ARTICLE 1: CLUB MISSION AND ETHICS
ZEST’s objectives are defined around fundamental principles such as transparency, respect for the environment, inclusiveness, and the promotion of health and well-being. This is reflected in the following areas of work:
- Promoting inclusiveness and equal opportunities
Providing a welcoming environment that is accessible to all, regardless of age, gender, origin or skill level, by developing training programmes adapted to different levels and organising inclusive sporting events.
- Encouraging respect for the environment
Minimising the ecological footprint of club events and training sessions by using sustainable equipment, promoting waste reduction, encouraging car-sharing, organising clean-ups after events, and raising members’ awareness of the environmental impact of sport.
- Adopting a healthy and respectful approach to competition
Promote a spirit of camaraderie, fair play and respect during training sessions and competitions by banning all forms of doping and encouraging respectful behaviour towards opponents and referees, as well as emphasising team spirit and mutual support.
- Promoting physical and mental health
To help members develop their physical and mental well-being through regular sport, by offering training programmes that promote a balance between physical effort and recovery, as well as support sessions on stress management, nutrition and personal development.
- Transparency and ethical governance
To ensure transparent, honest and participative management of the club by regularly publishing financial reports and records of decisions taken by the administrative body, and by offering members a space to express themselves and participate actively in the life of the club. To use open-source software wherever possible and to respect a high and accepted social ethic.
- Developing responsible partnerships
Partnering with companies and organisations that share the club’s ethical values by selecting sponsors or partners that respect environmental, social and ethical standards.
- Raising awareness of sporting ethics
To educate members and young athletes about the importance of ethics in sport by organising workshops, conferences and activities on the themes of sporting ethics, the dangers of doping, fair play in competition, and responsible equipment management.
- Ensuring quality support
To offer members quality training by recruiting competent coaches and offering them the opportunity to train. Coaches are the first ambassadors of the club’s values.
- Supporting local and community-based initiatives
Contribute positively to the local community and social causes by organising charity events, supporting local projects, and involving members in volunteering activities.
In short, ZEST aims to be an ethical triathlon club that places the practice of sport within a framework of mutual respect, social and environmental responsibility, and individual well-being. These objectives must be integrated into every aspect of the organisation, from recruiting members to organising events.
ARTICLE 2: MEMBERSHIP
ZEST members are of all ages (+ 16 years), regardless of gender, mother tongue, religious or political affiliation. ZEST is aimed at adults and has not yet developed a youth school. The minimum age for joining the club is 16.
Within the limits of its own resources, the club ensures that the necessary facilities and support are in place to welcome disabled athletes.
ZEST is open to everyone, depending on their level of ability. Its aim is to give each of its members access to excellence (the highest individual level of performance) and sporting enjoyment, in a setting that fosters personal fulfilment and collective harmony.
All members contribute to the dynamism of ZEST through their involvement. In particular, they are invited to take part in events organised by ZEST and to wear the club’s equipment in order to raise the profile of the club and its partners (sponsors).
By joining the club, each member adheres to the ROI and undertakes to respect its prescriptions. Then, by paying their annual subscription, members perpetuate their commitment to the ROI.
The club reserves the right to allow or refuse (re)registration if the athlete is not in line with the values of the sport (fair play, ban on doping, respect for differences, etc.) and the values of the club or its partners.
The club expects its members to take an active part in the life of the club and/or in all its activities and objectives. In order to meet its objectives, ZEST has surrounded itself with competent and qualified staff.
ARTICLE 3: CONDITIONS FOR PRACTISING TRIATHLON
Triathlon is a demanding sport, and it is the responsibility of each new member to ensure that they have no medical contraindications to taking part.
As a club affiliated to the LF3, ZEST is insured against accidents during organised training sessions. Under no circumstances can it be held responsible for the consequences of any accidents not covered by the League’s insurance that may occur during the activities offered to its members.
The Board of Directors asks each member to take out a LF3 licence and to respect the League’s instructions. Access to training sessions is forbidden to non-licensed members. An exception is made for the first few trial sessions, which we offer to all prospective members. The League no longer requires a medical certificate. However, we encourage you to consult a general practitioner for a check-up of your physical condition, or even an exercise test if you are going to compete, especially after the age of 40. For minors (under 18), parental authorisation is required to take part in triathlon. It must include the child’s surname, first name and date of birth (day, month, year). It must be signed by the child’s legal representative, who must give his or her agreement to take part in the triathlon.
