The aim of this site is to popularise the idea of a Diplomacy World Cup, a regular Internet Tournament in which teams are organized along the principle of national origin. The following Charter is a draft document, circulated for comment. A Discussion list has been set up at http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/DiplomacyWorldCup/ to facilitate discussions on this issue. Please subscribe.

The Diplomacy World Cup Charter

  1. Preamble

    In Most sports, the highest form of competitive play is the International, the Test Match, The World Cup, in which national teams compete to see which nation is the best in the World at their chosen sport. In Diplomacy there are tournaments, both face to face, and via the Internet in which players from many nations compete. There have been tournaments in which players are geographically chosen. However, there is no truly national team competition akin to a World Cup.

    The aim of this charter is to set out some of the basic guidelines and principles which could be used to sanction tournaments which operate as a World Cup of Diplomacy.

  2. Definitions

    1. The Diplomacy World Cup

      An Internet tournament organized on a regular basis, hosted by any site, in which teams competing are organized on the basis of the nationality of the players. Hereinafter referred to as The World Cup.

    2. The World Cup Council

      A controlling body made up of eight people, elected at the time of the preceding World Cup, and given responsibility for organizing the next World Cup, for receiving and deciding Bids, for hearing Appeals and ensuring that the Charter is upheld. Herein after known as the WCC.

    3. Host Sites

      Any organization, club, or Internet community which applies for, and is granted the Charter to host a World Cup Tournament. In principle the aim should be to rotate the host site amongst the sites capable of hosting a World Cup Tournament.

    4. World Cup Tournaments

      Any tournament run as a World Cup, staged by a Host Site. The Tournament may be run via a forum, Play By E-Mail, or via a judge, or any medium accepatble to the World Cup Council.

    5. World Cup Bids

      A Bid by any Host Site to stage a World Cup Tournament. Bids should include details of the tournament rules and scoring system to be used.


  3. The World Cup Council

    1. Membership

      The WCC shall consist of eight members elected by all interested players at the time of a World Cup. It is intended that WCC members should be prominent members of the Diplomacy community.

    2. The Election of Members

      The WCC shall be elected by poll or ballot in an election overseen by the out-going WCC, one of whose members will be appointed as a scrutineer. There will be a period during which candidates are nominated, of not less than three weeks. There will be a period for voting by whatever means of not less than two weeks.

    3. Term of Duty

      The WCC assumes office immediately after the election has been declared, and is disolved upon the declaration of the next WCC, serving for the term of one World Cup only. Should the WCC fail to stage a World Cup within two calendar years, it is considered dissolved, and a new election should be called.

    4. The Duties and Responsibilities of the WCC

      The WCC shall be formed for the sole purpose of:

      1. Calling for bids to host a World Cup.

      2. Assessing Bids received and deciding which Host Site will host the World Cup by simple majority.

      3. Hearing all Appeals against this decision by appointing three independent mediators to decide if the process was fair.

      4. Ensuring that the Host Site is discharging its duties responsibly, and re-awarding the World Cup should it deem necessary to do so.

      5. Deciding any adjustments to the Rules and format for the World Cup Tournament along with the Host Site. The WCC has a final say in approving any changes to the rules, regulations, format and scoring system laid out in the Bid.

      6. Hearing all appeals relaing to the running of the World Cup Tournament.

      7. Electing a scrutineer and running the election for the next WCC as soon as the World Cup is over.


    5. Chairmanship of the WCC

      The WCC, once elected, shall decide amongst its own members who will chair the WCC, and any other portfolios it may deem necessary to ceate. The WCC may also co-opt members as deemed necessary, or delegate duties as it sees fit.


  4. World Cup Tournaments

    To qualify as a World Cup Tournament, the following criteria must be met:

    1. The Tournament must be open to all eligible team entries, seeking to be as inclusive as possible.

    2. The Tournament must run to completion according to the rules and regulations approved in the Bid.


  5. World Cup Teams

    To qualify as a World Cup Team, the following criteria must be met:

    1. The Team should consist only of eligible players

    2. The Team should be oragnized around the principle of common nationality


  6. Eligibility

    Players are eligible to play for a World Cup Team if:

    1. they share a common nationality by passport, residency or birth

    2. they share a common regional affiliation should insufficient players be available to represent a nation. For example a player from Argentina might represent a South American Team.

    3. they share a common regional affiliation should too many players be available to represent a nation. For example a player from the United States of America might represent an East Coast USA team.

    4. Should a player change affiliation from one World Cup Tournament to another to a team not bounded by the player's original nationality or residence. This change must be approved by the WCC. No such approval is necessary if a player representing USA East Coast in one tournament subsequently gets chosen for a combined USA team, or indeed for a West Coast Team following a change of residency within a national boundary.


  7. Scoring Systems

    The Scoring Systems used will advertised and known before the World Cup Tournament begins. It will make part of any Bid, and will be approved by the WCC. Preference will be shown to scoring systems that emphasize solo victories.

  8. Amendments

    An amendment to this charter shall be proposed by a two thirds majority of the WCC and shall be ratified by either a unanimous vote of the serving WCC or by a two thirds majority of the next elected WCC.