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BGonline.org Forums
Time to stir the cauldron again... Appeals committee
Posted By: Chuck Bower
Date: Saturday, 24 October 2009, at 7:38 p.m.
(From the US Tournament Rules, Jan 2009):
6.3 APPEALS. A player may appeal a Director's ruling, but he must do so promptly while timely redress may still be obtained. To resolve an appeal, the Director shall convene a committee of three knowledgeable and disinterested backgammon players. The committee shall hear relevant testimony and arguments and may only overturn the Director's ruling by unanimous decision. This exhausts a player's right to appeal.
Two US ABT directors deny the usage of this rule when they hold their tournaments: Howard Markowitz and Patrick Gibson. As you all know, Patrick reads and posts here so I will let him give his reasons (which I've never discussed with him so I don't know them). Howard doesn't post here (to my knowledge) but I have heard him say why, and I repeat it here (hopefully correctly).
Apparently Howard had a ruling overturned by an appeals committee (at least) once, and he disagreed with the subsequent resolution. He feels that it is unfair for the person responsible for everything else at the tournament (venue, rules of events, schedule, prize distribution, etc.) to not be responsible for a ruling. For example, suppose you call for a ruling. The director rules in your favor but an appeals committee overturns the director's ruling. You are upset that the ruling went against you and carry a bad taste in your mouth towards the tournament. But in fact if the director (who will be the one to suffer if you choose not to return in future years) ruled in your favor. Howard feels this situation is unfair to him, the director.
I'll hold off from stating my feelings/reasoning for now. Please, the rest of you, speak up.
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