What term describes resigning membership in lieu of defending against allegations?

The correct term that describes resigning membership in lieu of defending against allegations is disciplinary resignation. This term refers specifically to a situation where an individual chooses to resign rather than face the consequences of disciplinary actions or allegations against them. It indicates that the resignation is connected to issues of conduct or ethics, as the individual voluntarily chooses to step down to avoid the potential negative implications of a formal disciplinary process.

This type of resignation often surfaces in professional organizations, including those related to sports, where maintaining a certain standard of conduct is crucial. By resigning for disciplinary reasons, the individual may wish to preserve some semblance of their reputation rather than allowing the disciplinary process to unfold, which could result in a more public and damaging outcome.

In this context, voluntary resignation might imply that the member is leaving by choice for personal reasons unrelated to any allegations, whereas forced resignation would indicate that the member was compelled to resign due to external pressure or organizational actions. Ethical resignation may suggest a principled decision to withdraw from membership due to moral or ethical reasons but lacks the specific context of facing allegations. Thus, disciplinary resignation is the most appropriate term for the situation described in the question.