[blml] Zonal Delegation of L12c3

[Nigel]

[nige1]
In the paragraph below, the author takes pains to make it clear that
the WBF Law Committee itself has not changed L12C3. The appeals
committee decided to do so, on its own initiative: Presented with a
fait-accompli, the law-committee seems to have decided to go along
with the appeals-committee's new version of the law, as an interim
measure.

[WBFLC 2000]
The Laws Committee not having so far changed Law 12C3, the Appeals
Committee at the World Championships in Bermuda, January 2000, issued
the following directive to the Chief Tournament Director: "As part of
its arrangements under Law 80G the Appeals Committee requires the
Chief Director of his own volition, as a preliminary in the appeals
process, to consider whether an adjustment in accordance with the
provisions of Law 12C3 would be appropriate. If so, in pursuance of
the terms of the WBF Code of Practice he is authorized to make such an
adjustment before the players are given the ruling in order to achieve
equity as he judges it. Such a score adjustment may be appealed to the
Appeals Committee on the same basis as an appeal of any other ruling,
but the fact that a judgmental ruling by the Director is made with
these enhanced powers, and after consultation with colleagues and
expert opinion, means that appeals committees will require strong
evidence that puts it beyond reasonable doubt a ruling should be
varied." The WBF Laws Committee will return to the question of Law
12C3 at a future time. In the meantime it has stated that it finds it
acceptable if other regulating authorities adopt this method of
achieving the intention of the Code of Practice.

[Grattan Endicott]
+=+ Harald quotes Nigel Guthrie, as set out below.  I do not see
anywhere here a change of law. What I see is establishment of an
appeals procedure under Law 80G.  The Appeals Committee, and
not the Laws Committee, is mandated by WBF statute to set up
and control procedures of appeal.
Is Nigel seeking to deny the Appeals Committee its statutory powers.

[nige2]

I'm slowly learning a lesson from BLML discussion and letters to 
law-comittees: it is futile for an ordinary player to seek to 
influence any of the current legal establishment in any way :(

Still it's challenging and amusing to try :)

The appeals committee did change the law.

As I understand it, Law 12C3 lets the *appeals committee* reduce the 
penalty/redress awarded under 12C2.

The appeals committee decided to change L12C3 to devolve this power to 
the *Chief tournament director*. Players can of course, appeal such 
rulings, but, IMO, this change in law has no more directly to do with 
appeals procedure than any other change in law.

The new law has manifest benefits: law-breakers are delighted with 
reduced penalties, so directors have an easier (and more interesting) 
job.

Justice and the victim are the losers. The victim, deprived of 
compensation, tends to grit his teeth and bear it, realising that 
protest and appeal are likely to be unproductive.