Appendices
A: The APPG Pledge:
Fans, Wrestlers, Promotors, Trainers, Ring Crew and all those engaged in wrestling have rights and responsibilities. There are models of good practice and minimum requirements that should be in place. We commit to:
Establishing Good Business Practices:
• We will register our organisation as a company where appropriate
• We will keep records of income and expenditure and deal properly with our tax affairs
• We will licence music which we use, pay for music created for us and deal fairly with those whose images we are using
• We will behave responsibly, and not engage in shark tactics to damage competitors • We will work to eliminate any gender pay gap, paying according to experience or drawing power
• We will enter into contracts with venues, maintain contact details and have cancellation processes in place
• We will maintain appropriate GDPR information safeguards.
Running a Wrestling Show or Training School:
• We will make clear whether our shows are for adults, families or custom audiences
• We will follow the minimum safety standards outlined in the APPG report, and maintain an injury logbook
• We will provide appropriate changing facilities, not limited to provision of two changing rooms
• We will maintain banned lists and apply strict liability for audience abuse
• We will only use trained referees
• We will put appropriate safeguards in place at merchandise tables and have appropriate backstage protocols, including restricted guest lists
• We will contract talent, including visiting overseas wrestlers both for business purposes, to agree match formats, travel and expenses, and in respect of personal conduct
• We will use a quality ring and regularly inspect it
• We will follow any COVID-19 protocols and clean our ring regularly
• We will maintain appropriate insurance and only run licenced events
• We will promote equality and other standards like the wrestling safely resource
• We will maintain and administer concussion protocols, following best practice
• We will maintain safeguarding policies, dignity at work policies, social media polices and maintain disciplinary and grievance procedures
• We will operate fan codes of conduct
• We will maintain a set of minimum standards for the treatment of ring crew
• We will provide food and water to performers and crew
• When training, we will ensure coaches are fit to teach, including high standards of personal fitness, and trained in safeguarding
• As a school, we will maintain rules on physical contact, anti-bullying policies, social media contact and we will train in age appropriate groups.
Fans:
• We will engage respectfully with wrestlers online or at merchandise stalls.
• We will not engage at abusive behaviour at shows and will follow any fan codes of conduct.