General remarks
Aim and purposes
The FCRC helps to build a common procedure in handling fairplay cases in RSF/C4F. It states the duties and the rights of the Fairplay Committee (FC) as well as its structures. Furthermore, it states the recruiting for (new) members of the FC and their behaviour in the chat, the forum and in general when discussing internally.
The FCRC goes in detail how a fairplay case should be managed by the FC and its members. Finally, the FCRC offers a penalty guideline. The penalties mentioned in the guideline are not fixed but more to be seen as – that’s why called this way – guidelines.
The Fairplay Committee
The Fairplay Committee is the organisation in RSF/C4F that is responsible for:
- handling cases that affect the fairplay in the game, most importantly violations of the fairness rules,
- reading and responding in the fairness section of the forum and investigating accusations,
- interfering in the race chat if there is a fairplay incident.
The Fairplay Committee and its members are objective in any case. If a member is biased in any way, this member will leave the floor to the other members and will not be involved in any decision regarding the case.
Structure
Staff
The FC consists of 8 members. Additionally Buhmann is the 9th member and holds the balance of power. He has all rights (that are stated below) of all members. The FC staff is divided in:
- 2 case coordinators:
They search open cases in the forum and assign them to 2 case dealers. They always have an overview about the assigned cases and their status. Case coordinator may also actively discuss in the forum and internally if it does not affect their main duty.
- 6 case dealers:
They deal with the cases in the forum and lead the discussion in public and in the FC. They gather the information for the basis of a final decision. A Case dealer may answer in a fairness thread of an open case independently but has to report the case to one of the case coordinators immediately that assign the case to a case dealer.
Recruiting members
A FC member has to fulfil the following conditions (counts for case dealers and coordinators):
- active in the forum
- good manners with other users, in the forum as well as in the chat
- objective ability to judge
- thick-skinned (not mistaken with mellow)
- enough time to be active in fairplay discussions and decision making
- a good common sense
- some sort of “loyalty” to the FC and the game
The FC recommends possible new personnel to Buhmann, who finally decides who is going to join them. The recommendation is developed in the internal chat. The decision is made by consensus among the FC members, finally approved by Buhmann.
Before Buhmann’s decision is made, the potential new member has to be addressed with the intention to make him a FC member. Thus, in a positive answer, the user has to give a short explanation for his decision why he will be a useful asset as a FC member. This is the final basis for the decision.
Duties
See also in “Staff”. In general there are the following duties:
A FC member has to check the Fairplay section of the forum regularly. This means first the international Fairplay section, second the Fairplay section in his mother tongue’s part of the forum. Third, the FC member visits occasionally the sections of the other languages he is able to communicate in written form.
A FC member has to take part of internal fairness discussions regularly and therefore has to vote for a decision of the FC regularly (besides cases he is/should not be involved).
Rights
A FC member has the right to take part in internal discussions of the FC.
A FC member has the right to vote for a decision of the FC (if not stated otherwise).
A FC member has the right to discuss fairplay cases in the forum.
A FC member has the right to indicate violations of the fairness rules during a race via chat.
Behaviour
There will delicate situations, when a FC member has to find solutions for problems, either in a hot tempered discussion in the forum or difficult cases. Thus here are some Dos and DON’Ts for a FC member when discussion cases in public. This is not a closing list!
DOs
- always try to be as neutral as possible
- be friendly but decisive
- write clearly and understandable
- If your not sure about something, ask another FC member for help
- if you are biased, ask another FC member to take over a case and let the decision to the other FC members
DON’Ts
- don’t use bad language in any situation a fairplay case is discussed in public
- don’t judge a user beforehand. Never.
- don’t discuss a final FC decision in public
- don’t discuss the penalty guideline in public. Never.
If the handling of a case is not described in the rules or in the guidelines explicitly, the FC has the power to act in the spirit of the game. Additionally, any conversation with the FC members is confidential and must not be made public in any case (or form).
Case Management
Creating a case
Usually, a case is created by a user when open a fairness thread. A fairness thread may also be opened by a FC members, if there is a spotted violation of the fairness rules.
Assignment of a case
A case dealer of the FC may answer the opening posting independently. Immediately afterwards, he or she has to contact a case coordinator. The case coordinator finally assigns the case to 2 case dealers that lead the main discussion in forum and internally.
If a case dealer is biased in any way, he must not deal with this case. The case dealer must not participate in the discussion and in the decision making process of the FC. Furthermore He or she stays out of public discussion.
If a case dealer is not able anymore to deal with a case - for whatever reason - , he contacts one of the case coordinators, who assigns it to another case dealer.
Decision making
The FC makes decisions about cases and penalties internally. The discussion is leaded by the affected 2 case dealers. Every other member is allowed to share its opinion (besides the mentioned exceptions. Best case, every member – according to the guideline – proposes his opinion about the case and the final decision. In the end, the 2 case dealers make a final decision. If there is no severe doubt by another member or a Veto by Buhmann, the decision is carried out.
Appeal
Every user has the right to appeal the decision that affects him or her. He may write his position with his arguments to one of the case dealers with a personal message. The appeal has to be presented in the FC. If the appeal is justified, the decision will be lifted. If the appeal is not justified the decision will stay. In any case, the user has to be informed about the final decision.
Penalty Guideline
The penalty guideline is added as Excel file. Sorry, it is in German, but hopefully understandable to the most of you. Of course, the mentioned penalties are randomly chosen an may be adapted by the FC. This guideline of course is open for discussion. The final guideline should not be made public!
Now stone me

But before that, please join the discussion about the concept and your ideas about a Fairness Committee. Thanks.