Infraction System

Why This Exists

Rules Without Enforcement Are Noise

A Code of Conduct means nothing without a process to back it up. The Infraction System is that process. It's designed to be fair to the person raising a concern, fair to the person accused, and protective of the community as a whole. It is written down and published for exactly one reason: so it cannot be applied inconsistently or used as a tool against anyone.

Step 1

Reporting a Concern

Anyone — member, visitor, or parent of a kids-class student — can raise a concern about behavior that may violate the Code of Conduct. You can:

Speak with any coach in person (before or after class, or at the front desk).
Email info@imperialground.com directly to João.
Submit anonymously via the form on the members-area dashboard (for members only).

All reports are taken seriously. Retaliation against anyone who raises a good-faith concern is itself a Code of Conduct violation and is treated as such.

Step 2

The Review

A concern triggers a review by the owner (João) and, where appropriate, the head coach of the relevant program. The review includes:

A direct conversation with the person who raised the concern.
A direct conversation with the person the concern is about — they are told what's been raised and given the chance to respond.
Review of any available facts (schedule, other members present, written messages where relevant).
A written summary of findings and the decided outcome.

Reviews are completed within 7 days for standard concerns, and within 48 hours for safety-critical ones (violence, harassment, kids' safety). During that time, interim measures (e.g., separating training schedules) may be put in place.

Step 3

The Scale of Responses

Outcomes are proportionate to the violation. The ladder below is the standard starting point. Serious violations may skip steps entirely.

Verbal Warning

A private conversation. The behavior is named, the expectation reset. Logged internally. No public record. Typical first response for minor hygiene or etiquette issues.

Written Warning

A dated letter (email) explicitly documenting the violation and the expected correction. Copy kept in member file. Any further incident escalates automatically.

Training Suspension

A set period (typically 2–8 weeks) during which the member cannot attend classes or enter the facility. Membership continues to bill unless canceled — the suspension is disciplinary, not a pause.

Expulsion

Permanent revocation of academy membership. Member file retained. No refund of advance payments. Reserved for severe or repeated violations — and for any confirmed case of harassment or violence.

Fast-Track Violations

Serious Matters Skip The Ladder

Some behaviors do not receive a warning. They go directly to suspension or expulsion, pending review:

Physical violence outside of trained technique (intentional injury, refusing to release a submission).
Harassment — sexual, racial, religious, homophobic, transphobic, ableist. Spoken, written, or online.
Threats, intimidation, or stalking of any member, coach, or staff.
Bringing weapons or illegal substances onto the premises.
Theft from the academy, members, or staff.
Any inappropriate conduct toward a minor. Zero tolerance. Permanent expulsion on first confirmed instance.

Your Rights

If A Concern Is Raised About You

You have the right to:

Know what has been alleged — in specific terms, not vague accusations.
Respond in your own words, in writing or in conversation, before any decision is made.
Bring a witness or support person to any meeting with the review team.
Receive the decision in writing, including the reasoning.
Appeal once, in writing, within 14 days of the decision. Appeals are reviewed by the owner with fresh input.

Record Keeping

What We Keep, And How Long

Written warnings and above are kept in a secure internal record for 3 years from the date of the final decision. Verbal warnings are logged internally for 12 months and then removed. Records are accessible only to the owner and any head coach directly involved in the review. They are never shared externally without a specific legal obligation.

Questions

Talk To Us

This document is deliberately public. If anything here is unclear, contradicts something you've experienced, or should be expanded, tell us — the system only works if members trust and understand it.