Booking and participation in Ostfalia University Sports

In the university sports courses organised by Ostfalia University Sports and supervised by qualified course instructors, students are covered by the Lower Saxony State Accident Insurance Fund (LUK) in the event of injuries and accidents.

This applies to everyone:

• There is no liability insurance.
• It is recommended that you leave money and valuables at home if possible.
• Under no circumstances should money or valuables be left in the changing rooms.

2.1 Students

... are generally covered by statutory accident insurance for all university sports events organised by Ostfalia with course instructors.

• This does not apply to free sports activities and group sports without qualified instructors.

• Whether statutory accident insurance exists for participation in competitions must be checked separately for each individual case.

• There is no statutory accident insurance for competitions as part of the German University Championships (DHM).

• Furthermore, participants in courses offered by partner clubs are insured against accidents within the clubs.

2.2 Workers and employees

... of the university are covered by statutory accident insurance for all official university sports events under the following conditions:

• The sporting activity must be suitable for compensating for work-related physical and mental strain.
• It must take place with a certain regularity.
• The group of participants must essentially be limited to members of the university. The sport must be company-related (officially organised by the institutions of the university).
• The time and duration of the exercises must be related to the company's work in accordance with the compensatory purpose.
• Courses that only run once over a short period (up to 2 weeks) and competitions are not insured under any circumstances.
  

2.3 For civil servants

... an accident during university sports is only deemed to be an occupational accident if, in addition to the criteria specified in point 2.2, the following conditions are met:

• The group must be led by an exercise instructor authorised by the superior.
• An attendance list must be kept.
• An approved exercise plan must be available for a group.

2.4 Lecturers and authorised external instructors

... are not covered by LUK accident insurance.

• External lecturers are recommended to take out their own accident and liability insurance.
• Ostfalia accepts no liability whatsoever towards authorised external students and other participants for damages incurred during participation in university sports.

 

2.5 Online programmes

Online programmes are excluded from the insurance cover of the Landesunfallkasse Niedersachsen.

3.1 Avoidance

The basic principles apply to every offer:

• Warming up with appropriate exercises is absolutely essential.
• An essential aspect is respect for all participants and their physical and mental integrity.
• Instructors and participants should wear suitable sports clothing and sports shoes.
• Wristwatches and all jewellery must be removed before training. Piercings must be taped and long hair must be tied back in a plait.
• To protect against injury, spectacle wearers should wear sports glasses or contact lenses.
• Sports equipment should only be set up and dismantled after appropriate instruction by the course instructors.

The guidelines for the prevention of sports accidents must be observed. The following guidelines are available:

• Basketball
• Budo sport
• Football
• Gymnastics/Dance
• Handball
• Volleyball
• Water sports with boat
• Water sports without boat

 

3.2 Sports accidents

All sports accidents must be reported to the University Sports Office via the course leader and/or the injured person. Sports accidents involving students must be reported immediately to the Enrolment Office and sports accidents involving employees must be reported to the Human Resources Department.

The relevant forms must be completed:

• For all: Questionnaire from University Sports --> Request from University Sports and complete together.
• For students: LUK Niedersachsen accident report --> Request from University Sports and complete together.
• For employees: LUK Niedersachsen accident report --> Enquire at University Sports and complete together.

Fees are charged according to status groups (see 1.1 Eligibility).

4.1 Basic fees

In principle, Ostfalia endeavours to offer courses free of charge for students (in accordance with 1.1a).

Each semester, Ostfalia employees must pay a usage fee of 20.00 euros and authorised external participants must pay a usage fee of 30.00 euros and can then take part in all other courses free of charge, unless an additional fee is charged. The user card must be booked before another sports course can be booked. The sports course must then be selected and booked.

Ostfalia employees do not have to book an additional user card for events organised as part of the company health promotion programme.

4.2 Additional fees

Additional fees may also be charged if the following criteria apply when organising courses:

• If external sports facilities have to be hired for a fee.
• In sports where, for methodological and didactic reasons, the group to be supervised comprises fewer than ten people.
• In sports where the groups have to be supervised by two coaches at the same time.
• In sports where expensive sports equipment is used.
• For workshops and seminars.

4.3 Free groups

In addition to the courses organised by University Sports, Ostfalia University members have the opportunity to join free groups. The free groups are only supervised organisationally by University Sports. This means that there is no insurance cover for injuries and accidents.

The sports hall can be used by free play groups. Further details can be found in the usage and fee regulations for the sports hall.

Ostfalia permits participation in the BGF courses within the core times defined by the service agreement on flexitime. If core times are violated by participation, employees are not obliged to apply for a (half) flexitime day for this. However, the duration of the course may not be counted as working time. Employees are obliged to log out of the electronic time recording system for participation in a BGF course.

Free courses can be cancelled by the participants themselves at no additional cost.

Cancellation of a fee-based course must be notified in writing to the University Sports Office before the start of use.

A refund for chargeable courses can only be made in justified cases such as

• Illness / injury
• Change of study or work location
• Exmatriculation / leaving the university

Written proof must be provided in each case.

A processing fee of 10 euros will not be refunded.

If one of the above-mentioned reasons occurs during the current course or programme, a pro rata refund can be made from the day of processing, but not retroactively. The university will decide on a case-by-case basis. In justified individual cases, special arrangements for refunds may be made.

Participation in the course should not take place if there are signs of cold symptoms. In the event of symptoms of illness, the person concerned must report to the responsible course leader as excused.

General hygiene and disinfection measures must be observed, e.g:

• regular hand washing (before the course, after going to the toilet or after blowing your nose, etc.).
• Coughing and sneezing into the crook of your arm.
• Cleaning and disinfection of equipment after training by the person using it.
• If possible, bring your own equipment to the class.
• Use of the mats with a large towel brought along.

You will receive the link to take part in the online courses in your enrolment confirmation.

Safety information:

• You are not additionally insured against accidents during our digital sports and health programmes.
• Make sure you have enough space and a non-slip surface.
  
• Eliminate tripping hazards (cables, carpet etc.).

Further details are regulated by the usage regulations of the respective sports facilities, the house rules and the booking and participation conditions of the university sports centre. In the event of an offence, the person may be expelled from the course or sports facility.

The following applies in particular:

• The facility may only be used during the specified course times or contract period.
• The facility and equipment may only be used in the presence and under the supervision of a supervisor authorised by the university sports facility.
• Entering the sports facility is only permitted with indoor sports shoes with abrasion-resistant and clean soles, barefoot or on socks.

Drugs, open flames and smoking are prohibited in the facilities.

For quality assurance purposes, the University Sports Centre or a person appointed by it will carry out random, unannounced course visits during the course period.