Sportsmanship is under scrutiny today again as we have another GT banning just one week after the Team Happy Bannings.
Apparently, some harsh words were said after a matchup at the Show-Me Showdown GT.
Things escalated quickly on Facebook with one player verbally abusing the other. The event organizers were quick to step in and handle the situation. Let’s look at what happened.
What Happened on Facebook
Fair Warning. There is some harsh language in the posts.
At this time it’s unclear who exactly was banned, with several things being said back and forth between the two. However, it appears to be the second player making the worst of the remarks.
Update: the organizers of Siegeworld and Gateway Gamers in St. Louis requested that we mention this player is not part of their event staff or involved with the event. Furthermore, they do not condone this behavior and stand behind the banning.
The player who was not banned has this to say about his opponent to us:
Long story short – Don’t be like that guy. And don’t be afraid to say something to those types of people so that they don’t bully their way through tournaments and will either clean up their act or leave the tournament scene. Also don’t be afraid to get judges involved – that is what they are there for.
What has sportsmanship come down to lately? This latest incident is all happening after the banning of an entire team at the ATC.
Warhammer is a GAME. if players aren’t able to respect their opponent more than what happens on a table with plastic minis, they should reconsider what they’re getting into.
Conduct Policy Announcement
After this came to the attention of the tournament organizers, they took action and ended up banning the player who said the harsh words. On top of that, they released a Conduct Policy Announcement for future players.
Tournament organizers took action as quick as they could. This kind of behavior won’t fix itself.
Sportsmanship needs to be on the list of points people can score at tournaments. It’s extremely important considering you’re playing with another human being with the intent of having fun. It’s a game at the end of the day.
Luckily, we have some ITC floor rules on the way to set the standard for events and for everyone to have a more positive atmosphere to play in. We don’t know what these rules will look like just yet, but we do know they are coming.
What do you think about this event? Is a permanent ban too harsh? Will we see more strict guidelines at events in the future? Let us know in the comments of our Facebook Hobby Group.
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About the Author: Rob Baer
