[blml] Categories of rule-breaker

[Tim West-Meads]

Nigel wrote:
> 
> [TFLB L76B]
> A spectator may not call attention to any irregularity or mistake, nor
> speak on any question of fact or law except by request of the 
> Director.

Spectator to TD:  I saw something earlier which really worried me, may I 
talk to you about it?
- At this point no attention has been drawn to anything.
TD to Spectator:  Of course, what did you see?
- At this point the spectator is speaking "by request of the Director."

How can the scenario above be illegal?  

> Nevertheless, I feel that law-makers should change the law rather 
> than expect us to stretch language.

Doubtless they could make an improvement, in this as in many other cases 
- but in reality all they would be doing is clarifying the etiquette.  
Neither players nor spectators should be going to a TD and saying "I 
think X is cheating".  It is sufficient that the TD be approached, he 
will find out exactly what was seen and he (perhaps in consultation) 
will determine whether the situation should be investigated as possible 
cheating.

> Mathias (and others) say that cheating is a kind of irregularity to 
> which law 76B does not apply, I worry that {a] if the spectator waits 
> until after the match has ended, that that may be too late to stop a 
> cheating team from winning. 

And it often will be too late - the nature of cheating is such that a 
single reported cases provides insufficient evidence for conviction.
TDs need to be aware of incidents in order to build a case of a period 
of time.  It's not an issue on which one can risk a wrongful conviction.

> A previous example from BLML still haunts me. Apparently a man was 
> being loudly abnoxious to his opponents. A player at a neighbouring 
> table complained to the director "It's none of my business but can't 
> you do something about that?" "You are right --- it is none of your 
> business!" replied the director and walked away.

But that's just bad directing.  The laws are crystal on the issue 
(L74a1/2 apply).

Tim