Beer bet.
Does anyone have a link to the FINA rule that explains how automated equipment is used to judge relay take offs?
The FINA rules I've been able to find on-line first point you to section SW 13.1, which then points you to FR 4. But FR 4 doesn't address it.
I need the link to the explict FINA paragraph to win my beer.
I already have the undocumented statement from the Washington Post April 1, 2007.
"Officials ruled Crocker left 0.01 of a second earlier than the allowable start time. Crocker got off the blocks with a reaction time of -0.04 of a second. The most allowed is -0.03."
Thanks
Let me also clarify that there is a difference between the timing system detecting an early take-off, and actually being DQed. It all depends on your rule book.
Under the NCAA rule book, if your exchange (subject to manufacturer's margin publications) is +0.09 (safe) through -0.09 (early), then the timing system wins always. I.e., if a Daktronics or Colorado relay exchange detects -0.01 in a NCAA meet, it is an automatic disqualification. Presumably, with an Omega system, -0.04 is an automatic disqualification.
The USA Swimming and USMS rule books don't have anything nearly so clear. Use of relay exchange pads is subject to a little more interpretation. The guidance that we have used in New England, which we are told has become the defacto standard across the country, is that it requires a dual confirm still to DQ. The relay pad can be one half of a dual confirm. I.e., if automated equipment says "early", then it requires a human to dual confirm it. Generally, we have practiced the standard that the relay pad can also save you. For example, if two human officials call an early take-off, but the automated equipment says +0.01, then that overrules the officials.
The FINA rule book doesn't get into specifics, but it appears that for things like the Olympics, that the automated equipment wins. I have not observed human officials doing visual relay exchange judging at the Olympics in some time. It appears that in a dispute, they would go to video replay.
-Rick
Let me also clarify that there is a difference between the timing system detecting an early take-off, and actually being DQed. It all depends on your rule book.
Under the NCAA rule book, if your exchange (subject to manufacturer's margin publications) is +0.09 (safe) through -0.09 (early), then the timing system wins always. I.e., if a Daktronics or Colorado relay exchange detects -0.01 in a NCAA meet, it is an automatic disqualification. Presumably, with an Omega system, -0.04 is an automatic disqualification.
The USA Swimming and USMS rule books don't have anything nearly so clear. Use of relay exchange pads is subject to a little more interpretation. The guidance that we have used in New England, which we are told has become the defacto standard across the country, is that it requires a dual confirm still to DQ. The relay pad can be one half of a dual confirm. I.e., if automated equipment says "early", then it requires a human to dual confirm it. Generally, we have practiced the standard that the relay pad can also save you. For example, if two human officials call an early take-off, but the automated equipment says +0.01, then that overrules the officials.
The FINA rule book doesn't get into specifics, but it appears that for things like the Olympics, that the automated equipment wins. I have not observed human officials doing visual relay exchange judging at the Olympics in some time. It appears that in a dispute, they would go to video replay.
-Rick
