HKPL Rules & Regulation v6.1

Unless otherwise stated in the HKPL Rules & Regulations 2026, rules of the latest edition released annually in January by USA Pickleball (USAP) will apply (USAP Official Rules). HKPL reserves the right to modify/amend/change rules at any time without prior notice.

For the purposes of these rules:

1. Neutral Court / Designated Indoor Venue — an HKPL-approved indoor centre from the official HKPL venue list (provided on request).
2. Original Match Date — the originally scheduled match date.
3. Rain-Off Week - the final buffer week before playoffs by which all outstanding matches must be completed.
4. Dispute Management & Policy Making Subcommittee (DM & PM SC) — the HKPL governing body with the final ruling authority.
5. Cost-Recovery / Neutral-Venue Fee — indoor court hire cost recovered from participating teams; a neutral cost item, not a penalty.

HKPL Mission Statement:

"The Hong Kong Pickleball League (HKPL) is dedicated to unifying Hong Kong's pickleball ecosystem by building an inclusive community, fostering collaboration among local clubs, and cultivating lasting camaraderie among players. By providing structured, competitive team play, we aim to elevate playing standards, enhance the sport's visibility, and establish Hong Kong as the premier pickleball hub of Asia."

HKPL Core Pillars:

• Inclusivity: Welcoming players across all skill levels and backgrounds.
• Unity: Connecting local clubs, venues, and associations into a cohesive ecosystem.
• Building Community: Fostering long-term camaraderie on and off the court.
• Elevating Playing Standards: Promoting structured, high-level competition and sportsmanship.
• Asia Pickleball Hub: Positioning Hong Kong as a regional leader in pickleball excellence

HKPL SEASON 4 KEY DATES
TEAM REGISTRATION DEADLINE:	18 SEPTEMBER 2026
HKPL MATCH SCHEDULE RELEASE DATE:	21 SEPTEMBER 2026
MATCH SCHEDULE LOCK:	25 SEPTEMBER 2026
PLAYER REGISTRATION DEADLINE:	25 SEPTEMBER 2026
PLAYER DUPR CUT-OFF:	31 JULY 2026
GROUP STAGE BEGINS:	05 OCTOBER 2026
PLAYOFF STAGE BEGINS:	04 JANUARY 2027

1. Any registered Club/Association or Team with court access in Hong Kong may apply.

2. Each Club/Association may enter multiple Teams, provided each Team has a unique name (e.g., Team A1, Team B1, Team B2).

3. All communication will be communicated through the team captains and the club/team managers. All communication from teams should come through team captains and/or the club/team managers only.

4. Player registrations are only accepted via official roster form (no WhatsApp/email additions) submitted to HKPL via our digital portal.

5. HKPL may upon request, require photo identification (e.g. HKID or Passport) for identity verification purposes. Failure to provide adequate proof may result in disqualification from the league. All games played will be forfeited.

6. Team registration(s) in any division(s) must be completed before the deadline (Refer § 1.0)

7. Home match day(s) must be determined at registration (Monday to Friday evenings).

8. Home Court Designation & Clearance Specifications:

   1. Registration Requirement: Teams must declare their home court location on the registration form. All home courts must meet standard court dimensions of 13.4m x 6.1m.
   2. Mandatory Minimum Clearance: Courts must have an absolute minimum boundary clearance of 1.3m from the baseline and 1m from the sideline.
   3. Recommended Clearance & Post-Season Eligibility:
      • A baseline clearance of 1.5m is strongly recommended.
      • Regular Season Only: Home courts meeting the mandatory minimums (1.3m baseline) but falling short of the recommended 1.5m baseline clearance are permitted for regular season games only.
      • Post-Season (Quarter Finals, Semi Finals & Finals) Restriction: Courts that do not meet the recommended 1.5m baseline and 1m sideline clearance cannot be used to host post-season/playoff games. In such cases, the Home Team must book and arrange an alternative venue that satisfies the 1.5m baseline and 1m sideline clearance requirement. (Refer § 7.2)

9. HKPL retains the right to evaluate and approve/disapprove courts that are below the recommended minimum clearance requirements (1.5m).

10. Each team must register a minimum of 2 male players and 2 female players. Teams MUST ensure player availability for each weekly match to prevent forfeiture. ("Not enough players available" is a forfeit — see 6.1c.)

