Meet Protest Procedures
- Protests are possible:
a. if conditions endanger the competition and/or the competitors, or
b. if the rules and regulations for the conduct of the swim meet are not observed against the decisions of the meet officials (including Meet Referee, Starter, Chief Timer, and Stroke and Turn Judges). However, no protest shall be allowed against decisions of fact. - Protests must be submitted:
a. to the Meet Referee;
b. in writing;
c. by the swimmer, team leader, or coach;
d. within 30 minutes following the incident under protest (e.g., following the conclusion of an event, posting of results, etc.) - Initially, a verbal protest may be registered to the Meet Referee, who may decide to freeze the processing of meet results pending review of the written protest that must follow.
- The results of an event conducted “under protest” shall be withheld (not announced or published). Prizes, point scores, and awards shall not be awarded until the protest is resolved.
- The Meet Referee shall consider all protests. If he/she rejects the protest, the reasons for the decision must be stated. The team leader or coach may appeal the rejection to the Jury of Appeal, whose decisions are final.
- The Meet Manager shall appoint members to the Jury of Appeal. They may be appointed for the entire meet or to adjudicate a specific event. The Jury of Appeal shall be chaired by the Meet Manager or his/her designate. The chairman shall have no vote. The voting members shall be odd in number (either 3 or 5, depending upon the complexity of the issue.) These members shall be comprised of individuals who are familiar with MSC Competition Rules and who have had no involvement in the disputed decision or the protest.
- The Jury of Appeal shall convene and reach a decision by majority vote as soon as practical during or after the swim meet. The Jury of Appeal shall hear evidence as it sees fit. However, the protester(s), the referee(s), and the official(s) whose decisions are being disputed shall have the right to present their case(s). The Jury shall conduct its business in private. When a decision is reached, the Meet Referee and the protester shall be informed immediately. The expectation is that the Jury of Appeal will reach a decision on the day the protest is registered. Following the Jury’s decision, which is final, the results of the event shall be determined and posted.
- The Chairman of the Jury of Appeal shall make a written formal record of the proceedings (Jury Record), including a description of the incident, initial decision and protest, the jury members, the witnesses called, the final decision rendered (with the vote count) and a brief description of the rationale. All members of the Jury of Appeal shall sign the Jury Record. Copies of the Jury Record shall be provided to the protester and the Meet Referee. One copy, along with the original protest form and any other pertinent data, shall be submitted to the Meet Co-ordinator of MSABC with the official meet results.
- In addition to the above procedures for a protest concerning a specific event:
a. falsification of one’s birth date by any MSABC swimmer is cause for immediate expulsion from MSABC and annulment of any results and records so obtained.
b. any MSABC member who questions a specific official’s stated qualifications should inform the Secretary of MSABC in writing.