Privacy Policy
Ascend Blades Fencing Club
Last updated: October 2026
1. About this Privacy Policy
Ascend Blades Fencing Club ("Ascend Blades", "the Club", "we", "us" or "our") is committed to protecting the privacy and personal information of our members, young athletes, parents and guardians, coaches, volunteers, competition participants and visitors to our website.
Ascend Blades is a youth-focused fencing club based in Dublin, Ireland. We process personal information in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation ("GDPR"), the Data Protection Act 2018 and other applicable Irish data protection legislation.
This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect, why we use it, who we may share it with, how long we keep it and the rights available to individuals whose information we process.
For data protection purposes, Ascend Blades Fencing Club is the data controller for personal data processed for the Club's own activities.
Data protection contact:
Ascend Blades Fencing Club
Dublin, Ireland
Email: ascendbladesfencing@gmail.com
Telephone: +353 87 359 4018
If the Club's legal structure changes, for example through incorporation as a Company Limited by Guarantee, this Privacy Policy will be updated accordingly.
2. Personal information we may collect
The personal information we collect depends upon a person's relationship with the Club.
For young athletes and members, this may include their name, date of birth or age, gender where relevant to competition categories, contact information, club membership details, Fencing Ireland or other fencing licence details, competition entries and results, training information, attendance and athlete-development information.
For parents and guardians, we may collect names, addresses where required, email addresses, telephone numbers, emergency contact information and correspondence with the Club.
Where necessary for the safety and welfare of an athlete, we may collect limited health, allergy, medication, disability or emergency medical information. We will only request information that is reasonably necessary for the relevant activity.
We may also process photographs and video recordings of athletes, competition participants, coaches and volunteers.
For coaches, volunteers and committee members we may additionally process role and contact information, qualifications, safeguarding training records, Garda-vetting status, expenses and other information necessary to manage their involvement with the Club.
For competitions, camps and international travel, we may process information required for entries, accommodation, transport, emergency arrangements, parental permissions, licences, passports or travel documentation where necessary.
We also process financial and administrative information relating to membership fees, coaching fees, competition fees, expenses, sponsorship, grants and other Club transactions.
When someone uses our website, we may receive information submitted through online forms together with technical information generated through the operation of the website and cookies.
3. How we obtain personal information
We normally obtain information directly from a member, athlete, parent or guardian.
We may also receive information from Fencing Ireland, another fencing club, competition organisers, fencing federations, coaches, event providers or other sporting organisations where this is necessary for Club or competition activities.
Information about young members will generally be provided by their parent or guardian, particularly where parental consent is required.
4. Why we use personal information and our legal basis
Ascend Blades only processes personal information where there is a lawful reason for doing so.
Where Ascend Blades relies on legitimate interests, those interests include operating a safe and well-managed fencing club, administering membership, developing athletes, organising competitions, communicating with members, protecting Club systems and records, maintaining appropriate sporting records and supporting the development of the Club.
Because many of our members are children, we give particular consideration to their interests, rights and reasonable expectations before relying on legitimate interests.
Where we rely upon consent, consent can be withdrawn at any time. Withdrawal will not affect processing that took place lawfully before consent was withdrawn.
5. Children's personal information
Ascend Blades works extensively with children and young people and recognises that their personal information requires particular care.
Parents or guardians will normally provide information and permissions on behalf of younger athletes. However, personal information relating to a child remains the child's personal data, and the child's views and developing capacity will be considered where appropriate.
We aim to explain the use of children's information in clear and understandable language.
We will only collect information about a child that is reasonably necessary for fencing, membership, safety, safeguarding, competition or another legitimate Club activity.
6. Photographs, video and competition results
Photographs and videos may be taken during Club training, competitions, awards, camps and other Club activities.
Where Ascend Blades intends to use an identifiable child's image for promotional purposes, including the Club website, social media or promotional material, we will normally obtain appropriate parent or guardian consent. Where appropriate, the young person's wishes will also be respected.
Consent to promotional photography is not a condition of Club membership.
Parents or guardians may withdraw consent for future use by contacting the Club. Where reasonably possible, Ascend Blades will also remove existing Club-controlled online images following withdrawal.
Competition participation commonly involves publication of an athlete's name, club, age category, ranking or result. Ascend Blades may publish and maintain sporting results where this is necessary and proportionate for the legitimate sporting interests of the Club and participants.
Where photography or filming takes place at a larger Club competition, participants and families will be informed where reasonably practicable and appropriate arrangements will be provided for anyone who does not wish to be photographed.
