Tournament Ethics Statement and Protocols

Last year, we included a statement requiring those participating in our tournament to abide by the National Communication Association's Anti-Harassment Code of Conduct. This move was not novel, as many tournaments have statements requiring participants to abide by this policy. That being said, we are concerned that instances of harassing behavior go unchecked by the community. This could be for many reasons:

• It could be that those subject to harassing behavior do not come forward until long after the harassing behavior has occurred.

• It could be that those subject to harassing behavior do not come forward for fear of reprisal.

• It could be that those subject to harassing behavior did come forward, but those responsible for addressing the matter failed to do so properly.

• It could be that the matter was addressed but not sufficiently enough to change the perpetrator's behavior.

Whatever the reason, the SFC Governing Board reaffirms that no participant should be subject to harassing behavior.

All participants (coaches, judges, competitors, and observers) should review the NCA Anti-Harassment Code of Conduct before participating in our tournament. The SFC Governing Board expects that behavior between all participants be respectful and appropriate at all times. A virtual link will be available so that participants can report behavior that violates this code. In addition, any participant that has concerns over propriety or good sportspersonship should discuss the matter with their coaching staff. Any coach or judge should address any concerns with the Tournament Director. Serious violations of the policies may result in immediate disqualification from the tournament.