Tournament Code of Conduct 2018 Recap

The WFTDA introduced a new Tournament Code of Conduct this year, as a collaborative effort with WFTDA membership and leadership to clearly define what our community considers harassment, discrimination, and abuse at WFTDA coordinated events. The policy also defined how enforcement of the Tournament COC would be implemented during the 2018 postseason. We want to extend our deepest gratitude to survivors and members of marginalized communities for their guidance and feedback on this policy, and for their continued engagement with the WFTDA.

It is also important for us to acknowledge that it is not enough to simply create good policy. Participants and fans at WFTDA events must comply with these standards of behavior, and action must taken if violations occur. WFTDA tournament participants were informed of the Tournament Code of Conduct and expectations of compliance during pre-event meetings and through hospitality packets. Copies of the Tournament COC were clearly posted around venue backstage areas and locker rooms for each of the WFTDA’s postseason events.

Fans (non-members) were informed of the COC with signage in the venue, information in programs, and online event information.

WFTDA leadership has compiled a follow-up report on how the Tournament COC was carried out at the 2018 Continental Cups, Playoffs, and Champs events in order to continue a dialogue about best practices in this area as well as hold ourselves accountable to our membership. This includes data on known Tournament COC violations at each event.

The goal of sharing this data is to illustrate a few important things:

  • Number of known Tournament COC violations
  • To identify whether the person who violated the COC was a tournament participant[1], a WFTDA member or affiliate,[2] or a fan[3]
  • Action items for 2019 identified by BOD, Officers, and Staff to streamline the policy and its implementation at events

[1] Person(s) participating in gameplay at the event, volunteering in any capacity at the event, or otherwise assisting or supporting in the event in a defined capacity.
[2] Person(s) who have a direct relationship or membership with the WFTDA, who are attending the event as a spectator only.
[3] Person(s) with no relationship to the WFTDA attending the event as a spectator.

The majority of known Tournament COC violations in 2018 were from tournament participants and WFTDA members.

  • 2018 North American Continental Cup — West, Kalamazoo: 2 participants
  • 2018 North American Continental Cup — East, Omaha: 1 participant
  • 2018 European Continental Cup, Birmingham: 0
  • 2018 International WFTDA Playoffs, A Coruña: 1 member
  • 2018 International WFTDA Playoffs, Atlanta: 1 fan
  • 2018 International WFTDA Championships, New Orleans: 3 participants, 1 fan

Total known incidents: 9

The WFTDA is continually looking at the hows and whys of what we do. We’ve had the opportunity to gather information about our new Tournament COC to see where we have had success and where we have had challenges. Following this, we will be reviewing the Tournament COC with membership and making adjustments for the 2019 season.

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