Epic Poker League Standards and Conduct committee shakeup
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- Published October 13th, 2011 in Poker, Poker News
One of the biggest news stories revolving around the recently launched Epic Poker League has been the role that the league’s Standards and Conduct Committee has played over the first two tournaments. While many view the Standard & Conduct Committee as a step forward for poker, it seems that the idea looks a lot better on paper than in actual practice.
The committee was off the poker radar until Chino Rheem won the inaugural tournament and the S&C Committee was called in to examine Chino’s now famous debts.
The Chino situation was followed by Michael Divita’s disqualification after winning his way into the Main Event through the Pro/Am tournament at the second EPL tournament.
Even before tournament #3 of the Epic Poker League the Standard and Conduct Committee once again had to step in when it barred Howard Lederer and Chris Ferguson from competing in EPL events until the Full Tilt debacle was resolved.
Today we learned that the EPL Standards & Conduct Committee was going to undergo a change, but not a change in procedure, simply a change in personnel. Matt Glantz has been added to the Epic Poker League S&C Committee, and will take the place of Nick Schulman on the committee.
So, it appears it will be business as usual for the S&C Committee, which has already been involved in two controversial decisions (the decision to bar Lederer and Ferguson was widely, if not unanimously, accepted across the poker world).
Here is a look at a letter written by Matt Glantz that was released by the Epic Poker League:
To Annie Duke and the Standards & Conduct Committee:
I am extremely honored to accept this request by the Epic Poker League to join the select group of members that currently sit upon its Standards and Conduct Committee. I will be taking this position with the understanding that it will be my great responsibility to continuously deliver the voice of the poker community. When determinations are made in these important matters, my mission will not only be to support the league, but also to better the entire poker industry as a whole.
When I first was made aware of the creation of the Epic Poker League Standards and Conduct Committee some months ago, I was delighted that this void in the poker industry had now finally become a reality. There has never been a sport or game that has survived mainstream scrutiny without some sort of oversight. This establishment of a governing body has been long overdue. While numerous players have been vocal in their displeasure with some of the recent specific decisions by this committee, the committee itself is a necessary entity with a noble goal in mind — to “enhance professionalism in the game of poker everywhere”. This goal should be paramount to each and every top poker professional in the game today. This committee was created to benefit our industry and thus we as players should feel compelled to give it our support. I am hoping that my addition to the committee will help garner the backing and confidence among the community that is needed for the committee to succeed.
I will continue to make myself accessible to the poker community and I encourage all poker players at any level to convey your thoughts through me on future issues. I will do my very best to relay the messages and opinions of which I am presented. I am not only taking this position to serve the league, but even more importantly to represent the entire professional poker community.
I look forward to this endeavor and I am confident that I can help the Epic Poker League and this committee to set the highest standards for this game we all love. There is so much room to improve the way the public views poker. It is this responsibility in which we all share and we all must do our part.
Matt Glantz
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