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+--- Thread: Extreme Example Of 'Zero-Tolerance' (/thread-816.html)
Extreme Example Of 'Zero-Tolerance' - Mike Scott - 15-12-2013
I have often highlighted some of the good things from the world of swimming but here is a bad 'un.
In chess we have the 'Zero-Tolerance' rule so that if you arrive 1 second late after the round starts you are defaulted, well this weekend I discovered that in swimming there is a 'negative tolerance' rule. Swimming in the short course national champs at the Commie pool my son, after waiting three hours poolside, went up to muster for his race 15 mins before the start and was told he was five minutes late for the muster and so was disqualified. Another swimmer disqualified for the same reason had come all the way from Dumfries for that single race!
Frustrating!
Re: Extreme Example Of 'Zero-Tolerance' - Phil Thomas - 16-12-2013
Mike,
Sounds far too harsh to me.
My first thought was anti-doping procedures but surely that would instead result in competitors being held back after the event
Were the authorities following international rules or national rules or just a local interpretation?
If the last of these can't you lobby for common sense in future events?
Re: Extreme Example Of 'Zero-Tolerance' - Mike Scott - 16-12-2013
It appears that it was the result of an overzealous event referee (I guess that = chief arbiter = Andy) basically taking the law into their own hands (would never happen in chess!) and the overall event boss (= Alex)being unavailable (late long lunch?)to sort it out until too late.
Have contacted the governing body for a comment and will see how quickly they respond to queries/critism!