Subject: RE: Ethics Test Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1998 11:34:53 +1000 From: Darryl Greensill To: "'fkusumot@ix.netcom.com'" >You are presiding over a tourney at Big Store. Playing at the tournament >is Really Good Customer. Really Good Customer has a lot of friends. >Between he and his friends, they spend a lot of money at Big Store, and do >not even patronize Little Store much. >Unfortunately, you catch Really Good Customer redhanded in a blatant cheat >(pick whatever undeniable cheating incident that you want). Assume further >that there is no question that there is anything to do under the >appropriate penalty guidelines but to disqualify Really Good Customer. >Despite what you saw, Really Good Customer denies cheating and claims that >it was just a mistake. Assume that Really Good Customer is lying and that >you can prove it. >Rather than argue with you, Really Good Customer goes to the back of the >store and gets Big Store's Owner. Really Good Customer tells Big Store's >Owner that it was all a mistake and that you are being unreasonable. >Really Good Customer threatens to organize a boycott if he is banned from >play at Big Store. Big Store's Owner tells you that he doesn't want to >alienate Really Good Customer, that it might have been a mistake, and then >"leaves the decision up to you." >1) What do you do? Call a break to the tournament. Go talk to Owner, and tell him that it is not fair to everyone else to allow Really Good Customer to cheat for commercial reasons, and that if this happens, it's likely he'll alienate everybody else, whereas if RGC is disqualified once he'll probably be back next week. Ask him also, if he was playing (insert his favorite sport) and was fouled, would he want the guy who did it let off because his buddy was the referee? That's what he's asking you to do. Point out that RGC fouled some other guy, who probably has friends too, and he might not be back either if we allow the foul. Whatever the owner says, talk to RGC. Tell him that in order to resolve this situation, you are going to have to explain what he did to the crowd, and why he's being DQ'd. Make it clear that he can return next week, no harm done, provided he promises not to do whatever he did again. Go address the crowd. Announce that Really Good Customer has done (explain exactly what he did), and that you have decided to disqualify him, but he may return next week with a clean slate. Try to avoid using the word "cheating". Give him the opportunity to go gracefully. If he doesn't, tell the crowd that you waited to let him go gracefully, but since he didn't, here's what happened. He threatened to arrange a boycott, and he went in to the owner to try to get him to overrule you. Ask the crowd if they think it is fair that RGC is allowed to cheat because he buys a lot of product. Make it clear that if this is the way they want it run, then you'll run it that way, but you were under the impression that the DCI rules worked differently. Also make it clear that if DCI rules are not enforced, DCI sanctioning (and DCI ranking) won't happen, and if we get a rep as a cheater-haven, we will all suffer. >2) Does your answer change if you are an employee of Big Store, and might >get fired if you don't keep Owner happy? Do you care if you get fired? Assume for the moment that you do. Instead of the above, just go straight away to tell the crowd that although you found RGC to be cheating (again, explain what he did), the owner has overruled you and he is to be allowed to play. Anyone who has a problem with this should talk to the owner. After the tournament, talk to someone whose judgement you trust about becoming the judge. Tell the owner that you are happy to continue organising the tournaments, but for fairness to all players we need to get an independent judge at no cost to us, and you have someone who will do it. >3) Does your answer change if you are the co-owner of Big Store, and know >that the threat of a boycott is plausible and will cut into your business? Same as #1. If you are right, and the evidence is there that RGC is cheating, the crowd will not support RGC to that extent. The threat is a load of bullshit. If he carries it through, ban him from the store, and give a call to the manager of Little Store to let him know you have a problem with a Magic player that you feel he should be made aware of, since he is running Magic tournaments. Tell him that RGC might approach him to enter tournaments there, which he may wish to let RGC do, but he should be aware that RGC has been banned from your store for cheating and immature behavior (explain why, if the guy's not a Magic player explain it in general terms, compare it to poker for money, and don't leave out the bit about the boycott). Store owners don't like jerks much either. While you're at it, talk to Little Store Owner about rescheduling your tournaments so they don't conflict, which is hurting both of you; players not having to make a choice on the night will go a long way towards defusing any "boycott". Offer to move *yours* if at all possible. >4) How should your relationship with Big Store be structured so as to >maximize your ability to neutrally adjudicate? You should be independent of it, or the boss should give you complete free reign. If you can't guarantee that, act as TO, but consider getting someone else to judge. Darryl.