Authority

This process is adopted by the EDGA Board under Articles 59(f), 59(g) and 60 of the Articles of Association.

This process sits alongside the Articles of Association and does not override them. Where this process involves termination of membership, removal of a director, conflicts of interest, notice requirements, or any other matter covered by the Articles, the Articles take precedence.

Board Resolution

The EDGA Board adopts the EDGA Member Conduct and Complaint Handling Process with immediate effect under Articles 59(f), 59(g) and 60 of the Articles of Association. The Board authorises the investigator and decision panel model set out in the process. Any board member or officer who is named in, or conflicted in relation to, a complaint must recuse themselves from that complaint. The process applies to current and future complaints unless and until amended or replaced by the Board.

1. Purpose

This process sets out how EDGA will receive, assess, investigate, decide and record complaints about member conduct, event conduct, club-related disputes, online behaviour, safeguarding or welfare concerns, and similar issues affecting EDGA activities.

2. Scope

This process applies to:

• EDGA members
• Participants in EDGA-sanctioned events
• Volunteers, officials, tournament directors and board members acting in EDGA-related settings
• Complaints arising at EDGA events, in EDGA communication channels, or in club or public channels where the conduct affects EDGA events, members, welfare or reputation

This process does not replace the police, courts, safeguarding authorities, or any external legal process.

3. Principles

EDGA will handle complaints using these principles:

• Fairness
• Neutrality
• Proportionality
• Confidentiality on a need-to-know basis
• Written records
• Conflict management
• Timely handling
• Decisions based on evidence
• Standard of proof of balance of probabilities

4. Roles

Complaints Lead or Investigator

• Appointed by the Board or delegated officer
• Gathers evidence
• Manages correspondence
• Prepares a factual summary and recommendation
• Does not decide sanctions alone

Decision Panel

• Normally three non-conflicted people
• Reviews the evidence pack and investigator summary
• Makes findings and decides outcome
• Can be a board subgroup or appointed panel

Board

• Appoints the investigator and panel
• Handles any appeal if not already conflicted
• Records adoption of this process

Conflicted Person

• Anyone named in the complaint, directly involved in the events, a close associate of a party, or someone who may reasonably be seen as biased
• Must take no part in evidence review, discussion, recommendation, decision, sanction or appeal, except where asked to provide evidence as a witness
• May provide evidence as a witness only

5. How a Complaint is Submitted

Complaints should be submitted through an official EDGA channel, such as the EDGA contact form, an EDGA email address, or an EDGA officer who forwards it into the official process.

6. Logging and Acknowledgement

Within two working days of receipt, EDGA will:

• Log the complaint
• Assign a case reference
• Acknowledge receipt in writing
• Confirm that no findings have yet been made
• Confirm who is leading the initial review

7. Initial Triage

Within two working days of receipt, the investigator or delegated officer will assess:

• Is there an immediate safety risk?
• Is it a safeguarding or welfare matter?
• Does it involve a possible crime?
• Is it an EDGA conduct matter?
• Are there any conflicts of interest?
• Are interim steps needed?

If someone appears to be at immediate risk or a crime is in progress, EDGA should tell them to contact 999. If the allegation may amount to a crime but there is no immediate danger, EDGA should tell them they may contact police via 101 or online. EDGA may continue or pause its internal process depending on circumstances and any police request.

8. Interim Measures

EDGA may impose interim steps before a final decision if needed to protect people, events, or the integrity of the process.

Possible interim steps include:

• No-contact direction between parties
• Instruction not to post publicly about the dispute
• Instruction not to discuss the complaint on EDGA channels
• Temporary event attendance conditions
• Temporary suspension from an EDGA event or role in serious cases
• Restricted access to evidence or systems
• Recusal of conflicted board members or officials

Interim measures are precautionary only and do not mean the complaint is upheld.

9. Evidence Gathering

The investigator will ask parties to submit evidence by a clear deadline, normally within seven calendar days unless more time is needed.

Evidence may include:

• Full screenshots
• Full message threads
• Links to posts
• Emails
• Statements
• Dates and times
• Witness names
• Event records
• Moderation records
• Audio, video, or other files

Parties should be told that cropped or selective evidence may carry less weight. They should preserve relevant evidence and should not tamper with or delete evidence once the process starts.

10. Response from the Subject of Complaint

Any person complained about must be given:

• A fair summary of the allegations
• Access to the substance of the evidence against them, subject to safety and privacy limits
• A chance to respond in writing
• A deadline to respond, normally seven calendar days

11. Investigation

The investigator will gather the complaint, response and evidence, identify agreed facts and disputed facts, assess credibility and reliability, consider any welfare or event safety implications, and prepare a written investigation summary.

