SPL XI - Administrative Decisions

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RE: Lax

The TD team has found evidence that lax has approached prospective players regarding potentially being recruited to the Alpha Ruiners. During some of these conversations, lax mentioned plans to potentially bring a banned user along and have them play by proxy (e.g. ghost another slot). While no cheating has yet occurred, this type of behavior undermines the integrity of SPL and potentially allows banned players to circumvent their punishment. Based on this evidence, lax will be barred from participating in SPL XI.
 
RE: Potential Price Fixing

During the first two weeks of SPL, players are only allowed to play in the tiers listed in their signups post. We will not be enforcing this rule for anyone with a price tag of 3k. This should help lessen the effect of game fixing, as it addresses the most problematic abusers, and will not drastically change draft plans days before the auction.
 
RE: Signups Deadline

There was some confusion caused by what was said by the TD team in the smogtours discord server, and so we will be opening signups until 2 PM GMT-5. This includes posting new signups and editing ones already there. Also note that, via the above post, not listing any tiers is functionally the same as listing all of them.
 
RE: danilo

danilo was mistakenly allowed to signup and be drafted for SPL XI despite being banned from team tournaments. The Congregation of the Classiest will be given 3k back that they may use to choose a player with from the remaining player pool. They have been given 48 hours to choose. Should they choose not to pick a player from the player pool, the 3k will be added to their regular funds for midseason.
 
RE: Ojama

Ojama told multiple managers to not draft him, two confirmed and others have claimed the same was done to them, with the intention of lowering his price to help the teams he liked. This alone is a major offense that had a noticeable effect on the draft, and ignoring it after everyone put so much emphasis on addressing price fixing would be a slap in the face to the tour community. As player you can have your preferences, but when you are outright telling multiple teams to not bid for you, you are having a direct effect on your value during the draft; this is quite literally price fixing. The rules have always been clear: "If you are interested in playing, be aware that any team may buy you, and you are expected to play for any one of them". If you cannot commit to that, do not signup.

The price fixing is a significant part of the problem, but this doesn't end there. Ojama was picked up by a team that he explicitly told to not bid on him. Minutes after picking him up BIGs drafters were reporting to hosts that Ojama was refusing to work with them. Putting the whole auction on hold for 40+ minutes to let us investigate team sabotaging reports, evaluate any evidence we can get and decide whether we ban someone or not was simply not an option, so they were told to wait until the auction ended. BIGs could have risked it all and forced Ojama to stick to them, but for that to work they would need Ojama to care enough to perform or they would have a 23k wasted slot. They were put in a rough spot and their way out was making a deal with Tyrants.

The deal and subsequent trade were legal, and the "uneven trade" argument is so subjective that is almost never worth touching. At the time there was no evidence against Ojama, other than complaints from BIGs members, and there was nothing hosts could do. It was clear something sketchy had happened, but if there's no evidence and you can't force the involved teams to help you, there's nothing to do. Everyone can see the "elephant in the room", but you cannot expect hosts or TDs to ban without evidence. Luckily for everyone, the involved parties decided to post evidence that could be used to backup the complaints and that's why we are here.

Ojama refused to join BIGs discord, he showed no willingness to work with them and stopped a trade that wasn't of his liking. When told "we can build around you" he replied with "ur team is awful", "i'd rather player for pdc than for void and stone, anyday". The trade he refused was with Scooters, who he had told to not draft him. Some people want to paint this as a good thing, when all it shows is that he was telling two teams to fuck off (again). Ojama made it impossible for BIGs to do anything but get rid of him, and due to his price tag this was a major problem. This is blatant sabotage of a team and sadly he succeed.

Ojama will be tourbanned for three months and banned from team tournaments for a year for price fixing and sabotage. His price tag and value as a player has turned this into a major headache for TDs, hosts and both teams involved, as there's no perfect solution to the problems he has caused, but he's a player just like everyone else and he'll be punished the same way a 3k pickup would.

The trade will be reversed. Tyrants will keep their four players, BIGs will be given a full refund and they can use their money as they please before Week 1 starts. Keeping a banned a player around, postponing the punishment, and redoing the draft are all impossible. This is not a good outcome for these two teams, but at this moment there's no other option.
 
RE: Turn Limit

The turn limit was accidentally removed in a PS update. There has been no policy posts, no reports of this mistake or anything. The turn limit has been part of Smogon tournaments for years now and most players, especially at an SPL level, expect it and play with it in mind. The turn limit is still 1000 turns even if it isn't enforced by PS at this moment.
 
RE: Wandering Spirit+Wonder Guard

A bug allowing Wandering Spirit to activate against Wonder Guard is currently present on PS, despite this not being the case on cart. Due to the potentially game breaking nature of this bug, taking advantage of this in SS DOU will result in a loss.
 
RE: Jirachee

Jirachee has shown virtually no activity after week 1, which is not acceptable. He'll be removed from this tournament, banned from participating in SPL XII and infracted for poor sportsmanship. The Cryonicles recieve 3k in sellback credits, which can be used in the upcoming midseason auction.
 
RE: Nat

Nat played her first 3 games without issues and was fairly active in her team chat. Under normal circumstances this would be way more than enough to consider her to be active. However, she has decided to quit. She has shown no activity on smogon, she left her team server and she doesn't want to talk things out with her managers. Everything indicates she's done with the tour and won't do anything for her team anymore.

She'll be removed from this tournament, banned from participating in SPL XII and infracted for poor sportsmanship. The Tyrants recieve 3k in sellback credits, which can be used in the upcoming midseason auction.
 
RE: Sceptross

Sceptross was active early on, but his activity has decreased significantly and has told his team it'll get worse, as he won't have any time for SPL. He has his reasons for this and he's definitely not being malicious, however signups clearly state players are expected to be active through the entirety of the tour. Regardless of intent, players disappearing midtour negatively affect their team.

He'll be removed from this tournament, banned from participating in SPL XII and infracted for poor sportsmanship. The Wolfpack receive 3k in sellback credits, which can be used in the upcoming midseason auction.
 
SS tiers will be locked to pre-home metagames for the entirety of Week 6. Smogtours server won't be updated until the end of the week to prevent any legality issue. Home changes and tiering decisions made before Week 6 deadline will apply on Week 7 and onward.
 
Post-home tier changes:

- SS OU has banned Mewtwo, Reshiram, Zekrom, Kyurem-W, Solgaleo, Lunala, Necrozma-Dawn Wings, Necrozma-Dusk Mane, Marshadow, Kyurem-B and Melmetal

- SS DOU has banned Mewtwo, Reshiram, Zekrom, Kyurem-W, Solgaleo, Lunala, Necrozma-Dawn Wings, Necrozma-Dusk Mane, Jirachi, Kyurem-B, Marshadow

- SS LC has banned Vulpix and Drifloon.

As mentioned in the previous post, these will apply after Week 6 ends.
 
RE: Lopunny Kicks vs CTC

There was no visible contact between the players, although the game was supposed to be played on Sunday. However, the game didn't get played in the end and both players didn't put any effort into getting the game done, which means that this will be ruled as a dead game.
 
RE: Charmflash & Jayde

Both players were active early on, but they abandoned their teams shortly after midseason. The season was far from decided and them bailing negatively affected their teams. Signups make it clear that players are expected to be active through the entire tournament.

Charmflash and Jayde will be banned from participating in SPLXII and infracted for poor sportsmanship.
 
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