Ethical Code

A. Participant Relationships
World Beer Games (WBG) participants and representatives are charged with the responsibility of contributing to an environment, which makes participation in the WBG a positive and safe experience.

To achieve this result, each participant and officially sanctioned member has a special obligation to make decisions based on the best interest of the athletes and the games. It is inconsistent with this obligation for any member to:

  • Fail to follow the rules and safety guidelines established by the WBG sanctioning body.
  • Engage in conduct, which is unfair including, in particular, attempting to injure, disable or intentionally interfere with the preparation of a competitor. WBG Judges and Referees have the ability to assess team point penalties for misconduct
  • Discriminate in the provision of resources or opportunities to any member or prospective member on the basis of race, sex, creed, sexual orientation, age, national origin or mental or physical disability.
  • Attempt to intimidate, embarrass or improperly influence any individual responsible for judging or administering a competition. WBG Judges and Referees have the ability to assess team point penalties for misconduct.
B. Participation
Any WBG activity or event is open to any participant properly qualified under the rules of that activity or event. Every member participating in a WBG activity or event has an obligation to participate to the best of their abilities. It is inconsistent with this obligation for any member to:
  • Restrict the ability of a member to qualify for or participate in competition because of the member's association with a particular organization or individual or because of that member's race, sex, creed, sexual orientation, age, national origin, or mental or physical disability.
  • Engage in behavior, which in any way interferes with the orderly conduct of the activity and/or other members' participation in, or enjoyment of, the activity. WBG Judges and Referees have the ability to assess team point penalties for misconduct.
C. Responsibility
In order to enforce and promote the theme of responsible consumption, the following rules will be followed:
  • Participants who appear intoxicated will be disqualified from WBG competition.
  • All games which include consumption of alcohol will be concluded at least one-hour before completion of the games.
D. Communication
Participants of The World Beer Games have a duty to communicate honestly and openly with the organization and its members. It is inconsistent with this obligation for any member to:
  • Misrepresent age qualifications, country of origin, criminal record or affiliations.
  • Knowingly disseminate false or misleading information about another member.
E. Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Members of The World Beer Games must ensure that the sport is conducted in an environment free of drug or alcohol abuse. It is inconsistent with this obligation for any member to:
  • Use or provide to a third party any drug proscribed by applicable federal, state or municipal law.
  • Assist or condone any competing athlete's use of an illegal drug or drug banned by The WBGSB.
  • Provide alcohol to, or condone the use of alcohol by, minors, abuse alcohol in the presence of athlete members or at The World Beer Games' activities.
F. Enforcement of Code
Compliance with this Code depends primarily upon understanding and voluntary compliance, secondarily upon reinforcement by peers, and, when necessary, upon enforcement through discipline action taken by the WBGSB or its representatives. Any individual who believes that a participant of The WBG has failed to meet his or her obligations under this Code is, under all but the most egregious circumstances, encouraged to first address that concern directly to the WBGSB or its representatives. Upon review of the complaint and, where appropriate, through additional discussions with the complainant and/or member who is the subject of the complaint, the WBGSB may:
  • Determine that the complaint does not merit further action,
  • Counsel the member who is the subject of the complaint and record both the complaint and the nature of the counseling in the member's permanent record.
  • Refer the complaint, as appropriate, to the state or regional chairs/committees or affiliated organization.
  • Process the complaint and assess team penalties under the Games Rules