Policies

Selection Policies for 2010 UCI World MTB and Trials Championships
Thursday, April 1, 2010

Athletes seeking selection to represent Australia at the 2010 UCI MTB and Trials World Championships should download the General Policy and the appropriate MTB format policy. Any clarification needed can be gained from the MTBA Technical Director or Executive Officer.

Application of Expressions of Interest to be considered for representation must be sent to MTBA on the form below by June 21st 2010.

Document Download:
2010 XCO Selection.pdf (PDF - 427 Kb)
2010 4X Selection.pdf (PDF - 419 Kb)
2010 DH Selection.pdf (PDF - 436 Kb)
2010 Selection EOI.pdf (PDF - 66 Kb)
2010 XCM Selection.pdf (PDF - 424 Kb)
2010 General A(UPDATE).pdf (PDF - 453 Kb)

MTBA Events Commissaire Policy
Thursday, July 30, 2009

Commissaires are an integral part of running successful events. Commissaires help with the formal officiating aspects of an event and due to their high level of experience can bring another point of view to assist event organisers run the best event possible.

With this in mind MTBA has established this policy for commissaires which addresses the time lines for the policy implementation, what events need one (or more) and what level of commissaire is required. It also establishes a re-numeration scale for commissaires as well as the process for skill improvement.

The policy is found here.

Document Download:
CommissairePolicy.pdf (PDF - 54 Kb)

2009-2011 MTBA Strategic Directions
Tuesday, September 30, 2008

On April 19 the MTBA Management committee held a strategic forum facilitated by the Australian Sports Commission as a first attempt to plan for the future.

The outcome of that forum were a collection of visionary directions that MTBA should take to achieve this.

We ask you to think about the strategic objectives listed here and how we intend to respond to them. We want to know if these will benefit you, will help you to grow and to mature as a club for the benefit of your and our members. And most importantly we want to know if there are other things we can do to answer the objectives we have listed.

Comments are requested till November 1 2008 and can be sent to MTBA by email or post.

Document Download:
StrategicDirections0911.pdf (PDF - 546 Kb)

MTBA Grievance Policy
Friday, August 8, 2008

MTBA has established the framework by which grievances between MTBA and members (including clubs or private promoters) or members to clubs or other members will be conducted.

It should be read in conjunction with the Member Protection Policies.

Document Download:
GrievancePolicyV1.pdf (PDF - 328 Kb)

Member Protection Policies
Friday, August 8, 2008

The documents below, largely edited from the Australian Sports Commission documentation, details how MTBA will look after the rights and safety of our members.

Document Download:
Member Protection Policy.pdf (PDF - 341 Kb)
MPP Part B Child Protection.pdf (PDF - 106 Kb)
MPP Part C Complaints.pdf (PDF - 115 Kb)
MPP Part D Code of Conduct.pdf (PDF - 68 Kb)
MPP Part E Reporting.pdf (PDF - 79 Kb)

Endurance MTB junior participation policies - DRAFT
Thursday, April 3, 2008

Purpose.
The purpose of this draft policy statement is to define what MTBA considers to be an appropriate minimum age for participation in various variations of endurance mountain bike activity.

Coverage.
MTB activity that is currently included in this draft policy are 3hr - 24hr endurance  - both individual and team,  marathon (60km and over) events and for participation of children in Olympic type Cross Country.

The policy will be regularly updated as comment is received.

Document Download:
Policy for Juniors in MTB events.pdf (PDF - 105 Kb)

MTBA Management Committee Roles and Responsibilities

The following document explains the roles and responsibilities of the members of the management committee for MTBA. The members can be contacted through the contacts page on this website.

Document Download:
MTBA Management Committee Roles and Responsibilities (PDF - 228 Kb)

Cycling Australia Anti-Doping Policy

Cycling Australia condemns the use of performance enhancing drugs and doping practices in sport. The only legitimate use of drugs in sport is under supervision of a physician for a clinically justified purpose. This policy prohibits classes of substances and doping methods in recognition of their performance enhancing effects contrary to the ethics of sport and the potential harm to the health of athletes.

Details of CA <-> MTBA value add arrangements

With MTBA's affiliation to MTBA an agreement was reached to allow greater cooperation between the two organisations. One of these was to achieve a discounted membership for members of the other organisation. Read about the details here

Document Download:
CA MTBA Value Add (PDF - 61 Kb)

Hot Weather Cycling

With summer here it is timely to remind all mountain bikers of being safe when riding or racing in the heat. Riding when you are thirsty, riding in extreme heat can lead to dehydration which can have devestating consequences. Sports Medicine Australia has produced some documents that will help get your head around this very important of mountain biking in Australian summers.

Document Downloads:
Hot Weather (PDF - 169 Kb)
Drink Up (PDF - 196 Kb)
Beat the Heat (PDF - 199 Kb)

A related issue with exercise in hot weather is loss of sodium from the body. This mainly affects athletes participating in long duration events and is not often seen in normal MTB activity of less than 2 hours duration. Read all about hyponatrenia here:

Hyponatremia - What is it?