Current HKPL Season 4 (2026-27):

Division	DUPR Rating Requirement
A	No restrictions
B	3.0 – 3.699
C	NR – 2.999

To be effective HKPL Season 5 (2027):

Division	DUPR Rating Requirement
A	3.600+
B	2.900 – 3.599
C	NR – 2.899

1. Rating Type Priority: Since HKPL currently conducts doubles matches only, division eligibility is assessed based on the following hierarchy:

● Players with both Doubles & Singles DUPR: The Doubles DUPR rating governs eligibility.

● Players with Singles DUPR only: The Singles DUPR rating governs eligibility (e.g., a player with 2.900 Singles / NR Doubles is not eligible for Div C, but eligible for Div B).

● Not Rated (NR) Definition: A player is treated as NR only if both their Doubles and Singles ratings are NR/unrated.

2. NR Player Restrictions: NR players may not be lent to play as a substitute for another division(s).

1. Player’s roster must be registered and completed before the cut-off date stated per season. No addition or deletion is allowed thereafter.
2. The DUPR rating cut-off date defines the time of a player’s DUPR rating will be accounted for division eligibility. Such date of each season will be announced at the opening of Team Registration. (Refer § 1.0)
3. NR players are only allowed to play in Div A or C (discontinued after season 4).
4. For players with a DUPR below 3.0, you can email HKPL to request to play in Div B if there is strong rationale. e.g. played in Div B previously or Div 2 in HKCTA (discontinued after season 4).
5. Limit of 20 players per Team.
6. All players must be added via the HKPL website by the Captain / Manager.
7. DUPR Requirements: Must register using DUPR-registered full name. Accounts: mydupr.com/signup. Players with multiple accounts: highest rating applies (see also Section 9.0).
8. Players must be at the age of 18 or above on the first day of the respective division (except the Masters league where players must be at the age of 50 or above on the…) league starting date. For any player below the age of 18, an indemnity form is required to be signed before they will be accepted. The indemnity form can be obtained via email from HKPL.
9. Emails and phone numbers are required for player registration to allow for score submissions and communications by HKPL. DUPR ID is locked to the registered HKPL phone and email. Change of DUPR ID requires email and explanation to the DM & PM SC for approval.

1. Days: Monday-Friday (exc. public holidays).
2. The first game should not start before 7:30PM and no later than 8PM.
3. Subsequent games: 2-minute warm-up.

1. Single Team Registration: Players may only register for one team.
2. Masters Division Exception: A player playing for HKPL Masters Division (M) is allowed to play for a different club / team in HKPL Div A/B/C.
3. Borrowing players from a lower division: A higher division team may borrow player(s) from one lower division team from the same Club no more than 10 times per regular season.
4. Penalties: The inclusion of any unregistered or non-compliant player in a match will result in an immediate forfeiture of all games in which that player participated.

Prior to seasonal registration approval, every Team Captain and Co-Captain must sign and submit the official HKPL Captain's Agreement & Code of Conduct via the HKPL digital portal.

• Prerequisite: No team will be placed on the official match schedule until this agreement is signed.
• Binding Ethos: By signing, Captains explicitly agree to uphold Brand Stewardship, Professional Leadership, Squad Accountability, and Official Communication Protocols.
• Enforcement: Failure to comply with the signed Agreement will trigger disciplinary actions under Section 5.3 (Sanction Menu), Section 9.4 (Captain Penalty), and Section 12.0 (Community Policy), including team point deductions, stripping of captaincy, or seasonal bans.

Each team is limited to a maximum of 5 men + 5 women and a minimum of 2 men + 2 women on match day.

Matches will consist of:

• GAME 1: Women's Doubles
• GAME 2: Men's Doubles
• GAME 3: Mixed Doubles - 1
• GAME 4: Mixed Doubles - 2
• GAME 5: Mixed Doubles - 3

No repeating pairs across Mixed Doubles games. One player can only play maximum, two mixed doubles matches. Before commencement of play, both teams need to provide their lineup and record on the score sheet. If a player is involved in two consecutive matches, the rest period should not last more than 5 minutes. Each Match will follow the game order above unless agreed by both teams.

