.
  • Public health incidents.
  • Industrial action.
  • Government restrictions.
  • Safety concerns.

17.2 Where only part of a Competition has been completed, Loughborough Sport reserves the right to determine whether any refund, credit, or alternative arrangement is appropriate.

18.1 Participation in sporting and physical activities involves inherent risks.

18.2 Nothing in these Terms and Conditions excludes or limits liability for:

  • Death or personal injury caused by negligence.
  • Fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation.
  • Any liability that cannot legally be excluded.

18.3 Subject to clause 15.2, Loughborough Sport shall not be liable for indirect or consequential loss arising from participation in a Competition.

19.1 These Terms and Conditions shall be governed by the laws of England and Wales.

19.2 Any dispute arising under these Terms and Conditions shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.