CHH Complaint & Dispute Process

CHH is a self-arranged and self-officiated tennis league. Players arrange matches themselves, usually through WhatsApp, play without officials, and enter results through Challonge.

That system works well when players, parents, guardians, coaches, and spectators act fairly, communicate clearly, and use common sense.

Occasionally, disputes happen.

This page explains how CHH handles complaints and disputes, what information is needed, and what players can expect after a complaint is submitted.

When to submit a complaint

A complaint may be submitted when there is a concern about behaviour, match conduct, rule breaches, communication, scoring, scheduling, parental involvement, spectator behaviour, or any other issue that may affect the fairness, safety, or smooth running of CHH.

Examples may include:

• Abusive, aggressive, or inappropriate behaviour.

• Cheating or repeated scoring disputes.

• Refusal to follow CHH match rules.

• Parent, guardian, coach, or spectator interference.

• Unsafe or concerning conduct.

• Serious scheduling or communication issues.

• Behaviour that affects another player’s ability to compete fairly.

Not every disagreement needs a formal complaint. Some issues can be sorted out between players with calm communication and common sense.

But if the issue is serious, repeated, unsafe, or cannot be resolved fairly, please use the complaint form.

When to call instead

If something feels urgent, unsafe, or serious during a match, call the CHH League Manager at the time. The CHH League Manager is unlikely to answer at that time, but leave a voicemail or send a Voice recording on WhatsApp whilst the event is fresh .

This is especially important if:

• A player feels unsafe.

• A junior player is involved and there is a supervision or safeguarding concern.

• A parent, guardian, coach, spectator, or adult becomes involved in a concerning way.

• A match may need to be stopped.

• A player may leave the venue.

• There is a serious dispute about whether the match should continue.

The complaint form is useful for written records and follow-up. It is not a substitute for immediate contact when something serious is happening in real time.

What happens after a complaint is submitted

Once CHH receives a complaint, the League Manager will generally follow this process.

1. Complaint received

The CHH League Manager reviews the complaint and any supporting information, including screenshots, photos, video, messages, witness details, match scores, and relevant CHH rules.

2. Other party contacted

The other player, parent, guardian, coach, or supervising adult may be contacted and given an opportunity to respond.

3. Original complainant follow-up

The original complainant may be contacted again if clarification is required, or if the response from the other party raises new information.

4. Further clarification if required

Either party may be contacted again if more detail is needed.

5. Administrative decision made

The CHH League Manager will make an administrative decision based on the information available.

This decision will consider:

• The seriousness of the issue.

• The available evidence.

• The accounts provided by each party.

• Any known patterns of behaviour.

• The relevant CHH Rules & Regulations.

• The safety and fairness of the league.

• What is practical and sustainable for CHH to manage.

Possible outcomes

A complaint may result in:

• No further action.

• A reminder of the relevant rules.

• A warning.

• A requirement to replay, continue, or record a match in a particular way.

• A forfeit.

• Removal from the current league.

• Suspension from future CHH events.

• Permanent exclusion from CHH.

• An update to the CHH Rules & Regulations.

The outcome will depend on the seriousness of the issue, the information available, and what is fair, safe, practical, and sustainable for the league.

CHH is not a court or tribunal

CHH is not a court, tribunal, police service, child protection agency, or professional sporting body.

Many complaints involve disputed accounts, limited evidence, and no neutral witness.

Where accounts are disputed, CHH may not be able to make a formal finding about exactly what occurred.

In those situations, the League Manager may still need to make an administrative decision based on the information available. That decision is made for the purpose of managing the league, not deciding who is a good or bad person.

Disputed accounts and limited evidence

Because CHH matches are self-officiated, disputes often come down to different versions of events.

This is why the complaint form asks for detail.

Helpful information includes:

• The match date, time, venue, division, and group.

• The players involved.

• The score at the time.

• What was said or done.

• What happened before and after the incident.

• Whether anyone witnessed it.

• Whether there are screenshots, photos, video, or messages.

• What action was taken during the match.

• What outcome is being requested.

Incomplete complaints may limit what CHH can fairly determine.

Behaviour during the complaint process

Players, parents, guardians, coaches, spectators, and supervising adults are expected to engage calmly and respectfully during the complaint process.

Aggressive, abusive, misleading, excessive, or unreasonable communication may itself become a conduct issue.

That includes communication with:

• The CHH League Manager.

• The other player.

• Parents or guardians.

• Coaches.

• Spectators.

• Venue staff.

• WhatsApp groups or private messages connected to CHH.

The complaint process is there to solve problems, not create a second match off the court.

Complaints may lead to rule changes

Sometimes a complaint identifies a gap in the CHH Rules & Regulations.

Even where no penalty is applied, CHH may update the rules to reduce the chance of the same issue happening again.

A rule update does not necessarily mean one party was “right” and the other was “wrong”.

It may simply mean CHH has found a practical improvement.

The goal is not to relitigate every point like Wimbledon with worse lighting. The goal is to make CHH clearer, fairer, safer, and easier to manage for everyone, ensuring the administrative burden for CHH allows it to survive into the futre

Final note

CHH relies on players, parents, guardians, coaches, and spectators using common sense.

Be fair. Be calm. Be clear. Respect the opponent. Respect the process.

And if something serious is happening during a match, call at the time.