Rules of Conduct

Last updated March 6, 2026

For Players, Coaches, Officials, Staff and Vendors

Effective Date: March 6, 2025

Values

INTENNSE values the spirit of competition, fair play, respect, integrity, teamwork, inclusivity and having fun around the sport of tennis. The actions by players, coaches, officials, staff and vendors of INTENNSE are expected to exemplify these values. The values are integral to how we interact with one another in the tennis community and elevate the sport.

Conduct

Compliance with the below Rules of Conduct are required of INTENNSE players, coaches, officials, staff and vendors.

In General

  1. Respect the rights of every person including teammates, opponents, coaches, officials, staff, vendors and spectators.
  2. Protect the integrity of the sport by ensuring your actions are aligned with the sport, INTENNSE values, and the state and federal laws.
  3. Do not engage in behavior that results in the harassment, abuse (physical, verbal, sexual or otherwise), provocation, bullying, hazing, or stalking of others.
  4. Refrain from any action which is likely to discriminate against any other person based on a protected class, including gender, race, color, disability, age, religious or political belief, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, marital or civil partnership status, or pregnancy.
  5. Do not argue with the decision of coaches or officials.
  6. Avoid inappropriate conduct such as offensive language and gestures, particularly around minor athletes.
  7. Use the facilities and equipment with care.
  8. Do not use inside information to benefit yourself or any other person.
  9. Act responsibly in the use of INTENNSE information and funds.
  10. Never engage in match fixing including tanking matches, data manipulation or other cheating behaviors. Use best efforts to win in competition.
  11. Do not violate the rules of the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU), Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP), or Tennis Anti-Doping Programme (TADP), and do not engage in illegal substance abuse.
  12. Do not engage in sports betting in the field of tennis, and do not engage in betting of any kind during competitions.
  13. Avoid using "INTENNSE" in your social media handles unless INTENNSE grants you prior written consent.
  14. Do not use photographic or recording devices in locker rooms, changing areas or other similar designated area for changing clothes or undressing.
  15. No audio or video recordings are permitted during meetings or training sessions unless authorized in advance in writing by INTENNSE. INTENNSE will arrange all recordings as it deems necessary.
  16. Disparagement of INTENNSE, its officers, directors, employees or affiliates is prohibited.
  17. In-person meetings are not permitted to be conducted in hotel rooms.

Interactions with Minor Athletes

Federal law requires certain sports organizations to implement reasonable procedures to limit one-on-one interactions between a minor athlete and an adult who is not the minor's legal guardian, except in emergency circumstances. A minor athlete is an INTENNSE athlete under the age of 18 years old. In addition, federal law and select state laws require mandatory reporting of suspected child abuse to a sports organization and law enforcement authorities within 24 hours. Therefore, INTENNSE players, coaches, officials, staff and vendors who are adults must comply with the following Rules pertaining to minor athletes.

  1. Make all interactions between an adult and a minor athlete observable and interruptible. Observable means the interaction must be easily seen by another person (adult or minor), and interruptible means the interaction must be easily stopped by another person.
  2. Use best efforts to avoid one-on-one interactions between an adult and a minor athlete, except in emergency circumstances.
  3. Avoid physical contact with minor athletes, except in the administering of medical services. For training and coaching purposes, use verbal instruction and only use physical contact in a public place with minor athletes in rare circumstances where it is helpful to the skill development of the minor athlete and not for the emotional or other benefit of the adult.
  4. In administering medical services to minor athletes, the door can be closed to protect patient privacy, but it must remain unlocked. In all cases, the minor athlete must be fully or partially clothed, ensuring that the breasts, buttocks, groin or genitals are always covered.
  5. Always allow parents or legal guardians to observe individual training sessions and be in the room for the administering of medical services.
  6. Provide a semi-private or private place to change clothes or undress for minor athletes at events or facilities.
  7. An adult should never shower with minor athletes.
  8. An adult is prohibited from giving gifts or special favors or privileges to minor athletes. Gifts given to all minor athletes equally for motivational or educational purposes are permitted.
  9. One-on-one electronic communications between an adult and minor athlete must be open and transparent. Open and transparent means the adult copies or includes the minor athlete's parent or legal guardian, or another adult family member of the minor athlete, or another adult participant in the communication. This is true even if the minor athlete communicates to the adult first.
  10. An adult must have prior written consent, at least annually, from the parent or legal guardian to transport a minor. In these cases, the adult is required to be accompanied by another adult or at least two minors who are at least 8 years old.
  11. Alleged violations of these Rules pertaining to minors must be reported immediately (within 24 hours) to an officer of INTENNSE and to law enforcement (if the matter involves possible criminal conduct). This includes reporting any adult who learns of information and reasonably suspects that a minor athlete has suffered an incident of child abuse.

Consequences

Any alleged misconduct of these Rules will be reviewed by INTENNSE. If found to be in violation of codes of conduct or other such rules, consequences will range from warnings and penalties to suspension or termination of your relationship with INTENNSE. If your conduct is found to be criminal in nature, you may be subject to prosecution under state and federal laws.