Friday, September 12: Hockey Ireland is proud to announce the launch of its Total Respect campaign ahead of the 2025/26 season, which begins on Saturday, September 13. The initiative calls on everyone in the Irish hockey community to commit to fostering a culture of respect across all levels of the game.
The campaign is built on a simple but powerful message: Total Respect is the only behaviour we should practice and tolerate in our sport. By ensuring that every interaction is rooted in respect, Hockey Ireland aims to make hockey a safe, positive, and enjoyable experience for everyone involved.
During the consultation phase for the current strategic plan – Unleash the Power of Hockey it was clear that more work was needed to strengthen standards of behaviour across the sport. Building on the Respect campaign, Hockey Ireland is also launching new Discipline Regulations 2025, developed in collaboration with the Irish Hockey Umpires Association (IHUA) and Technical Officials, to ensure hockey is played in a fair, safe and respectful environment. The updated regulations set out clear procedures for cards, Code of Conduct breaches, and disciplinary hearings, with strong sanction guidelines to tackle abuse, misconduct and threats to the integrity of the game.
“How we treat each other says everything about us and our sport,” said Anne McCormack, Hockey Ireland CEO. “Through the Total Respect campaign, we want to unite the hockey community behind a shared commitment to respect both on and off the pitch. These new regulations, shaped with our umpiring and officiating colleagues, reinforce that commitment by holding everyone accountable and protecting the values at the heart of Irish hockey.”
As part of the campaign, organisations including provinces, officiating associations, clubs, and schools are invited to sign the Total Respect Charter. By doing so, they will:
- Make a clear commitment on behalf of their organisation and members
- Join a nationwide movement to make hockey safe, positive, and inclusive
- Receive campaign resources and media templates to proudly display
- Gain access to information on training and events linked to the campaign
Hockey Ireland encourages all members of the community to live out the values of the campaign throughout the season. Whether competing, coaching, officiating, or supporting from the sidelines, respect must always be at the heart of the game.
For more information about the Total Respect campaign and how to sign the charter, visit https://hockey.ie/total–respect/.