The investigation summary should include:

• Complaint background
• Issues to be decided
• Evidence reviewed
• Key facts found
• Points not established
• Any conflicts managed
• Recommendation

12. Decision

The decision panel will review the investigation summary and evidence pack. The panel will decide:

• Which facts are established on the balance of probabilities
• Whether conduct breached EDGA rules or expectations
• What outcome or sanction is proportionate and appropriate

13. Possible Outcomes

Possible outcomes include:

• No further action
• Advice or guidance
• Conduct reminder
• Informal warning
• Formal written warning
• Apology or restorative step
• No-contact direction
• Conditions on attendance or participation
• Removal from a role
• Temporary suspension from EDGA events or activities
• Longer-term suspension or exclusion in serious cases
• Termination of membership, only where appropriate and only in accordance with Article 21 of the Articles of Association
• Referral to another body where relevant
• Recommendation for mediation, but only if appropriate and safe

14. Decision Letter

The final written outcome should include:

• The allegations considered
• The process followed
• The evidence considered
• The findings
• The outcome
• Any sanction or condition
• Reasons for the decision
• Appeal route and deadline

15. Appeal

A party may appeal within seven calendar days of the outcome letter.

Grounds of appeal should be limited to one or more of the following:

• Procedural unfairness
• Material new evidence not reasonably available earlier
• Clear unreasonableness in the decision or sanction
• Conflict of interest not properly managed

Appeals should be decided by people who were not involved in the original decision and are not conflicted. Where the outcome is termination of membership under Article 21, the appeal route in Article 21 must be followed.

16. Timelines

Default timescales are set out below. EDGA may extend timescales where reasonable, but should tell the parties.

17. Record Keeping and Data Handling

EDGA will keep a restricted complaint file containing:

• The complaint
• Acknowledgements
• Evidence
• Investigation notes
• Investigator summary
• Panel decision
• Appeal documents
• Outcome correspondence

Access should be limited to those who need it. EDGA should:

• Keep only data needed for the complaint
• Store it securely
• Restrict access
• Avoid wider circulation
• Retain records only for as long as necessary
• Be able to show how it handled the data fairly and securely

Complaint files should be stored in a restricted-access location. Access should be reviewed when the case closes and whenever someone involved in the process changes role.

18. Communications

EDGA should keep public and internal wording careful.

Recommended Terminology

• “EDGA has received a complaint”
• “The matter is under review”
• “No findings have been made”
• “X alleges that…”
• “The evidence appears to show…”

Wording to Avoid

• “X is guilty”
• “X definitely threatened Y”
• Stating that a club or individual is at fault before evidence supports that conclusion

19. Board Member and Officer Conflicts

If a board member or officer is named in a complaint, or is closely connected to a party, they must:

• Declare the conflict
• Take no part in handling the case
• Not access the complaint file beyond their witness role if any
• Not vote on outcome or appeal

This should be recorded in writing. This section should be read alongside Articles 67 and 68 of the Articles of Association.

20. Policy Review

This process is effective from the date the Board adopts it and remains in force until amended or replaced by the Board.

Appendix A: Complaint Acknowledgement Template

Subject: Formal complaint received

Hi [Name],

Thank you for raising this with EDGA.

I have been asked to lead the initial review of the complaint. At this stage, no findings have been made.

Please send any evidence you want considered by [deadline]. This should include full screenshots, dates, times, links to posts, witness names, relevant context, and any outcome you would like EDGA to consider.

While this is being reviewed, please do not contact the other party directly or indirectly. Please also avoid posting publicly about this dispute, including on club pages or social media.

If you believe a criminal threat has been made, or if you feel at immediate risk, you should contact the police directly. EDGA can review member conduct and event safety, but cannot determine criminal matters.

Once I have received the evidence, I will review it alongside any other evidence received and confirm the next steps.

Thanks,

[Name]

Appendix B: Investigation Summary Template

• Case reference: [complete]
• Investigator: [complete]
• Parties involved: [complete]
• Date complaint received: [complete]
• Conflict checks: [complete]
• Summary of complaint: [complete]
• Summary of response: [complete]
• Evidence reviewed: [complete]
• Agreed facts: [complete]
• Disputed facts: [complete]
• Findings on balance of probabilities: [complete]
• Welfare or event safety considerations: [complete]
• Recommendation: [complete]
• Panel decision: [complete]
• Appeal deadline: [complete]

Reference Notes

This process has been drafted with reference to the following public guidance and sources:

• Sport England: Reporting or responding to a concern: guidance that immediate danger or medical need should be referred to emergency services, and that concerns should be recorded and reported through safeguarding or complaints routes where relevant.
• GOV.UK: Report a crime: guidance that 999 should be used for immediate danger or crimes in progress, and 101 or online reporting can be used for non-emergency crime reporting.
• Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO): UK GDPR data protection principles and data security guidance on fairness, security, data minimisation, storage limitation, accountability, and appropriate technical and organisational measures.