C2 course, Unit 5, Jury Decisions1 Unit 5 – Jury Decisions Unit purpose: To outline to role of the jury in orienteering competitions, to present typical methods of operations and to discuss the psychology of responding to competitors and/or officials with complaints. Learning outcomes: 1.The controller will be able to organise a jury for a Group A2 or Group B event. 2.The controller will be capable of serving on a jury at a Group B event. Content Selection and appointment of a jury Complaints vs. protests Appeals Rules vs. judgement How competitors handle disappointment Responding to complaints

C2 course, Unit 5, Jury Decisions2 Selection and Appointment - 1 Jury composition: Three members plus event controller (non voting chair). For Group A events only one member from the state of the organiser. All OA accredited controllers, they must be at least Level 2 controllers. Appointed by the organiser and approved by the event controller. Can be attended by a (non-voting) representative of the organiser.

C2 course, Unit 5, Jury Decisions3 Selection and Appointment - 2 Experience: Experienced controllers. Resign from the jury if prejudiced (e.g. directly affected by jury decision, team manager or member) Experienced in specialised type of events such as Relays, Elite Short courses when on juries for these events.

C2 course, Unit 5, Jury Decisions4 Complaints and Protests - 1 Complaints: Can be made on infringements of Rules or the organisers directions. Can be made by anyone connected with an event. Can be verbal or written. No fee. Made to the organiser. Adjudicated by the organiser. Communicated by the organiser to all affected by the decision.

C2 course, Unit 5, Jury Decisions5 Complaints and Protests - 2 Protests: Can only be made against the organiser’s decision about a complaint. Can only be made by competitors, team officials or event officials. Must be made in writing, to a member of the jury. No fee. Adjudicated by the jury. The jury will instruct the organiser on what action (if any) should be taken. They can also recommend Orienteering Australia exclude named person(s) from OA event(s) in the future. Decision of the jury is final (no appeals).

C2 course, Unit 5, Jury Decisions6 Appeals An appeal can be made against infringements of the Rules: –Only if the infringement is not related to a specific event –Or, if a jury is not yet set up. Can be made by competitors, team officials, event officials or Associations. Made in writing to the Orienteering Australia Board. No fee Decisions are final

C2 course, Unit 5, Jury Decisions7 Rules vs. Judgement “2.6 Sporting fairness shall be the guiding principle in the interpretation of these rules by competitors, organisers and the jury.” Rules are a reference. Fairness applies to all competitors, not just the protester. Significance of the issue is very important.

C2 course, Unit 5, Jury Decisions8 Handling disappointment Bad news is never welcome. Establish what their expectations were. Publish the result of the protest (with reasons if appropriate) to all.

C2 course, Unit 5, Jury Decisions9 Responding to Complaints Verbal complaints should be handled informally. Written complaints should have a written reply, but also discussion Get input from other relevant event officials. Explain reasons for decision.

C2 course, Unit 5, Jury Decisions10 Scenario 1 A competitor has been disqualified for missing an electronic control. He says he used it correctly but no punch was recorded. The control turns out to be a spectator control and a number of people state they saw the competitor at the control, including the controller and planner. However they cannot confirm whether the competitor punched correctly due to the noise from the spectators.

C2 course, Unit 5, Jury Decisions11 Scenario 2 A competitor arrives late for his start, he claims the route to the start was not clearly marked. The start team give him a late start. When the competitor finishes he realises his time has not been amended and puts in a protest. On talking to the start team, it turns out that approx 10% of competitors arrived late for their starts and there were a number of complaints to various members of the organising team that the route to start was poorly marked and many people got lost.

C2 course, Unit 5, Jury Decisions12 Scenario 3 Some competitors protest that a control in a creek is in the wrong place. After the first complaints the planner went out and replaced the control in the correct position. The jury visits and finds that the tape and original position of the control was 20m out of place but on the correct creek.

C2 course, Unit 5, Jury Decisions13 Scenario 4 The event is a selection race for the national junior squad. A M16A picked up a map on which the overprint was displaced by approx 30m and did not notice the problem until after he had visited the first three controls and entered a detailed area. On finishing, his father (also a competitor) complains to the organiser and controller that his son was disadvantaged and will miss selection because of his poor time. The organiser and controller apologise and agree to ensure the selectors know what happened. The father subsequently puts in a protest reiterating his original complaint, however he says that he does not want the course voided.