1. Rally scoring will be used for each game to 21 game-points.
2. Serve location is based on the Serving Team's score (Odd on Left, Even scores on Right). The server changes sides upon consecutive points won.
3. Teams change sides when one team reaches 11 game-points.
4. First team to 21 game-points wins. NO win-on-serve required.
5. At 20/20, the next point will be played as a "sudden death" game-point. NO win-by-2. NO win-on-serve.
6. 2 League Points awarded to the match winner.
7. 1 League Point to the loser.
8. 0 League Points for match forfeit, walkovers and no-show.

1. 1 timeout per game per team (1 minute). Timeout can only be called by on-court players during the game. i.e. not call by captain/co-captain or any other non-playing players.

1. In the event of an injury during a game, a player may take a 10-minute injury timeout. A player may only take 1 injury timeout per match.

2. If the player is unable to continue the game, the team will lose that game. The opposing team will be awarded 21 points, and the retired team's score will be the score at the time of retirement. At least 1 point must have been played to be counted as a loss, otherwise the game is counted as a forfeit.

3. If there is a no-show/walkover by a team, the opposing team will be awarded 2 points. For the purpose of wildcard tie-breaker calculations, all 5 individual games of a forfeited match will be recorded as a 21-0 score in favor of the winning team.

4. Match starting time should be punctual. A walkover on the first game will be triggered against the team that causes a delay of more than 15 minutes. However, subject to mutual agreement, captains have the option to swap the sequence of the game to avoid the walkover.

1. Advance Match Details: At least 1 week prior to match day, the Home Team must notify the Away Team of the match venue/location, court surface type, designated ball type and color, directions to the courts, parking arrangements (if available), and any special instructions or club rules.
2. Venue Relocation: The Home Team may change the match location provided that at least 1 week's advance notice is given to the Away Team.
3. Guest Restrictions: The Home Team must confirm and communicate any club or venue limitations on the number of permitted guest visitors.
4. Team Leadership: The Home Team must appoint and identify a designated Captain or Acting Captain for the fixture.
5. Court Allocation: Home Teams are advised to allocate 150 minutes of court time if only 1 court is available, or 120 minutes if 2 courts are available.

6. Paddles - USPA/UPA approved. Challenges only permitted before the first game.
7. USPA approved balls relevant to the court surface.

1. Prohibited On-Court Conduct & Zero Tolerance Policy:

• Violence & Misconduct (ZERO TOLERANCE): HKPL enforces a STRICT ZERO TOLERANCE policy regarding physical violence, aggressive intimidation, or dangerous conduct. Throwing paddles, hitting balls intentionally at opponents/officials in anger, or damaging equipment/facilities is strictly prohibited and subject to immediate disciplinary action, including match default or league suspension, and or disqualification.
• Sportsmanship: Unsportsmanlike behavior, foul language, and abusive conduct will not be tolerated.
• Disruptions & Interference: Non-player interference, unapproved music or audio playback, and the use of mobile phones on court are strictly prohibited.
• Coaching & Game Play: Coaching is not permitted during play and is strictly restricted to designated time-outs. Players may not cross onto the opponent's court to check ball marks.
• Attire: Clothing matching the designated match ball color is not permitted.

2. Match Video Recording vs. Incident Evidence: ● Incident & Complaint Evidence: Brief photos, short video clips, or audio recordings specifically to document ongoing illegal, violent, abusive, or severe misconduct will serve as essential evidence to assist the Dispute Management Subcommittee to resolve any dispute that may arise during the match.

1. Captains can use the "Live Scoring" function to submit the digital scoresheet live on www.hkpl.com.hk OR use a traditional paper scoresheet and input the score post-match within 48 hours to the www.HKPL.com.hk via the Manager's or Captain's Dashboard.
2. Home and Away Team Captains are required to endorse digitally or the physical scoresheet for HKPL record keeping.
3. All scoresheets must include all player's DUPR-Registered Names & DUPR ID.

Disputes must be emailed to info@hkpl.com.hk by a Captain/Co-Captain from their registered email address within 48 hours of score publication. Anonymous complaints, and complaints from non-registered emails, will not be accepted or actioned. No late submissions accepted.

The DM & PM SC holds final and binding authority on all disputes, eligibility questions, and rule interpretations. Where these rules are silent or ambiguous, the DM & PM SC interpretation governs and decisions are final and non-appealable.

