ROWAN’S LAW IN EFFECT JULY 1, 2019
Rowan’s Law legislation as passed by the Ontario Government in 2018. This legislation is named in memory of Rowan Stringer who tragically died in 2013 of Second Impact Syndrome, the result of suffering multiple concussion playing rugby three times in six days.
Rugby Ontario has been advised by the Ontario Government that certain aspects of the Rowan’s Law legislation will come into effect on July 1, 2019. Rowan’s Law is applicable to 65 sports in Ontario as well as educational institutions.
Requirements of Rowan’s Law Legislation:
- From July 1 2019, all sports must have in place Concussion Code of Conducts.
- From July 1 2019, all new registrants (players, coaches, officials, trainers) at the point of registration must review and sign off on the Ontario Ministry’s Concussion awareness resources and the Rugby Ontario Concussion Code of Conduct. If the player is under 18 years of age then their parent/guardian must review and sign off. Please note there are no requirements for players registered before July 1.
- Between July 1 and August 30 2019, all currently registered coaches and trainers must review and sign off on both the Ministry’s Concussion awareness resources and Rugby Ontario Concussion Code of Conduct.
- Between July 1 and August 30 2019, all currently registered match officials must review and sign off on the Ministry’s Concussion awareness resources.
- From July 1, 2020, all sports must have in place Concussion Removal and Return to Sport protocols (rugby is in a good place here as this links in well with World Rugby’s Concussion Guidance, Rugby Canada’s Play Smart program and Rugby Ontario’s policies and Blue Card initiative)
Rugby Ontario Actions to comply with Rowan’s Law Legislation:
- For new 2019 registrants after July 1, Rugby Ontario will reach out directly to them to complete the necessary Government requirements. They will need to do so before we will activate their registration to allow them to commence participation in rugby related activities with your Club.
- Rugby Ontario will be reaching out to all coaches and medical staff currently registered with your Club to provide them with and help them to sign off on the Ontario Ministry’s Concussion awareness resources and the Rugby Ontario Concussion Code of Conduct. Please note they must do so by 30 August to comply with the legislation and maintain their active status as a coach.
- Rugby Ontario will be reaching out to all registered match officials to provide them with and help them to sign off on the Ontario Ministry’s Concussion awareness resources. Please note they must do so by 30 August to comply with the legislation and maintain their active status as a match official.
- For 2020, Rugby Ontario will work with Rugby Canada and SportLomo with a view to building the necessary Government requirements under Rowan’s Law into the online registration process.
- In 2020 and all subsequent years, all registrants will be required to review and sign off on the Ontario Ministry’s Concussion Awareness Resources and the Rugby Ontario Concussion Code of Conduct. If the registrant is under 18 years of age then their parent/guardian must review and sign off.
- Whilst the legislation is only applicable to players under the age of 26, in the interests of player safety and best practices, Rugby Ontario will require all players (or their parent/guardian if they are under 18 years of age) to review and sign off on the requirements of the legislation.
The TRU and Rugby Ontario will strive to be leaders in the implementation of Rowan’s Law. Links to the information are available through the Rowan’s Law page on the Rugby Ontario website. The link is: http://www.rugbyontario.
For any questions, please contact David Patterson at Rugby Ontario: dpatterson@
