Making Ethical Decisions - Tennis Canada

Questions to Help You Prioritize Principles and Values When FacedWith an Ethical DilemmaSometimes, it is relatively easy to determine which value should take priority (e.g.,safety of athletes in your care) but in others, it is not as clear (e.g., amount of playingtime for each athlete).When someone is faced with an ethical or moral dilemma and is forced to choosebetween two values, it is normally his/her most deeply held beliefs that will dictate thecourse of action.Having thoroughly determined the pros and cons of the various options for decisionusing the criteria proposed in Step 4, and having reflected on some factors that mayinfluence your decision-making, you can resolve an ethical dilemma by asking yourselfthe following questions:• Which criteria (or value) do you consider the most important from those listed inStep 4?• What does the NCCP Code of Ethics suggest in this type of situation?• Is there another value in which you strongly believe, and that you would seek tomaintain at all costs? If so, which is it?Do No Harm PrincipleEven though it is a sensitive issue to suggest a ranking of your values, the NCCPnonetheless considers that, above all, it is the duty of all coaches to ensure thedecisions they make and the actions they take will result in no harm, physical orother, to the athletes.© Coaching Association of Canada, 2003 21