To receive and maintain sanctioning your tournament must follow this Diversity and Inclusion Code. Organizers are welcome to adopt stronger protections appropriate for their region.
Any event organizers or players who have specific questions are encouraged to reach out to [email protected] for further guidance.
Enforcement
The Tournament Director (TD) is the primary authority responsible for enforcing this policy during an event.
Tournament staff may take immediate action and may skip steps depending on severity, intent, or prior behavior. If someone needs to be removed from the premises tournament staff is encouraged to work through business management if an event is being held at a business.
Reporting Process
Primary reporting:
Any player or spectator who experiences or witnesses behaviour that violates this code should report it directly to the Tournament Director or designated event staff as soon as possible.
Escalation:
If the TD fails to take appropriate action, dismisses the concern, or is directly involved in the behavior, the affected individual may escalate the issue after, or during the event to the International Flipper Pinball Association (IFPA). Please refer to the process details at the bottom of this page.
No Retaliation
Retaliation against anyone who reports a concern or participates in an investigation is prohibited and may result in immediate penalties, removal, or future bans.
IFPA Gender Inclusion Policy
The IFPA recognizes that there are many genders and that gender identity is a complex spectrum that goes beyond our current binary system of categorizing tournaments and leagues as “open events” and “women’s events.”
Within the current framework, we support an inclusive definition of women and expect tournament and league directors for women’s events to include cis, trans, and nonbinary players for whom womanhood is a part of their gender identity or experience.
We expect organizers not to require proof of any identity and to respect all rights of all participants. The intention is to include those who have good-faith reasons to want to be included, and for organizers to treat information about gender identity of players as sensitive and private.
The IFPA will continue to further our understanding of trans and GNC issues and to prioritize player safety by taking into account the changing political landscape surrounding queer identities when planning events.
Inclusive Restroom and Bathroom Policy
At all IFPA sanctioned tournaments and leagues, every player must be allowed to use the bathroom that aligns with their identity. This requirement applies regardless of any state or local regulations to the contrary.
Please ensure that any venue you select is able to provide safe and accessible bathroom options for all players. Whenever possible, we encourage choosing locations that offer gender-neutral restrooms, as they help ensure comfort and inclusion for everyone.
Isolated incidents or misunderstandings do not automatically result in loss of sanctioning, provided the Tournament Director and venue respond promptly and appropriately to resolve the issue. Repeated, unaddressed, or intentional denial of access will result in un-sanctioning.
Our goal is to support TDs in making the best choices for their players and to ensure that all participants feel welcome, respected, and safe.
Respect for Names and Pronouns Policy
Use a person’s stated name and pronouns. If you are unsure, ask politely or use the person’s name.
Mistakes happen. If you use the wrong name or pronouns, correct yourself promptly, apologize briefly, and move on.
Intentional or repeated misgendering, deadnaming, or refusal to use stated names or pronouns is harassment.
This includes dismissive statements (“I don’t believe in pronouns”), sarcastic usage, or repeated “mistakes” after being corrected.
Reporting and appeal process
Escalating to IFPA or urgent report
IFPA receives a large volume of messages to our main email address. If you are in a situation where there is a need for the IFPA to respond rapidly, use this dedicated email address to contact IFPA staff urgently:
Messages sent to this address will immediately alert the entire IFPA staff, ensuring that urgent safety concerns receive prompt attention. We encourage players and TDs to use this address whenever an incident involving player safety is actively unfolding. Establishing a dedicated contact is the first step in a larger effort, which will include a dedicated reporting system on our website to make it easier for community members to reach us when it matters most.
When submitting a report, please include the names of any players who witnessed the incident, as well as the tournament directors and event staff present, so we can gather a full and fair understanding of what occurred.
The reporting process will generally follow this sequence:
- Incident reported and acknowledged by IFPA staff
- Gather details regarding the incident for IFPA to perform their review.
- IFPA to determine if the incident is now resolved or if it is still ongoing.
- IFPA to determine if the event can continue as an IFPA sanctioned event or if sanctioning will be revoked.
- IFPA decision will stand unless there is a change to the situation or facts being reported that would restart this process back to step 1.
Disclaimer – IFPA can help intervene in matters related to IFPA policy, tournament and league sanctioning, and TD/player disciplinary action. If you are experiencing an urgent situation that would be better handled by law enforcement or medical services, reach out to them.
Appeal
The IFPA appeal process allows competitors or tournament directors to formally challenge the sanctioning of an event that has broken the IFPA Diversity and Inclusion Code by submitting an official appeal request by email to: [email protected].
It will then be reviewed by the entire IFPA staff in order to determine a ruling for final approval by the IFPA President for final ruling.
Official appeal must be submitted within 30 days of the end date of the event. If the appeal happens after the yearly standings for NACS/WNACS has been locked in, they cannot be updated.
