Section 17 - Punitive Actions and Reliability Ratings

A. Punitive actions against players are imposed for general misconduct, cheating in any form and forfeited games. These punitive actions take the form of Yellow Cards and Red Cards. A Yellow Card is issued for minor offenses, a Red Card for major offenses. Two Yellow Cards is equal to a Red Card. Misconduct in the extreme may be punished by a double Red Card.

i. A player is issued -2 Reliability Rating points for each forfeited game. In case a valid excuse is presented, the penalty can be reduced to -1 RR according to the TD judgement.

ii. Violations of Section 3(B) and the most serious of violations of Section 11(B) shall warrant a Yellow Card if the violating player immediately ceases their conduct when reprimanded by the Tournament Director or their own Team Captain.

iii. A player is issued a Double Red Card and lifetime ban for known cheating. All scores received by the cheating player for the tournament are set to zero and forfeit wins granted all their opponents.

iv. The most serious violations of Section 3(B) shall warrant a Red Card, or if the violating player refuses to cease their conduct when reprimanded by the Tournament Director or their own Team Captain.

B. A Yellow Card has the effect of a formal warning, in that the next occurrence of an offense will result in a Red Card. After the issuance of the Yellow Card, the matter is considered closed (except any appeals that may be filed).

i. Two Yellow Cards in the same or in successive tourneys results in suspension for the remainder of the current tournament.

ii. A single Yellow Card is "forgiven" when the player completes the next tourney without incident or does not compete in the tourney. ¶ SC 22-23.

C. The penalty imposed by the issue of a Red Card shall take effect immediately following any round in which the offending player has already been declared as a player, even if the game for the round has not yet been arranged or played.

i. A Red Card has the effect of suspending a player from the remaining current tournament AND the next complete tourney.

ii. An Appeal against a Red Card must be lodged within 48 hours. If the offending player is then selected for a subsequent round prior to the Appeal being heard and a game takes place it shall be declared a forfeit win for the opponent in the event that the Appeal is dismissed.

D. If a player receives a second Red Card, or the issuance of a double Red Card, that player is banned from all TeamLeague activities forever.

E. The issuance of a Red Card is subject to appeal. The appeal is filed with the Board of Directors.

F. Reliability Ratings are used for offenses not significant to merit misconduct yellow or red cards.

i. Each player begins with a Reliability Rating of 4 points.

ii. If a player reaches Reliability Rating=0, then they are excluded from the remainder of the current tournament.

iii. If a player’s Reliability Rating<0, then they are excluded from the current tourney and the next complete tourney.

v. The number of points removed from a player will be judged by the TD of his section, based on the player's behaviour throughout the tourney.

vi. Reliability Rating points are deducted for
a. -1pt is deducted for game set against most guilty player.
b. -2pt is deducted for forfeits.

vii. +1 Reliability Rating point is given to each player who completes a tournament without infractions, deductions or misconducts. There is a maximum Reliability Rating of +6 points.

viii. The League reserves the right to inform other leagues or organizations (OCL, FICS, ICC, etc.) about any problematic players, and will not publicly announce this action.