CODE OF CONDUCT

The Electronic Gaming Federation (EGF) takes the conduct and wellbeing of our players, staff, and supporters seriously. EGF expects that each member of EGF, designated as anyone registered with EGF, exhibits behavior that represents the highest level of integrity and sportsmanship, and positively contributes to the development of the esports community. 

The purpose of EGF is to facilitate interscholastic esports competitions in a positive and inclusive environment displaying the highest levels of integrity and transparency which celebrates the competitive and educational achievements of its community. Students, staff, and administrators are expected to act in a manner pursuant of that mission.

EGF reserves the right to make changes to the Code of Conduct at any point, without advanced notice to any involved parties. Any decision made will be announced to the community within five business days, and no EGF member may be retroactively punished for changes in the Code of Conduct. 

The interpretation of the Code of Conduct is at the sole discretion of EGF and its appointed representatives. This Code of Conduct is reviewed seasonally by EGF administrators and updated as needed.

 

ARTICLE I - POLICY

Members of each team including players, staff, and their communities, are expected to act with respect and in accordance with the league’s Code of Conduct, both inside and outside the game.

  1. This code of conduct is effective for all students, administrators, and staff during all practices, games, tournaments, events, in other related gatherings, whether in-house or abroad, in-person or remote, and in environments where their behavior could represent EGF.

  2. Each student, administrator, and staff shall be given access to this code of conduct through the EGF website and publication.

  3. Each team is required to review this code of conduct at the beginning of each season in addition to any EGF-directed policy changes

  4. EGF will report any instances of conduct reporting or proceeding to the school where a student player is registered. All correspondence regarding violation of the Code of Conduct will be sent to the appointed administrator of the institution/team.

  5. In addition to EGF’s policy written here, players are also subject to the guidelines and Terms of Service provided by publishers of the games played; as such, players are responsible for any consequences for their actions outside of official EGF events, acknowledging that punishments imposed by publishers – including, but not limited to, in-game suspension or bans – may leave players unable to participate in EGF events.

ARTICLE II - CODE OF CONDUCT

Every student, administrator, staff, official, or spectator shall not:

  1. Abuse others physically, verbally, through written word, or other media.

  2. Threaten, stalk, or otherwise create an unsafe environment for any person at any EGF practice, games, tournament, event, or other related gatherings, regardless of format, participants, or location/medium.

  3. Participate in any form of cheating, including, but not limited to: intentionally allowing opponents to win a game or use of:

    • programs that allow for cheating or map hacking
    • bots or scripting
    • game bug(s) determined by the administrators to be unfair
    • ineligible player(s)
    • an intentional disconnection without a proper and explicitly stated reason

  1. Engage in any harmful or action based on, or directed at, including but not limited to: socioeconomic status, disability, health status, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, military experience, or relationship status.

  2. Create or use an in-game name, or other public identifier, that contains personally identifying information, or is offensive, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, sexually explicit, racially, ethnically, or otherwise objectionable.

  3. Impersonate, or falsely represent yourself as any person, business, or entity, including an EGF employee, or communicate in any way that makes it appear that the communication originates from another entity.

  4. Transmit or facilitate the transmission of any content that contains a virus, trojan horse, keylogger, worm, or other programs that are intended to damage, interfere with, or mine information.

  5. Attempt to access, or attempt to access, areas of games, game servers, EGF server, or any related programs or web sites used throughout esports play and collaboration.

  6. Participate in unsportsmanlike conduct through any EGF medium.

ARTICLE III - ENFORCEMENT

Heads of organizations within EGF, including competitive teams or other operating groups are expected to hold themselves, their team, their team staff, associated administrators, any additional supporting members, spectators, and anyone else present at EGF gatherings, accountable to the standards set forth in this code of conduct.

  1. EGF holds the authority to enforce this Code of Conduct, and its consequences, to anyone, including its designated officials.

  2. EGF-designated officials will hold the primary responsibility for their own conduct, and in the event of an infraction of this code of conduct, dispensing appropriate disciplinary action for offending behaviors.

  3. When a member engages in prohibited conduct, it is the obligation of those persons involved to report such instances to EGF-designated officials. Failure to report by a party may be subject to disciplinary action under League rules.

  4. Any EGF members punished in a way that they perceive as unfair may have their case reviewed by EGF for further adjudication according to the EGF conduct process.

ARTICLE IV - INFRACTIONS PROCESS

  1. A complaint may be brought to an EGF administrator at any point. The complaint will be reviewed by the administrator and a determination will be made by the administrator to issue an immediate ruling or if a formal hearing is required.

  2. Should a complaint be found to require a formal hearing, the player or team depending on the severity may be suspended from competing until the resolution of the hearing. EGF will schedule a formal hearing with the involved parties within one (1) week of the initial determination or as soon as schedules allow.

  3. During the hearing the committee will allow statements from all involved parties and will review any evidence reported regarding the incident in question. Once the hearing has concluded, EGF will deliberate and report its ruling to the players and issue a statement regarding the status of the involved players within 48 hours. Until this decision has been made official, no public statements will be given on any hearings by any EGF staff.

  4. In the cases that a ruling must be made in an area that is not explicitly defined by the Code of Conduct, EGF reserves the right to make judgment.

ARTICLE V - APPEALS

  1. A party may choose to appeal the decision of EGF based on new evidence relevant to the complaint or if the ruling is inconsistent with similar cases within one week of receiving a ruling on their complaint. EGF will determine the validity of an appeal within 72 hours of receipt of the appeal request and if deemed appropriate, an appeals hearing will be scheduled as quickly as possible. Until the conclusion of that hearing, any rulings previously made will remain in effect.

  2. Should a decision be overturned, all parties will be informed by EGF and any corrective measures related to the decision will be taken

ARTICLE VI - DISCIPLINARY ACTION

The following is a non-exhaustive list of potential sanctions to be levied against players or teams found in violation of this Code of Conduct:

  1. Verbal warning

  2. Written warning

  3. Immediate forfeit of the current round/map

  4. Immediate forfeit of the game/match

  5. Expulsion from the event

  6. Probationary conditions

  7. Suspension from EGF events or competition

  8. Ban from EGF event or competition

  9. Reparations, corrective actions, workshops, and/or trainings

  10. Referral to authority (school or law enforcement)