A recent incident at a 12hr race has highlighted an issue that has, thus far, received no coverage from MTBA for endurance type events conducted in Australia, and that is Hyponatremia. We have carefully made our members and race hosts aware of the dangers of dehydration in our climate. Hyponatremia is a serious artifact of the way our bodies work and is an important matter, so here is some information that may help. This was put together from several websites on this issue.

Facts on Hyponatremia
For years, heath care and fitness professionals have stressed the importance of fluid intake and replacement in preventing dehydration. For years, the mantra among runners, for instance, has been: "Drink as much water as possible." But a condition called exercise-related hyponatremia shows that, like many things, too much of a good thing can be unhealthy. Most health conscience individuals are educated about dehydration and cases of dehydration have decreased in recent years. Yet, in some cases, people may take dehydration prevention a bit too far and unintentionally drink too much water. Drinking an excessive surplus of water can lead to over- hydration or hyponatremia. Although hyponatremia is rare and seen primarily in serious endurance athletes, such as marathon runners. It can be dangerous and mountain bikers involved in endurance like events should be aware of the condition.

The MedTerms.com medical dictionary defines hyponatremia as an abnormally low concentration of sodium in the blood. Hyponatremia is also known as water intoxication. Sodium (salt and chloride) is an electrolyte, which helps the body distribute water. This is essential for water balance and for your muscles and organs to function effectively. Electrolytes are lost through sweat. When exercising, our body temperature rises and we sweat to keep cool. The more we sweat, the more sodium lost. For this reason, it is important to replace lost body fluids during and after exercise. Studies have shown that athletes can lose 2 (or more) grams of salt per liter of sweat. If you consider that athletes may lose up to a liter (or more) of sweat each hour, you can see that over a long endurance event (12 hour race), it is not unimaginable that an athlete could sweat out 30 or 40 grams of salt. Replacing this loss of sodium during the event is critical to performance and safety. To completely replace these fluids, you must not only replace water, but also sodium and chloride. Those who consume excessive amounts of water after exercise can further deplete sodium and chloride levels, leading to electrolyte depletion and possibly over-hydration.

The Danger
As you consume large amounts of water over the course of a day, blood plasma (the liquid part of blood) increases thereby diluting the salt content of the blood. At the same time, your body also loses salt by sweating. Consequently, the amount of electrolytes available to your body tissues decreases over time to a point where that loss interferes with brain, heart, and muscle function! You have to replace these electrolytes! They're essential to the normal electro-chemical operation of your nervous system.

Symptoms of Hyponatremia
The symptoms of hyponatremia are very similar to the symptoms of heat illness. Both illnesses can be life threatening, therefore, if you or someone you know is experiencing the symptoms below, it is extremely important to seek medical attention immediately. The most common symptoms are:

Fatigue
Lightheadedness
Weakness
Cramping
Weight gain
Nausea
Bloating and/or swelling
Dizziness
Headache
Confusion
Fainting
Disorientation
Seizures (severe cases)
Coma (severe cases)
The early warning signs are often subtle and may be similar to dehydration; nausea, muscle cramps, disorientation, slurred speech, confusion, and inappropriate behavior. At this point, many athletes get into trouble by drinking water because they think they are dehydrated. In fact, water alone will increase the problem of hyponatremia, as outlined and explained above. At the most extreme an athlete may experience seizures, coma, or death. Treatment of Hyponatremia At the first sign of nausea, muscle cramps, disorientation, an athlete should drink a sodium containing sports drink, such as Gatorade, or eat salty foods. If possible, an athlete should plan ahead and estimate his or her fluid loss and need for sodium replacement during the event, and stay on a hydration schedule during the race. If the symptoms are extreme, a medical professional should be seen.

Prevention of Hyponatremia
Prevention is MUCH better than a cure and over-hydration can be easily prevented by carefully monitoring your fluid intake and replacing all necessary fluids after a long bout of intense exercise. USA Track and Field (USATF), the governing body of track and field recommends that exercisers be sensitive to the onset of thirst as the signal to drink, rather than staying ahead of thirst. By being aware of when you are thirsty, you will help prevent dehydration as well as decreasing the risk of over-hydration (ACE Fitness Matters). In other words, drink fluid only when you need to. To replace lost fluids during and/or after exercise, drink small amounts of fluid as needed throughout your workout to remain hydrated. Sports drinks, such as Gatorade, contain electrolytes and are therefore a good source of sodium and chloride. Also, prior to a race, endurance athletes may be instructed to eat salty snacks, such as pretzels or tomato juice to build sodium reserves. Furthermore, if an endurance athlete is taking any over-the-counter pain medications or prescription medicine (such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and other non- steroidal anti-inflammatory agents), he or she may be asked to consult a doctor as some medications reduce the bodys capability to conserve salt. As a start, Tylenol® 8 Hour is a safe over-the-counter choice during endurance sports activity, but as usual get your own independent medical advice!