Where the DM & PM SC determines a result is compromised (ineligible player, unresolvable dispute, or court non-compliance found after play), it may order a rematch: played at a Neutral Court, with an HKPL referee present, court + referee costs split 50/50 between the two teams/clubs/associations.

The DM & PM SC reserves the right to impose disciplinary sanctions on individual players, team captains, or entire clubs/associations for violations of the HKPL Rules and Regulations, Code of Conduct, or general sportsmanship standards.

1. Standard Sanction Menu Depending on the severity and nature of the infraction, the DM & PM SC may apply one or more of the following actions:

• Game/Match Disqualifications (Forfeit): Any match or individual game involving an ineligible, unregistered, or suspended player will be declared an immediate forfeit (recorded as 21–0 in favor of the non-offending team).
• League Point Deductions: Deduction of accumulated League Points from a team's seasonal standings for severe non-compliance or repeated administrative breaches.
• Player Suspensions: Temporary suspension of a player from participating in any capacity across all HKPL divisions for a specified number of matches or time period.
• Outright Bans: Multi-season or permanent bans from all HKPL events for gross misconduct.
• Team Disqualification: Complete removal of a team from the ongoing season (with all remaining fixtures recorded as forfeits).
• Club / Venue Disqualification: Suspension or prohibition of a club or venue from hosting HKPL fixtures in the event of repeated venue clearance failures or structural non-compliance.

2. Immediate Zero-Tolerance Offenses Immediate suspension, match default, or outright ban will be issued by the DM & PM SC for:

• Physical violence, attempted violence, or aggressive intimidation towards players, officials, or spectators.
• Equipment abuse (e.g., throwing paddles, intentionally damaging court facilities or equipment).
• Severe abuse, hate speech, or obscene language directed at opponents or event staff.
• Public Slander & Defamation: Slander, libel, or targeted public attacks against HKPL, its board, officials, or event operations on public group chats (e.g., WhatsApp, Telegram, WeChat) or social media platforms.
• Intentional sandbagging or rating manipulation.

In case of adverse weather on the competition day, the home team and away captains have the right to decide whether the games can continue in a safe manner. Either captain can request a postponement due to unsafe weather and court conditions that could lead to injury.

Any unfinished games will be replayed at a later date; this must be completed before or during the season's Rain-Off Week, before playoffs. Both teams must agree on a date that can accommodate players.

Postponements fall into three distinct categories:

Applies only to outdoor courts. Decided ≥2 hours pre-match by mutual agreement of both captains. (Indoor matches are never postponeable due to rain unless 6.1(b)). Proceed to 6.2 Rescheduling Procedure.

Automatic upon a T8 or Black or Red Rainstorm signal, for any court type, in line with HK law and player safety HKPL will not require players to travel during a natural-disaster signal. Proceed to 6.2 Rescheduling Procedure.

Permitted only for a Valid Reason (Listed in 6.1(d)) approved by the DM & PM SC. A Home Team postponement of an already-agreed match date requested within 14 days of that date requires a Valid Reason; postponement requests are to be made via the Captain’s or Club Manager’s Portal on HKPL website.

1. Venue force majeure — the club's court becomes genuinely unavailable through no fault of the team (e.g. facility closure, emergency double-booking by the club), with supporting evidence.
2. Anything else is at DM & PM SC discretion. "Not enough players available" is explicitly not a valid reason (that is a forfeit under 1.1).

DM & PM SC has final decision on all approval or disapproval of postponements.

When the postponement of a match is triggered from 6.1 (a)(b)(c) happens before Rain-Off Week (Final Week of Group Stage), the following procedures must be followed:

1. Round 1 - Home Team offers: within 48 hrs of the postponed match start time, Home Team must offer 2 dates, within 21 days from the Original Match Date. (Penalty: If no response from the Home Team within 48 hrs than the match will automatically be assigned to the first available Designated HKPL Neutral Court)

2. Away Team responds: within 48 hrs of Home Team offer (Round 1) accept one or reject both.

3. Round 2 - Home Team offers: If both are rejected by Away Team, within 24 hrs of Away Team Response. HomeTeam must offer 2 further different dates within 30 days from the Original Match Date. (Total 2 dates. Round 1 dates can be disregarded)

4. Away Team final election: within 24 hrs of Home Team Offer (Round 2), either

(a) accept one of the two (Round 2) dates, or

(b) elect to play at the “First Available” Designated HKPL Neutral Court. Away and Home Team will bare the cost evenly of the Designated HKPL Neutral Court

Definitions:

● First Available: First available court can take place Monday to Sunday, 8am to 12am.

