Code of Conduct for Officials
The Hong Kong, China Tennis Association (“HKCTA”) requires a high standard of professionalism from all officials working at tournament and competitions. All Officials are automatically bound by, and must comply with, this Code of Conduct for Officials (“Code”). HKCTA shall continue to have jurisdiction over a retired Official under the code in respect of matters taking place prior to his/her retirement.
The Code as issued by HKCTA may be amended from time to time.
Required Standards
Unless otherwise specified, the following Required Standards shall apply at all times while an Official is, or would be reasonably considered to be, acting in his/her capacity as a Licensed Official, which shall include but is not limited to:
- when within the precincts of the site of a Tennis Event (which shall include any official venue or location related to the Tennis Event);
- when engaging with players, officials, tournament personnel, spectators or HKCTA personnel in relation to a Tennis Event, whether or not that takes place on-site or during the period of such Tennis Event;
- when performing any duty set out in the Rules of Tennis, the HKCTA Rules or the Duties and Procedures for Officials; and
- when engaged by HKCTA or associated tournament or competition to deliver ad hoc services such as delivering training, assisting with officiating administration, and any other officiating tasks.
1. Officials must be in satisfactory physical condition to enable them to carry out their duties.
2. Officials must have natural or corrected vision of 20-20 and normal hearing. In addition, it is recommended that all officials should have their eye tested every three (3) years.
3. Officials must be on time for all matches assigned to them.
4. Officials must be accurate for all sign in/sign out time of all tournaments.
5. Officials must understand, comply with and enforce the Rule of Tennis, the Duties and Procedures for Officials and all tournament regulations and codes of conduct for Tennis Events at which they are officiating, and all other policies applicable to Officials which may be introduced from time to time.
6. Officials must conduct themselves in a respectful manner towards other Officials, tournament personnel, spectators, players, player support personnel and any other person related to any Tennis Event.
7. Officials should maintain a high level of personal hygiene and should maintain a professional appearance at all times.
8. Officials must not drink alcohol or use marijuana (including medical marijuana) or any other substance that may impair one’s judgment in the 12 hours prior to any match that they officiate, and at all times while acting in their capacity as an Official.
9. Officials must maintain complete impartiality with respect to all tennis players and player support personnel at all times and must avoid any real or perceived conflicts of interest. Specifically, Officials shall not i) officiate in any match in which they have a real or perceived conflict of interest; or ii) socialize with or become intimate with players, or enter into any relationship (business, personal or otherwise) or take any action on or off court they may call into question their impartiality as an Official. For the avoidance of doubt and notwithstanding the above, Officials may attend social functions at which players are present and may stay in the same hotels as players but shall not share a hotel room with any player of any age. Officials must declare all perceived or actual conflicts of interest with HKCTA Officiating.
Notes: Examples of conflicts of interest include but are not limited to being: a professional tennis player or a friend, relative or player support personnel of a tennis player; a National Tennis Coach; a National Tennis Team Captain; a Tournament Director/Organizer; or an employee, consultant, contractor or business partner/associate for a company that has a commercial interest in tennis.
10. Officials must not, at any time, discuss calls or decisions made by themselves or other Officials with anyone except those Officials directly, the Supervisor/Referee or the HKCTA staff responsible for officiating.
11. Officials shall comply at all times with the applicable criminal laws. For the avoidance of doubt, and without limited the foregoing, this obligation is violated if an Official is convicted of or enters a plea of guilty or no contest to a criminal charge or indictment for any offence in Hong Kong.
12. Officials are bound at all times by, and must be aware of, their obligation under the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program, which includes reporting any corrupt approaches to the HKCTA Officiating. Officials shall not be employed or otherwise associated with or engaged by a company which accepts wagers on professional tennis events.
13. Officials shall not talk to, or have conversations with, spectators while officiating a match, except as is necessary during the ordinary course of officiating a match.
14. Officials must not, at any time, participate in a media interviews or meetings with journalists from which their statements relating to tennis officiating can be printed, broadcast, posted on social media, or otherwise publicly disseminated, without the approval of the Supervisor/Referee.
15. Officials shall not, at any time, give, make, authorize or endorse public comments, including posting anything on any social media channels, which attacks or disparages a tournament, player, other Officials or the HKCTA, and which the Official knows, or should reasonably know, will harm the reputation or financial best interests of, the Tennis Event, players, other Officials or the HKCTA, as applicable. Without prejudice to other provisions of this Code, responsible and measured expression of legitimate opinion shall not amount to a breach of this provision.
16. Officials shall not, at any time, engage in unfair, unprofessional, discriminatory, criminal or unethical conduct, including but not limited to attempts to injure or intentionally interfere with other Officials, players, tournament personnel, player support personnel, and spectators, and reckless or negligent conduct that is likely to cause such injury or interference. All Officials must also set a good example in their conduct to other Officials.
17. Officials shall not, at any time, engage in abusive conduct, either physical or verbal, or threatening conduct or language directed toward other Officials, players, player support personnel, tournament personnel, spectators or members of the press/media.
18. Officials shall not, at any time, abuse their position of authority or control and shall not harm or jeopardize or otherwise attempt to harm and jeopardize the psychological, physical or emotional wellbeing of other Officials, players, tournament personnel or player support personnel.
19. Sexual advances or sexual harassment or abuse of any kind towards other Officials, players, player support personnel, tournament personnel, spectators or members of the press/media shall not be tolerated.
20. Officials must make all tournament-related requests to the Supervisor/Referee or Chief Umpire.
21. Officials shall commit to work at an event until released by the Supervisor/Referee. If an Official has accepted an assignment to officiate at an event, he/she shall not withdraw from that assignment prior to release by the Supervisor/Referee, without the permission of the appropriate HKCTA Officiating representative.
22. All Officials are under a continuing duty to disclose to HKCTA any actual, suspected or alleged violations of the Code of which they are aware, whether breaches of their own or of another Official. Failure to so report is a violation of the Code.
23. Officials must act honestly at all times with officiating, and in all their dealings with HKCTA and other Officials. Officials must cooperate fully with any investigation under this Code, the Rules for events at which they are officiating. Further, Officials must not (i) provide any inaccurate information, (ii) omit any relevant information which is requested, or (iii) deliberately mislead or attempt to mislead HKCTA, their staff or other Officials.
24. An official must not recruit other officials to work in tournaments unless requested by HKCTA.
25. An official must refer all officiating requests from organizations or companies organizing tennis tournaments to HKCTA.
26. An official must report to HKCTA Officiating once they have received any assignments from mainland / overseas.
27. Violations of the Code for Officials must be reported by the Supervisor/Referee to HKCTA. An Official who violates any of these required standards may have their certification withdrawn, or he/she may be suspended from officiating for a certain period as decided by the HKCTA Officiating Committee.
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