Sorting out how much water is right for you is pretty easy; weigh yourself prior to your endurance exercise. Then weigh yourself when you finish. If you weight less, then you probably need to have taken on more hydration, if you weigh more then you have taken too much hydration. More generally, endurance athletes should train ahead of time in the same conditions they will encounter during the actual race. This is true for all vigorous and unusual exercise, but it is especially important for marathons and triathlons. The only way to determine how we'll respond to certain circumstances is by subjecting ourselves to those circumstances before the actual events.

*Important Message* Remember that hyponatremia is a rare condition for the everyday exerciser, which classifies the majority of the active population. Please do not regularly substitute other fluids for water. Our bodies are made up of approximately 65% water and water intake is essential for healthy living. However, if you consider yourself an endurance athlete (e.g. marathon cyclist or solo 12 - 24hr cyclist), you also need to replace electrolytes to avoid water intoxication. Likewise, please do not increase salt in your diet as a prevention method for hyponatremia as an excess of salt is believed to be a risk factor for hypertension. A sports drink will do the trick for most people.

Document Download:
Hot Weather (PDF - 169 Kb)
Drink Up (PDF - 196 Kb)
Beat the Heat (PDF - 199 Kb)

MTBA Code of Conduct

The purpose of Code of Conduct (code) is to describe the type of behaviour that MTBA is seeking to promote and encourage its members and supporters to adopt. Check out the code here. Your help in adhering to its themes will ensure that mountain biking is seen by everyone as a sport for all.

Document Download:
MTBA Code of Conduct (PDF - 82 Kb)

MTBA Constitution

To read the MTBA Constitution, please download the PDF below (254Kb).

Document Download:
MTBA Constitution (PDF - 253 Kb)

MTBA mountain bike access to natural areas policy

This policy gives MTBA’s position on environmental and land access issues with regard to off-road cycling in natural spaces, with particular reference to protected areas such as reserves, state forests, national parks, urban forests and wilderness areas.

Document Download:
MTBA Access Policy (PDF - 115 Kb)

A Guide to Event Organisation and Management

The sport of Mountain Bike Racing evolved from recreational off-road cycling. It is in the spirit of self-contained self-reliant off-road cycling that Mountain Bike Racing events are conducted.

Document Download:
2006OrganisationGuide.pdf (PDF - 859 Kb)

National MTB Technical Regulations

Document Download:
2006TechnicalRegulations.pdf (PDF - 567 Kb)

ASADA Fact Sheets

The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) is pleased to deliver our range of Fact Sheets, which are designed to provide your athletes and support personnel with vital anti-doping information. The Fact Sheets have been designed so you can print and distribute them amongst your athletes and support personnel, or post them on your website for anyone to access.
 
Throughout this financial year, ASADA will be developing and delivering a number of Anti-Doping education resources for sports, athletes and support personnel. Updates will be sent via email and direct mail. Please ensure the contact details for your sport are kept up to date to ensure all products and communications are delivered to the correct person.
 
For further information about anti-doping rules and regulations, please visit the ASADA website  or call the ASADA Anti-Doping Hotline on 1800 020 506. The ASADA Anti-Doping Hotline is now operating seven days a week from 8am to 8pm (AEST).
 
If you would like to provide ASADA with feedback about our Anti-Doping education products and services, email us
 

Document Download:
TUEs and ATUEs (2).PDF (PDF - 103 Kb)
FACT SHEET_Supplements (2).PDF (PDF - 69 Kb)
FACT SHEET_Inadvertent Risks to Athletes (2).PDF (PDF - 74 Kb)
FACT SHEET_Athlete Rights and Responsibilities (2).PDF (PDF - 74 Kb)
FACT SHEET_ADRVs and Sanctions (2).PDF (PDF - 70 Kb)

BMXA-MTBA Affiliation Agreement

Read all about the new affiliation agreement between MTBA and BMXA here.

Document Download:
MTBA_BMXA2007.pdf (PDF - 69 Kb)

Social Ride - Policy Notes for Ride Leaders

The draft policy for ride leaders of social rides undertaken through MTBA is available now for comment. This policy will become effective on July 1st 2007.

If you currently lead social rides or your club engages in social rides please forward your comments on this draft to MTBA (using the contact page on this website) by June 18 2007.

More information can be obtained from MTBA by email.

Document Download:
SocialRideLeaderPolicy(Draft)/pdf (PDF - 153 Kb)

Officials Code of Ethics

The responsibility for the ethical conduct of sport in Australia rests equally with officials, players, administrators, coaches, spectators, media, educators, parents, governments, sponsors and team owners.

The duty of the sports official is to act as an impartial judge of sporting competition. This duty carries with it an obligation for the official to perform with accuracy, consistency, objectivity and the highest sense of integrity.

In order to preserve and encourage confidence in the professionalism and integrity of officiating, officials must first foster ethical behaviour.

Document Download:
Officials Code of Ethics (PDF - 340 Kb)