● Designated HKPL Neutral Courts: Fixed fee of HK$2,000 for 3 hours paid directly to the venue, within 24 hours of invoice issuance (Price to be split 50/50 between Home & Away Team). If the payment is not made, both teams automatically forfeit the outstanding match.

● Non-compliance: Any team unable to attend the first available designated HKPL neutral court will response in the forfeit of the match (0 League Points)

● Rain-Off Week Override: Rain-Off Week automatically overrides Section 6.2(1-4). If Rain-Off falls within your booking period (21 days / 30 Days), the Home Team must contact HKPL via the Captain’s or Club Manager’s Portal and HKPL will provide the “First Available” Designated HKPL Neutral Court. (Cost-Recovery for Neutral Court to be split 50/50 between Home & Away Team)

● Neutral Courts require ≥14 days' lead booking time. If a rain-off/postponement occurs so close to Rain-Off Week that no Neutral Court can be secured in time, the party responsible for booking who cannot secure it forfeits the match.

A suspended game is resumed from the score at the point of suspension, not restarted. Completed games stand.

1. The team with the highest total of League Points will be the winner of their division.
2. If 2 teams have won the same League Points, the winner of their head-to-head match will be ranked higher.
3. If more than 2 teams have the same number of League Points, the ranking will be determined by most GAMES won during the season (and not just head-to-head).
4. If the winner remains undecided, the rankings will be determined by most NET-POINTS (game-point differential) (even if the match was a loss). [Calculating Formula: NET-POINTS = game-points won - game-points lost].
5. If the result is still the same, a re-match for the teams concerned will be arranged. [This item only applies to teams in the preliminary round].

(HKPL Sub-committee for DM & PM will update this section in a coming update)

DIV A: The top 4 ranking teams in each group will qualify for post-season (starting at quarterfinals).

DIV B: The top ranking team in each group will qualify for post-season (starting at quarterfinals).

DIV C: The top ranking team in each group will qualify for post-season (starting at quarterfinals).

DIV M: The top 4 ranking teams in each group will qualify for post-season (starting at quarterfinals).

1. The team with the highest total of League Points will be top seed of the division
2. If more than 2 teams have the same number of League Points, the ranking will be determined by most GAMES won during the season.
3. If the seeding remains undecided, the rankings will be determined by most NET-POINTS (game-point differential) (even if the match was a loss). [Calculating Formula: NET-POINTS = game-points won – game-points lost].
4. If the result is still the same, a decision will be made by the DM & PM SC.
5. Team with the higher seeding will be designated as Home Team. Home Team are required to provide a Home Court as per (§ 1.0.8.3)

1. Players must have played at least 2 matches in the season to be eligible for the playoffs.
2. A substituted player to play in a higher division in the play-offs will not be allowed to represent the original division team in play-offs. Violation will cause both teams (A&B or B&C) disqualification.

Teams with 2 or more no-shows/forfeits in a season will be flagged for DM & PM SC to review ahead of the following season (re: continued eligibility/placement). No in-season point penalty applies.

1. Appropriate attire required.
2. Non-marking shoes mandatory.
3. No ball-color matching clothing worn on court (home team declares ball color).

Registering or playing under more than one DUPR account is prohibited. A flagged player must provide proof of account merge before being cleared to play. Regardless of any merge, the highest of the two or more ratings governs eligibility.

● Immediate Disqualification & Seasonal Ban: A player found guilty of this violation will immediately face disqualification from the ongoing competition and a ban for the remainder of the season.

● Escalation for Denial & False Statements: If a player denies the infraction—causing HKPL to expend time and resources on formal investigation and verification—and is subsequently proven guilty, the HKPL DM & PM SC will evaluate the severity of the misconduct and impose additional sanctions pursuant to Section 5.3a (Standard Sanction Menu):

○ Game/Match Forfeiture: All matches or individual games involving the non-compliant player will be declared an immediate forfeit (recorded as 21–0 in favor of the non-offending team).

