Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how Padel Grind ("we", "us", "our") collects, uses, stores, and shares information when you use the Padel Grind mobile app and related services, including the website at padelgrind.co.za. We are committed to handling your personal information responsibly and in accordance with the Protection of Personal Information Act, 2013 (POPIA) and other applicable privacy laws.

Data responsible party: Padel Grind is the trading name of ROWETH (PTY) LTD, registration number 2026/340525/07. For privacy-related enquiries, contact us at support@padelgrind.co.za.

Information we collect

Account and profile information

• Name (first name, last name, and display name), email address, and sign-in credentials.
• Phone number, gender, external skill level, and external reliability rating.
• Competitive ranking points, division or tier, and pairing preference.
• Account creation date and last-updated timestamp.

Profile and league images

• Profile photos you choose to upload from your device's photo library.
• Cover images uploaded by league owners for leagues and seasons.
• Images are stored securely on Google Firebase Storage and referenced by a URL in your profile or league record.

Sign-in provider information

• If you sign in with Google, we receive your name and email address from Google.
• If you sign in with Apple, we receive your name and email address from Apple. Apple may provide a private relay email address at your discretion.
• We do not receive or store your Google or Apple account password.

League, season, and tournament activity

• League membership, roles (owner, player), and roster details.
• Season enrolment, activation status, fixtures, pairings, scores, and standings.
• In-app chat messages sent within league conversations.
• Season cancellation requests and their outcomes.

In-app purchase information

• When a league owner activates a season, the purchase is processed entirely by Apple App Store or Google Play. We do not collect or store your payment card details.
• We receive confirmation of a completed purchase from the platform (product ID, purchase reference, and verification status) solely to unlock the relevant season feature.

Push notification information

• Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) device tokens, which are stored against your account to deliver push notifications about league activity, matches, and updates.
• In-app notification status and read state.

Technical and usage information

• App version number, used to ensure compatibility and deliver relevant updates.
• Information necessary to operate, maintain, and secure the service.

Website usage

• IP addresses and standard web server log data collected automatically when you visit padelgrind.co.za, hosted via Google Firebase Hosting.
• This information is used solely for security monitoring and service operation and is not used to identify individual visitors.

How we use information

• Create and manage your account, and authenticate your identity.
• Provide and operate leagues, seasons, tournaments, matchmaking, scoring, and in-app chat.
• Display your profile, ranking, and activity to other users within your leagues.
• Process in-app purchases to unlock season features via Apple App Store or Google Play.
• Send push notifications, in-app alerts, and service-related communications.
• Store and display profile photos and league cover images.
• Maintain and improve app performance, reliability, and safety.
• Comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms of Service.

Legal basis for processing

We process your personal information on the following lawful grounds under POPIA:

• Contract performance — to provide the services you have signed up for, including league management and Season Host Pass activation.
• Legitimate interests — to operate and improve the app, ensure security, and communicate service updates, where these interests are not overridden by your rights.
• Consent — for optional features such as profile photos and push notifications. You may withdraw consent at any time without affecting any prior processing.
• Legal obligation — where we are required to process or retain information by applicable law.

Sharing of information

We do not sell personal information. We may share information in the following circumstances:

• Other users — your name, profile photo, ranking, and activity are visible to other members of leagues and seasons you participate in.
• Google Firebase (Google LLC) — we use Firebase Authentication, Firestore, Firebase Storage, and Firebase Cloud Messaging to host, store, and deliver the app. Firebase acts as a data processor on our behalf.
• Apple App Store / Google Play — in-app purchases are processed by Apple or Google. Their privacy policies govern payment data.
• Sign-in providers — Google and Apple receive authentication requests when you use their sign-in options. Their privacy policies govern how they handle this.
• Legal requirements — if required by law, court order, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of users or the public.

International data transfers

Padel Grind uses Google Firebase, whose servers may be located outside South Africa, including in the United States and Europe. By using the app, you acknowledge that your personal information may be transferred to and stored in countries with different data protection standards. We take reasonable steps to ensure that any such transfers are subject to appropriate safeguards consistent with POPIA.

Data retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the service. If you request deletion of your account, we will delete or anonymise your personal information within a reasonable period, except where we are required to retain it to comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, or enforce our agreements.

League activity records (fixtures, scores, standings, and chat messages) may be retained for the duration of the league's existence, even after you leave, as they form part of the shared competition record.

In-app purchase confirmation records are retained for a minimum of five years in accordance with financial record-keeping obligations.

Security

We use reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal information, including secure transmission (HTTPS), Firebase security rules, and access controls. However, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure. If you believe your account has been compromised, please contact us immediately.

Your rights

Under POPIA and applicable privacy law, you have the right to:

• Access — request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Correction — request that inaccurate or incomplete information be corrected. You can update most profile information directly in the app.
• Deletion (erasure) — request that we delete your personal information, subject to legal retention obligations.
• Objection — object to the processing of your personal information where we rely on legitimate interests as the legal basis.
• Restriction — request that we restrict processing of your personal information in certain circumstances.
• Data portability — request a copy of information you have provided to us in a structured, machine-readable format where technically feasible.
• Withdraw consent — where processing is based on consent (such as push notifications or profile photos), you may withdraw consent at any time through the app settings or by contacting us.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at support@padelgrind.co.za. We will respond within a reasonable time and no later than 30 days of receiving your request.

Right to complain

If you believe we have not handled your personal information in accordance with POPIA, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa:

• Website: inforegulator.org.za
• Email: inforeg@justice.gov.za

We encourage you to contact us first so we can try to resolve your concern directly.

Children's privacy

The Padel Grind app is not intended for use by children under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will take steps to delete it.

Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the effective date at the top of this page. For significant changes, we will notify users via in-app notification. Continued use of the app after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

Contact

Questions or requests relating to this Privacy Policy can be sent to support@padelgrind.co.za.

Padel Grind is the trading name of ROWETH (PTY) LTD. Registration number: 2026/340525/07.