Membership of the club implies adherence to and knowledge of the LF3 rules, which are expected to be known and followed during competitions organised by the LF3 and local rules for races abroad. The relevant documents can be consulted here: https://lf3.be/documents-reglements/
ARTICLE 4: SUBSCRIPTION & LICENCE
The annual membership fee (calendar year) is shown on the club’s website and is the same for every member. However, money should not be an obstacle to practising the sport. ZEST therefore discreetly tries to help members in financial difficulty with their membership fees. For any request for help, please contact one of the trusted persons designated by the club, whose identity and contact details will be listed on the website.
Members wishing to re-affiliate for the following year must re-register as soon as registrations are reopened.
ARTICLE 5: TRAINING SESSIONS
The club has coaches for all three disciplines.
Coaches are solely responsible for training. Coaches may delegate their role to experienced members in case of absence. The coaches keep the administrative body informed, and the latter is free to approve or reject this proposal. The club and its administrators are in no way responsible when a member gives coaching to one or more members, apart from in the aforementioned cases.
The administrative body has complete freedom to preserve/organise the framework and quality of training (define and manage the club’s capacity in the three disciplines, organise specific sessions, etc.).
Training sessions are not compulsory. Members are free to participate. The club is aimed at adults. Members who take part in training sessions may ask the coaches questions, make suggestions and make comments in a respectful and constructive manner. While listening to the members, the coaches remain entirely free to make their own decisions and manage the training and exercises on offer.
Any occasional athlete who does not attend training regularly will not be able to justify any claim whatsoever concerning a lack of attention from the coaches, a pace that is too difficult to follow, or even exercises (sprints, long distance, etc.) during training, or any failure on the part of the club and its administrators.
Coaches prepare their programme with a view to coherent sporting development, which requires each individual to be aware of their own physiological limits, to be regular and to invest both physically and mentally. Neither the club nor the coaches can be held responsible for any lack of progress.
Swimming
ZEST members comply with the rules governing the use of the swimming pool where training takes place.
The ZEST cap is part of the standard equipment. ZEST provides all its members with a club cap. The cap contributes to the identity of a training club in the public eye and makes it easy to identify members and aspiring members.
In each lane, the members place themselves in all honesty and also according to the recommendations of the coaches depending on their level, the form of the day and the attendance rate.
Coaches have complete freedom in managing their group and exercises, within the sporting framework defined by the governing body, and are solely responsible for the training programme.
Bike
Bicycle outings are organised in collaboration with the “Brussels Unchained” club. All ZEST members are asked to read and adhere to the Brussels Unchained rules. ZEST will dissociate itself from any member who does not respect the charter and values of Brussels Unchained. The rules can be consulted here: https://brusselsunchained.cc/fr/notre-r%C3%A8glement
We encourage you to wear clothing in the ZEST colours when cycling.
In addition to the Brussels Unchained rules, ZEST would like to stress that, as cycling outings take place in an open public space, open to all and to different types of vehicles, it is essential that the safety aspect be kept in mind by everyone. Safety comes before any other consideration and also before the quality of the training.
We all have to respect two types of safety rules: individual and collective.
Individual
- Helmets must be worn
- Compliance with the Highway Code
- Bike in good condition
- Have your own repair kit
- Respect for other group members
Individual
- Respect, calm, politeness and individual and collective courtesy in all circumstances towards other road users.
- Make it easier for overtaking vehicles to pass.
- The club does not condone collective reprimands of drivers who have shown themselves to be careless or lacking in foresight. Our image, serenity and safety are at stake.
- Respecting the Highway Code: when the group is large enough (at least 6), we don’t use the cycle path, which can sometimes be more dangerous than the road.
- Compliance with the rules for riding in a peloton, i.e. :
- Everyone is responsible for everyone else.
- The person leading the peloton must absolutely think about those following. Slow down and speed up gradually.
- The person leading the peloton is the main person responsible for the peloton. He or she must be attentive and anticipate the various dangers on the road.
- Drive smoothly and evenly.
- The ideal distance from the rider in front is 30 cm (slightly offset from the rear wheel), so that you can put your front wheel right up to the crankset of the rider in front without hitting him. Beyond 1 metre, the advantage of riding in the wheels diminishes.
- Warn others by gesture and/or words: gap, change of direction, slow down, stop, etc.
- Drive straight ahead. If the previous rider passes, the next will also pass.
- When riding in a group, do not ride on the handlebars tri
- When drafting, always keep your finger on the brakes
Running
Weekly group training takes place at the Jesse Owens track in Anderlecht.
ZEST encourages the wearing of club colours and logos.