○ League Point Deductions: Deduction of accumulated League Points from the player's team standings.

○ Extended Player Suspensions: Multi-match or extended suspensions applied across all HKPL divisions.

○ Outright Bans: Multi-season or permanent expulsion from all HKPL events and sanctioned tournaments.

If two (2) or more distinct players within a single team are found guilty of this violation within a single season, that team will begin the following HKPL season with a deduction of two League Point as penalty.

● Captains' Misconduct & Cover-Ups: HKPL reserves the right to take appropriate disciplinary action against a Team Captain or Co-Captain if they are determined to have played an active or extensive role in orchestrating lies, concealing violations, covering up player non-compliance, or any other misconduct or behavior that the DM & PM SC interprets as intolerable.

● Breach of Ethos: Such conduct constitutes a direct violation of the Captains' Ethos and the Captains' Agreement, subjecting the Captain to individual sanctions under Section 5.3a, including official reprimands, removal from team leadership, or personal match/seasonal/permanent suspensions.

HKPL and its Sponsors assume no liability for injuries/damages. By participating, players agree to: HKPL Rules & Regulations, media/promotional use of images, DUPR data sharing for ratings.

PLAYERS PLAY AT THEIR OWN RISK AND HKPL WILL NOT BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR INJURIES AND/OR DAMAGES.

By participating in HKPL, all players hereby grant to the HKPL, its organizers, sponsors, and affiliates (collectively, "Released Parties") the irrevocable, perpetual, royalty-free, worldwide right and permission to photograph, record, film, and otherwise capture my likeness, voice, and participation (collectively, "Images") during League events, matches, and related activities...

The Hong Kong Pickleball League (HKPL) believes that a positive, constructive, and respectful working relationship between the League administration, Clubs, Teams, and individual Players is essential to fulfilling our mission of growing the sport and ensuring fair, enjoyable competition.

Participation in the HKPL is a privilege, not a right. By registering for any HKPL event or league, or by joining an affiliated Club/Team, all members agree to adhere to the Community Partnership and Communication Guidelines outlined below.

To ensure issues are handled efficiently and professionally, concerns regarding league operations, officiating, opposing players, or policies must be addressed through the designated League sequence of communication:

1. Direct Resolution: Attempt to resolve minor disputes respectfully at the club or individual level first, where appropriate.
2. Official Channels: Substantive grievances, official complaints, or policy questions must be directed to HKPL administration via official email (info@hkpl.com.hk) or the designated web forms.

It is strictly prohibited to bypass these channels by using public forums to air unresolved grievances.

The HKPL maintains various digital platforms (including, but not limited to, the HKPL website, official Facebook pages/groups, Instagram, WhatsApp/Telegram community chats, and other social media channels) to foster community, share news, and celebrate the sport.

These platforms are not venues for personal aggrandizement, persistent negativity, or unfiltered criticism. All Members (Players, Club representatives, and associated spectators) agree to the following:

1. No "Airing of Grievances": Members shall not use HKPL public platforms or mass group chats to air private concerns, criticize specific players/officials, or lobby for policy changes outside of established procedures. Constructive feedback should be sent via official channels (see Section 12.2).
2. Prohibition on Persistent Negativity: The HKPL has a zero-tolerance policy for individuals who habitually use League platforms to spread negativity, disrupt community harmony, or use the platform purely to "hear their own voice" to the detriment of the group experience.
3. Respect and Confidentiality: Members must respect the confidentiality of disciplinary processes and sensitive league matters. Posting private communications without permission, or "doxxing" other members, is forbidden.
4. Cyberbullying and Harassment: Any form of harassment, bullying, hate speech, or personal attacks directed at players, officials, or league administrators on any digital platform will result in immediate disciplinary action.

The HKPL reserves the right to determine what constitutes a violation of these communication guidelines. The League is committed to protecting the majority of positive members from the toxic behavior of a few.

The following disciplinary actions are available to the DM & PM SC. These are options, not a mandatory sequence. The DM & PM SC may apply any one of them — up to and including a Permanent Ban as a first and only sanction — where the severity, frequency, or ongoing risk of the conduct warrants it. The DM & PM SC is not required to issue a lesser sanction first.

1. Written Warning — formal notification of the violation and a reminder of the policy.
2. Platform Muting/Removal — temporary or permanent removal from HKPL social media pages and group chats.
3. Competition Suspension — temporary ban from participating in HKPL leagues, tournaments, and events.

