Rule 123 & 124 : No Protests are Allowed in Figure Skating


ISU Constitution and General Regulations 2012

http://static.isu.org/media/79153/2012_constitution_and_general_regulations.pdf


Rule 123


3. Time limits for filing protests 


b) Protests concerning the composition of the panel of Officials must be filed within one hour of its announcement. 

c) Any other protests, except cases covered by subparagraph d) below, must be filed with the Referee immediately, however, not later than 30 minutes after the completion of the competition concerned. Completion of a competition (for this purpose only) means end of the last race of all races for a single distance in Speed Skating, end of the last heat/qualifying round or of the last of a series of heats/qualifying rounds, or all four quarter finals or of the last of both semi-finals or of the final for a single distance in Short Track Speed Skating, and end of any single segment (Short Program / Free Skating / Pattern Dance / Short Dance / Free Dance) of a Figure Skating competition.

d) Protests against incorrect mathematical calculation may be filed until 24 hours after the completion of the competition concerned. (See also paragraph 4. A. iii) below). If the Referee is not available in person at the site or hotel, the Protest shall be sent by fax or email to the Secretariat which will forward it to the Referee concerned. 


4. Protest restrictions 


A. Figure Skating 

 i) No protests against evaluations by Referees, Judges and the Technical Panel (Technical Controller, Technical Specialists, Data & Replay Operator) of Skaters’ performances are allowed; 

 ii) Protests against results are permitted only in the case of incorrect mathematical calculation. A wrong identification of an element or of a level of difficulty, although it results in a lower or higher score, is a human error and not an incorrect mathematical calculation; 


5. Referee’s decision


a) The Referee shall decide upon any protest in writing and as soon as possible. The Referee shall deliver such decision to the person filing the protest or shall arrange such delivery. Copies of any protest and Referee decision shall be forwarded to the Secretariat. 

b) If a protest is filed: 

i) after the time limit or 

ii) which is not allowed by the Rules, 

the Referee shall dismiss the protest in writing with reference to the applicable Rule but without dealing with the merits of the claim. 

e) The Referee’s decision upon a protest is final and there is no appeal against such decision except in cases specified in Rule 124. 


Rule 124 


1. Appeals 


An appeal may be made to the Council only against decisions which concern the eligibility of a Competitor, the incorrect calculation of the result, or the composition of the panel of Officials and only in cases where the ISU Statutes relating to the afore-mentioned subjects have been contravened. 

2. Every appeal against a decision of the Referee must be submitted to the Council of the ISU within 30 days from the issuance of the decision.  

3. Appeals do not have the effect of deferring the decision. 

4. Appeals may be lodged only by those entitled to lodge protests (see Rule 123, paragraph 2).