Participants are asked to respect the exercises given by the coach, particularly for timed series on the track. It is not possible to manage different programmes, so if you wish to follow a different (your own) programme to the one given by the coach, you can carry out your training outside the club.
On the track, the different groups must remain vigilant to facilitate the passage of other people using the track, but also ensure that the inside lane is left free for faster groups overtaking them.
For winter training sessions, make sure you are visible, especially if the route passes through areas open to traffic (fluorescent clothing or strips, headlamp, etc.).
ARTICLE 6: CLUB OUTFIT
See above for outfits for swimming, cycling and running training.
Races and competitions
To ensure consistency, club visibility, team spirit and ease of recognition by our supporters, ZEST asks its members to wear the club uniform during competitions. A neutral outfit is acceptable for members who do not yet have the trifunction or any other club equipment.
ARTICLE 7: ANTI-DOPING – MEDICAL COMMITTEE
By completing the licence form, each athlete signs a commitment to the LF3 concerning the fight against doping.
The club expects its members, both licensed and non-licensed, to exercise the utmost vigilance and integrity in the fight against doping.
ARTICLE 8: DISCRIMINATION – TRUSTED THIRD PARTY
The club does not condone rude, insulting, racist, macho or sexually offensive language or behaviour, or in general any language, behaviour or action that may damage a person’s physical or moral integrity.
The club aims to respect cultural sensitivities.
Words or behaviour that may seem inappropriate to certain people may, if necessary and after evaluation, be the subject of disciplinary measures.
In line with our objective of inclusiveness, we are attentive to these abuses, whether they occur during club activities, on communication channels or in informal moments.
The Board appoints two persons of trust: one from among its members and one from outside the club (confiance@zest-club.be) to receive any complaints relating to the above points. This contact person will handle any reports confidentially. If necessary, and depending on his/her judgement, he/she may, at his/her discretion (preserving the anonymity of the parties involved), bring any complaint from a member to the attention of the administrative body, which will make a confidential assessment. Depending on the seriousness of the facts, the support person may, if necessary, disclose the identities to two members of the administrative body of his/her choice. They will act confidentially and take the measures required by the situation.
ARTICLE 9: COMMUNICATION (INTERNET AND SOCIAL NETWORKS)
ZEST has several communication channels:
- Website (www.zest-club.be): contains useful information about the club. It is our first window to the outside world and to potential new members.
- E-mail to members based on the mailing list. All information concerning all members is sent via this channel.
- Facebook, Instagram and Strava pages to relay important events and reports on club activities
The website and e-mails sent to members contain all the information about club life.
If the member does not wish his/her image to be used in the club’s communications on the networks, he/she must expressly request this from the administrative body.
ARTICLE 10: DISCIPLINARY MEASURES AND DISPUTES
a) General information
Members are expected to abide by the rules laid down by the club and by the coaches for each discipline.
Members are also expected to adhere to the LF3 rules, which are expected to be known and followed at competitions organised by LF3, as well as the local rules for races abroad.
In the event of non-compliance, the Board reserves the right to warn or sanction the member.
b) Mediation committee and trusted members
ZEST is setting up two structures for consultation to anticipate, prevent and help resolve possible sources of tension.
Trusted members
There will be at least two of them, chosen for their ability to listen, their wisdom and their proximity to members. Their identities and contacts will be published on the website. They will be able to receive suggestions and/or grievances from members regarding the running of the administrative body and training sessions. They will be able to respond directly to members and, where necessary, provide clarification. If necessary, they will pass on any points of concern to the administrative body.
Committee
In the event of a conflict between members, or between a member and the administrative body, which could result in disciplinary measures being taken or disciplinary measures being contested, the member may appeal to a mediation committee. This will comprise at least two members of the administrative body and two members chosen by the athlete(s) involved. This committee may, if necessary, decide to appoint one or other member and/or a coach.
c) Reminder of rules and disciplinary measures
This can range from a reminder of the rules (by a member of the administrative body or any other member), a warning (by a member of the administrative body) or suspension or even exclusion from the club (by the Board).
A second warning may, if necessary and after deliberation, lead to suspension or exclusion.
Summary of disciplinary measures :
– Reminder of rules (oral “on the spot”, simple informal reminder, possibly written in a more formal way)
– Warning (always formal, issued by at least two members (administrative body and/or coach) and systematically confirmed in writing)
– Suspension
– Exclusion
d) Disputes
The Board of Directors reserves the right to take all necessary decisions in the event of a dispute.
Following the example of article 67 of the ROI of LF3, the association may not prohibit or limit the right of its members to take legal action. To this end, it shall refrain from imposing any sanction on a member for the sole reason that the member has instituted legal proceedings against the association or one of its members.
