Code of Ethics
Georgia Officials Athletic Association (GOAA) Code of Ethics

The purposes of the Georgia Officials Athletic Association (GOAA) Code of Ethics are briefly summarized through the following provisions:

First, to provide our members a meaningful set of guidelines for their professional conduct and to provide them with agreed-upon standards of practice.

Second, to provide to others (i.e. players, coaches, administrators, fans, media) criteria by which to judge our actions as “professionals.”

GOAA has adopted this Code and strongly urges its members and officials to adhere to its principles. By doing so, notice is given that we recognize the need to preserve and encourage confidence in the professionalism of officiating. This confidence must first be fostered within the “community” of officials and then within the public generally.

GOAA believes the integrity of officiating rests on the integrity and ethical conduct of each individual official. This integrity and conduct are the very basis of the future, well-being and growth of sports competition and the effectiveness of this Association. The Association shall, by programs of education and other means, encourage acceptance and implementation of these Articles.

To these ends, GOAA declares acceptance of this Code:

ARTICLE I – Our officials must be free of obligation to any interest other than the impartial and fair judging of sports competitions. Without equivocation, game decisions, which are slanted by personal bias, are dishonest and unacceptable.

ARTICLE II - Our officials recognize that anything which may lead to a conflict of interest, either real or apparent, must be avoided. Gifts, favors, special treatment, privileges, employment or a personal relationship with a school or team, which can compromise the perceived impartiality of officiating, must be avoided.

ARTICLE III – Our officials have an obligation to treat other officials with professional dignity and courtesy and recognize that it is inappropriate to criticize other officials publicly.

ARTICLE IV – Our officials have a responsibility to continuously seek self-improvement through study of the game, rules, mechanics and the techniques of game management. They have a responsibility to accurately represent their qualifications and abilities when requesting or accepting officiating assignments.

ARTICLE V - Our officials shall not be party to actions designed to unfairly limit or restrain access to officiating, officiating assignments or association membership. This includes selection for positions of leadership based upon economic factors, race, creed, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, physical handicap, country or national origin.

ARTICLE VI – Our officials must maintain a high level of personal conduct, not only at game sites, but in their personal life and accordingly must not engage in any criminal, dishonest, disgraceful, or immoral conduct, or any other conduct which might reasonably adversely affect the association, our relations with the schools, teams, players, other officials or the public.