Serious or repeated harassment, bullying, hate speech, threats, or personal attacks (whether directed at players, officials, or administrators, and whether on a single occasion or as a pattern) constitute egregious violations for which the DM & PM SC may impose an immediate Competition Suspension or Permanent Ban, bypassing all lesser sanctions.

This policy applies to all conduct by members on HKPL platforms and in connection with HKPL activities, including conduct that occurred in prior seasons. The DM & PM SC may review and act upon documented conduct from any past season where that conduct would constitute a violation under this policy, and where the member remains or seeks to remain associated with the League. DM & PM SC decisions under this Section are final and non-appealable (see 5.1).

Contact:

Email: info@hkpl.com.hk

Website: www.hkpl.com.hk

The Hong Kong Pickleball League (HKPL) operates not merely as a tournament provider, but as the primary steward of the regional pickleball ecosystem. All provisions within these Rules & Regulations shall be interpreted through the lens of the League's five core strategic pillars:

• Inclusivity: Lowering barriers to entry and welcoming players across all skill levels, backgrounds, and demographics.
• Unity: Unifying local clubs, commercial facilities, and player associations into a single cohesive, collaborative ecosystem.
• Building Community: Prioritizing long-term social cohesion, sportsmanship, and lasting camaraderie above winning at all costs.
• Elevating Playing Standards: Promoting structured, high-integrity competition and player development across all skill divisions.
• Asia Pickleball Hub: Establishing Hong Kong as the premier regional center of excellence for pickleball in Asia.

"The Hong Kong Pickleball League (HKPL) is dedicated to unifying Hong Kong's pickleball ecosystem by building an inclusive community, fostering collaboration among local clubs, and cultivating lasting camaraderie among players. By providing structured, competitive team play, we aim to elevate playing standards, enhance the sport's visibility, and establish Hong Kong as the premier pickleball hub of Asia."

Members of the Dispute Management & Policy Making Sub-Committee act with supreme administrative authority under Section 5.1. In exercising this authority, committee members are strictly bound by the following standards:

• Absolute Impartiality & Zero Favoritism: Rulings must be rendered strictly on evidence, procedural propriety, and codified rules. Personal affiliations, club memberships, or commercial relationships shall never influence an adjudication.
• Diplomatic & Constructive Approach: The committee prioritizes de-escalation, conflict resolution, and solution-oriented dialogue over punitive measures wherever possible.
• High Emotional Intelligence (EQ): Demonstrating self-regulation, neutrality, and empathy when managing high-stakes league decisions or sensitive inter-club disputes.
• Meticulous Attention to Detail: Exercising thoroughness in rule drafting, evidence gathering, and incident report analysis.
• Verbally & Written Eloquent: Communicating decisions with precision, clarity, and utmost respect to ensure all stakeholders feel heard and respected.
• Political Acumen: Navigating community dynamics, club interests, and sports diplomacy with nuance and strategic vision.

Captains and Co-Captains are the primary leaders of the HKPL ecosystem on the ground and serve as an extension of the League's leadership structure.

• Stewardship of League Reputation: Captains are guardians of the HKPL brand. Direct antagonism, public disrespect, or inciting discord among teams is a material breach of this stewardship.
• High EQ & Professionalism: Captains must model calm, objective, and de-escalating behavior during high-tension match play and administrative interactions.
• Accountability & Culture Setting: Captains are directly responsible for enforcing player discipline and ensuring their squad adheres to the HKPL Player Ethos.
• Constructive Alignment & Protocol Adherence: All disputes, grievances, or administrative inquiries must be directed exclusively through official HKPL channels (via info@hkpl.com.hk or the league portal). Public criticism, social media attacks, or group chat slander are strictly prohibited and constitute grounds for immediate removal under Section 9.4.

Every player registered in an HKPL competition is bound to uphold three non-negotiable principles:

• Integrity in Competition: Respecting line calls, upholding rules, honoring opponents, and accepting officiating decisions with grace.
• Passionate Engagement: Competing with maximum intensity while preserving the friendly, community-first spirit that defines pickleball.
• Mutual Respect: Treating opponents, teammates, volunteers, referees, and spectators with dignity at all times.