However, any member wishing to take legal action against the Association or one of its members must first have exhausted all the internal remedies provided for in these internal rules.
ARTICLE 11: GOVERNANCE
a) Internal democracy
The club encourages its members to participate actively in the life of the club. To this end, the administrative body is committed to putting in place decision-making processes that are as transparent and participative as possible. In practical terms, this means that for all decisions affecting members (training, rules, finances, events, etc):
- at the very least, actively keep members informed of decisions that concern them, as soon as possible, by publication on the various communication channels (website, social network, in person at training sessions, by email, etc);
- consult members and gather their opinions, in order to make the best possible decision;
- invite members to take on responsibilities in the life of the club, and provide them with the necessary tools where appropriate.
The Board is committed to conducting its meetings as democratically as possible. To this end, it puts in place processes for moderation, deliberation and decision-making that enable the active participation of all its members, as well as the expression and consideration of all the voices present as well as those not present but represented.
It remains to be seen whether we need to go into detail or not: this could be, for example, a rotating moderator, proofreading and approval of meeting minutes, decision-making by consent, etc.
b) Transparency
The administrative body undertakes to act as transparently as possible and to provide its members with all the information they need to integrate successfully into the club and participate in its life. This means in particular:
- facilitate access to the club’s management documents by publishing them on its website: articles of association, accounts and budget approved by the AGM, internal regulations, code of ethics, and any other similar documents that may be produced.
c) Data protection and privacy
The administrative body is committed to ensuring that the club operates with the utmost respect for the privacy of its members. To this end, it undertakes to take all necessary measures to comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
This means in particular:
- keep abreast of the GDPR and appoint two internal contacts whose role is to ensure that the necessary measures are taken to guarantee data protection and respect for the privacy of club members and anyone who interacts with the club (visiting the website, for example).
- collect as little data as possible on its members and undertake to collect only data that is strictly necessary for the smooth running of the club;
- secure the data collected, particularly any sensitive data: only authorised persons will be able to access it, and only for the purposes required;
- act with complete transparency and inform members about the purposes for which their data is collected, how their data is managed and their right to access their data;
- organise procedures enabling individuals to exercise their rights and respond as quickly as possible to these requests for consultation or access, rectification or deletion of data, or even opposition, unless the processing is in response to a legal obligation;
- Any complaint, request or clarification regarding the management of personal data should be addressed to the administrative body.
What data is collected and by whom?
ZEST receives the following data from LF3: last name, first name, address, date of birth, phone number, email, license number, and nationality. These data are collected by LF3 and passed on to ZEST when the future member obtains their license, which is mandatory to become a member of ZEST.
Where applicable, ZEST also collects data related to members’ participation in sporting events.
What are these data used for and what rights do I have over my data?
The following data — last name, first name, address — are collected as a legal obligation under the Code of Companies and Associations (CCA).
The following data — last name, first name, address, phone number, email — are collected to ensure the smooth running of the club, meaning for the organization of training sessions, internal communication, and administrative follow-up. The basis for this collection is the present internal regulations.
Data related to members’ participation in sporting events (name, first name, sporting event) will be collected when needed and only after obtaining the explicit and informed consent of the person concerned, for statistical purposes or to establish the club’s sports calendar. These data are, in all cases, for internal use only.
Any member may, at any time, request to receive a document containing all the data collected about them by ZEST. ZEST has one month to respond to such requests.
Any member may, at any time, request the correction of their data; they may also withdraw their consent or request deletion of their data, except for data that ZEST is legally obliged to collect.
Persons who do not wish to have the above-mentioned data collected cannot become members of ZEST, except for data concerning participation in sporting events, which will be subject to a specific request for consent.
How long are these data retained?
The following data — last name, first name, address — are retained by ZEST for the entire existence of ZEST and will only be deleted five years after the dissolution of ZEST. This is a CCA obligation.
The other data — date of birth, phone number, email, etc. — are kept as long as the person is a member of ZEST and until the end of the year following the year of their resignation.
Who has access to my data?
Every member has access to their own data. Any member of the non-profit association (ASBL) may also request access to the following data concerning other members: last name, first name, address (a right linked to the CCA obligation to maintain a members’ register accessible to members of the ASBL).
The members of ZEST’s board of directors have access to all data of the ASBL members.
A member’s data will never be shared with third parties without first explaining to the member the legal basis, purpose, and duration of the data processing, and without first obtaining their consent. A member who has given consent may withdraw it at any time.