Protests and Dispute Resolution

Sometimes a score gets recorded incorrectly, or a player believes a match result does not reflect what actually happened. ServeLeague includes a built-in protest system that lets players flag disputed results and gives administrators a clear workflow to investigate and resolve them. This tutorial walks you through the entire process, from submitting a protest to resolving it as an admin.

Who Can Submit a Protest?

Any player who participated in a match can submit a protest on that match's result. Protests are available as long as the session has not been finalized. Once a session is finalized, scores are locked and ratings have been calculated, so protests can no longer be submitted.

[!NOTE] If a session has already been finalized and you discover an error, the admin will need to un-finalize the session first before a protest can be submitted or scores can be corrected. See Running Your First Session for details on finalization.

Step 1: Submit a Protest

Open the session page and find the match you want to dispute in the Matches tab. Each played match card displays the scores and the recorded winner.

Click the three-dot menu (⋮) on the match card, then select Protest Result. A form will appear asking you to describe the issue.

The Protest Result button visible in the match card menu

Filling in the Protest Form

In the protest form, you will see:

  • Match details at the top, showing both players and the currently recorded score.
  • A Reason text box where you describe what went wrong (for example, "The score for Game 3 was entered as 11-9 but it was actually 11-7").

Be as specific as you can. Mention which game was affected and what the correct score should be. The more detail you provide, the easier it is for the admin to resolve the issue quickly.

When you are ready, click Submit Protest.

Protest submission form with match details and a reason text box

[!TIP] You can submit a protest even if you won the match. Accuracy matters more than the outcome, and correcting scores ensures ratings are fair for everyone.

Step 2: What the Admin Sees

When a protest is submitted, the match card immediately shows a Protest badge in orange. This helps admins spot disputed matches at a glance while reviewing the session.

An orange Protest badge displayed on a match card

Admins can also see a count of pending protests in the session header. Clicking this count scrolls directly to the first protested match.

Pending Protests List

From the session dashboard, admins can filter the match list to show only protested matches. This is especially helpful in large sessions with many matches where a single badge might be hard to spot.

Step 3: Resolve the Protest

Click the Protest badge on the match card (or the Resolve button next to it). The resolve protest form will appear, showing:

  • The original recorded score
  • The player's protest reason
  • Who submitted the protest and when

Admin resolve protest form showing the protest reason and resolution options

Your Options

As an admin, you have two choices:

  1. Accept the protest: You agree the result is incorrect. You will be prompted to correct the scores right away. After saving the corrected scores, the match card updates to reflect the new result.

  2. Dismiss the protest: You have reviewed the claim and believe the recorded result is correct. Enter a brief explanation so the player understands why their protest was not upheld (for example, "Confirmed with both players that the original score was correct").

In both cases, click Submit Resolution to close the protest.

[!WARNING] If the session has not been finalized yet, accepting a protest and correcting scores will not affect ratings. Ratings are only calculated at finalization. However, if scores were already used in a finalized session, you will need to un-finalize, correct the scores, and re-finalize to recalculate ratings.

Step 4: After Resolution

Once resolved, the protest badge changes to show the outcome:

  • Accepted protests display a green checkmark and the corrected scores.
  • Dismissed protests display a grey icon with the admin's response.

Both the original player and the admin can see the full protest history on the match card, including the reason, the resolution, and any score changes.

A resolved protest showing the outcome and admin response

Protest Visibility

  • Players can see protests they submitted and protests on matches they participated in.
  • Admins can see all protests across the session.
  • Other players who were not involved in the match cannot see the protest details. They will only see the final, corrected score.

This keeps disputes private between the involved parties while ensuring transparency for those affected.

Best Practices for Fair Dispute Resolution

  • Respond promptly. Players appreciate knowing their concern was heard. Try to resolve protests before the next session.
  • Gather evidence. If possible, check with both players involved before making a decision. A quick conversation often clears things up.
  • Be transparent. When dismissing a protest, explain your reasoning. A brief, respectful response goes a long way.
  • Encourage accuracy at entry time. Remind players to double-check scores when submitting. The best protest is one that never needs to happen.
  • Use the review step. ServeLeague shows a confirmation screen before saving scores. Encourage players to use it.

Summary

ServeLeague's protest system gives players a voice when something goes wrong with a match result, and gives admins the tools to investigate and resolve disputes fairly. Players submit protests with a reason, admins review and either accept or dismiss them, and everyone involved can see the outcome.

What's Next?

Now that you know how to handle disputes, learn how session finalization locks in results and calculates ratings in Finalizing a Session and Calculating Ratings.