Last Update: May 2024
Preamble
The Code of Conduct is a contractually binding NAF document aimed at regulating ethical and behavioural issues related to playing Blood Bowl, organising Blood Bowl tournaments and events under the auspices of NAF, and the assessment of the conduct of NAF members as well as coaches who are not members of NAF but participate in events under the auspices of NAF.
Article 1 – Material Scope
The regulations of the Code of Conduct apply to:
- NAF members;
- all participants of tabletop or online tournaments organised, approved by or otherwise under the auspices of the NAF; and
- arbiters and organisers of tabletop or online tournaments organised, approved by or otherwise approved by the NAF.
The regulations of the Code of Conduct also concern the assessment of the conduct of the above-mentioned entities in public and digital spaces dedicated to NAF activities.
Article 2 – Using Regional Variants
The regulations of the Code of Conduct do not prevent arbiters and tournament organisers mentioned in Article 1 from applying their own ethical regulations created by national, regional, and local communities; provided they do not conflict with the provisions of this Code of Conduct.
Article 3 – Temporal Scope of Application
The Code of Conduct applies to all matters arising after its entry into force and is valid until replaced or revised by the NAF Committee.
Article 4 – Definitions
Arbiter: Natural person who acts as a representative of the NAF.
Coach: Natural person actively participating in NAF events. This could be a person with or without a NAF membership.
NAF: An organisation created in 2003 to bring the global Blood Bowl community together. The NAF sanctions Blood Bowl events and lays the groundwork on which the competitive Blood Bowl environment is conducted. The NAF was formally established by the NAF Charter (amended 2004).
NAF Board of Ethics: Group of NAF members who advise the NAF Committee in ethical matters, review ethics cases brought before the NAF and maintain the Code of Conduct.
NAF Committee: Group of elected and appointed senior NAF staff conducting the main affairs of the NAF and making decisions for the NAF.
NAF Values: NAF Values are defined as Respect, Sporting Behaviour and Equality. All people are deserving of respect, all people are expected to demonstrate sporting behaviour, and all people are treated as equal. No discrimination on the basis of age, disability, ethnic origin, race, gender, religion or sexual orientation is allowed.
Tournament / Event: Any tabletop or online Blood Bowl tournament or event organised, approved by or otherwise under the auspices of the NAF.
Tournament Organiser: One or more natural persons who conduct one or more events that are sanctioned by the NAF.
Article 5 – NAF Values
The NAF strives to ensure respect and protection of NAF Values, which are Respect, Sporting Behaviour and Equality.
Every Coach participating in a Tournament or Event, as well as every Arbiter and Tournament Organiser, is obligated to adhere to these principles and ethical norms. All members are treated equally at any given time, with no exception.
Article 6 – Rules for Tabletop and Online Players
1. Every Coach is obliged to adhere to the NAF Values during tabletop play as well as online gaming, including the principles of fair play, honesty in the game, equality, respect for gender, origin, religion, respect for the opponent, respect for dignity, and the right to privacy of other people.
2. Cheating, as well as any unfair or unsporting behaviour that affects the course or outcome of the game, is prohibited. Giving strategic assistance to a coach playing a game you are not involved in is cheating.
3. The use of physical or verbal aggression towards another person, showing disrespect, humiliating them, or intentionally distracting them during the event, is prohibited unless said behaviour is agreed upon by both coaches.
4. During online games, it is forbidden to influence the result of the online game by any unethical methods including, but not limited to, intentionally influencing the time or result of the game, cheating, lending your account to other players without the opponent’s approval, and/or using game errors for your own benefit.
Article 7 – Rules for Tournament Organisers and Arbiters
1. Every Tournament Organiser, including for online tournaments, as well as arbiters of these tournaments, are obliged during the organisation of tournaments and adjudication of disputes to adhere to NAF Values, including ensuring the implementation of fair play principles, honesty, equality, respect for gender, origin, religion, and the dignity of other people, as well as the principle of justice in dispute resolution and determination of tournament results.
2. It is prohibited to organise, referee, or conduct a tournament in such a way that would lead to any form of discrimination or humiliation against anyone. This especially means that no rules shall be applied which benefit or handicap Coaches by factors which are not part of the game.
3. Tournament Organisers are obligated to run their event in accordance with all local laws and ordinances, including those regarding substance use and copyrights.
4. Tournament Organisers can remove Coaches or Arbiters from the event if the Code of Conduct is breached.
Article 8 – Rules for NAF Online Activity
1. All NAF members, as well as individuals participating in events under the auspices of the NAF, are obligated to respect and strive to fully ensure the implementation of NAF Values in conversations and matters related to NAF activities, in private contacts with others, and in their public statements. This means, in particular respecting the dignity of other people; their right to privacy; their right to the protection of personal data, discourse culture, and not discriminating against other people.
Article 9 – Disciplinary Responsibility
1. The NAF encourages that any disputes arising from violations of ethical principles be resolved amicably by the parties involved in the first instance.
2. All disputes regarding alleged violations of ethical principles that cannot be resolved by the parties should be raised to and resolved by national NAF communities according to their own regulations (should one exist as described in article 2), including on an ongoing basis during tournaments by their arbiters and organisers.
3. In the case a dispute cannot be resolved as described above it should be raised to the NAF Committee via the NAF appointed national coordinator for resolution.
Notwithstanding, in the case of a possible violation of ethical principles defined in this Code of Conduct, anyone who believes their rights have been violated may independently file a complaint directly to the NAF Committee.
Article 10 – Complaints and Proceedings
1. In the case of a possible violation of ethical principles defined in this Code of Conduct, anyone who feels their rights have been violated may independently file a complaint directly to the NAF Committee. Additionally, the NAF Committee or its appointed representatives may, of their own accord, initiate a complaint.
2. Complaints should include the contact details of the complainant and a brief description of the alleged violation.
3. Complaints are reviewed by the NAF Committee, which will further investigate the matter as required before issuing a decision on the case.
4. The NAF Committee may mediate between the parties and encourage reconciliation. In the case of reconciliation between the parties, the NAF Committee may dismiss the proceedings subject to assessing the seriousness of the alleged violation.
5. NAF Committee decisions will confirm whether a violation has occurred, indicate the penalty imposed if any and provide a justification for the decision.
6. A person or persons found violating the Code of Conduct may incur one or more of the following penalties:
a) a warning
b) disqualification from future NAF sanctioned events for a set amount of time
c) expulsion from NAF socials for a set amount of time
d) expulsion from NAF online data access for a set amount of time
e) expulsion from the NAF
7. The type and gravity of the violation, prior disciplinary history before the NAF and post-violation conduct (including reconciliation between the parties or attempted reconciliation) will influence the penalty imposed.
8. Decisions of the NAF Committee may be appealed to the NAF Board of Ethics.
Article 11 – Final Provisions
1. The Code of Conduct enters into force on the day of its announcement.
2. Article 5 – Code of Conduct contained in the NAF Charter from 2015 is repealed.
3. In cases of violations of NAF ethics and values arising before the entry into force of this Code of Conduct, the provisions of Article 5 – Code of Conduct contained in the NAF Charter from 2015 shall apply.
4. This document will be published in various languages. The English version will be used for all official procedures.