7. Medical and emergency information
Ascend Blades may request limited medical, allergy, disability, medication or emergency information where it is genuinely necessary to keep an athlete safe.
Access to such information will be restricted to people who reasonably need it.
Medical information will not be used for marketing or unrelated Club purposes.
Where a medical emergency occurs, relevant information may be provided to medical professionals or emergency services where necessary to protect the individual.
8. Safeguarding information
Safeguarding information is treated with particular care.
Access will be restricted to people who require the information for their safeguarding role or legal responsibilities.
Ascend Blades may disclose safeguarding information to appropriate organisations or authorities including Tusla, An Garda Síochána, Fencing Ireland or another relevant safeguarding body where required or appropriate.
The Club will not use safeguarding information for unrelated purposes.
9. Who we may share information with
Ascend Blades does not sell personal information.
Where necessary, information may be shared with authorised Club officers, coaches and volunteers; Fencing Ireland and other recognised fencing or sporting bodies; competition and event organisers; insurers; payment and banking providers; website, email, cloud-storage and IT providers; accommodation or travel providers where required for Club travel; professional advisers such as accountants or solicitors; grant or funding bodies where necessary; and statutory or regulatory authorities where the Club is legally required or appropriately authorised to disclose information.
Only information reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose should be disclosed.
10. International competitions and transfers outside the EEA
Ascend Blades athletes regularly participate in fencing activities outside Ireland.
Where an athlete enters an international competition or takes part in Club travel, limited personal information may need to be provided to competition organisers, fencing bodies, hotels, transport providers or other organisations outside Ireland.
Some service providers used by the Club or its website may also process data outside the European Economic Area.
Where personal information is transferred outside the EEA, Ascend Blades will take reasonable steps to ensure that the transfer is lawful and that appropriate data protection safeguards are used where required.
We will minimise the information transferred to what is reasonably necessary.
11. How long we keep personal information
Ascend Blades will not retain personal information indefinitely simply because it might be useful.
Our normal retention approach is:
Records subject to an ongoing complaint, investigation, insurance matter, safeguarding matter or legal claim may be retained for longer where necessary.
12. Website and cookies
Our website may use cookies and similar technologies.
Cookies that are strictly necessary for the operation of the website may be used without consent where permitted by law.
Analytics, advertising, marketing or other non-essential cookies will only be used where the required consent has been obtained.
More detailed information about the cookies used on the Ascend Blades website will be provided in our Cookie Policy.
13. Marketing communications
Ascend Blades may provide members, parents or other interested people with information about competitions, events, camps or Club news.
Where consent is required for such communications, we will obtain it separately.
People can unsubscribe from marketing communications or withdraw consent at any time by using the unsubscribe facility provided or contacting the Club.
Withdrawing marketing consent will not affect essential communications regarding membership, training, safety, competitions or other services already requested.
14. Security
Ascend Blades takes reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information against loss, misuse, unauthorised access, disclosure, alteration or destruction.
These measures include restricting access according to role and need, using appropriately protected electronic systems and cloud services, applying appropriate account security and sharing controls, limiting unnecessary collection and sharing, and ensuring that sensitive safeguarding and health information receives additional protection.
Anyone acting on behalf of the Club who has access to personal information is expected to maintain confidentiality and use the information only for authorised Club purposes.
15. Personal data breaches
Ascend Blades will investigate suspected loss, disclosure or unauthorised access involving personal information.
Where a personal data breach is likely to create a risk to affected individuals, the Club will notify the Data Protection Commission where required. Where a breach is likely to create a high risk, affected individuals will also be informed where required.
16. Your data protection rights
Subject to the conditions and limitations contained in data protection law, individuals may have the right to access personal information Ascend Blades holds about them; correct inaccurate information; request deletion; request restriction of processing; object to certain processing, including direct marketing; receive certain information in a portable format; and withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.
Requests should be sent to ascendbladesfencing@gmail.com.
We may need to confirm the identity of the person making a request before disclosing personal information.
Ascend Blades will normally respond to a valid data-protection request within one month as required by GDPR.
17. Automated decision-making
Ascend Blades does not currently use personal information to make solely automated decisions or conduct profiling that produces legal or similarly significant effects on individuals.
18. Complaints
Anyone who has a concern about the way Ascend Blades handles personal information should contact the Club in the first instance at ascendbladesfencing@gmail.com.
Individuals also have the right to make a complaint to the Data Protection Commission, Ireland's data protection supervisory authority.
19. Changes to this Privacy Policy
Ascend Blades will review this Privacy Policy periodically and whenever there is a significant change to our activities, systems, legal structure or use of personal information.
The current version and effective date will be published on the Club website.