During live competition, there are situations where CrossFit athletes can appeal the outcome of any given test. This system allows athletes recourse when a situation outside of their performance on a test impacts the results of the competition. To ensure a fair competition, the CrossFit Games investigates all valid appeals during live competition. An athlete has the right to appeal the outcome of any test if they feel their score or placement was incorrect based on specific criteria.
What Can Be Appealed in Live Competition?
The first thing to note is that on-field judgment calls are final. A simple no-rep that the athlete disagrees with is not grounds for an appeal. The list of appealable scenarios include:
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Scorecard or leaderboard inconsistencies or errors.
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Example: The athlete’s score on the leaderboard does not accurately reflect their performance on the field.
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Counting inconsistencies or errors.
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Example: The athlete was asked to complete more than the required total number of repetitions.
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Load/weight inconsistencies or errors.
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Example: The equipment was loaded incorrectly or the weight of a maximum effort was recorded incorrectly.
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Course markings or directional inconsistencies or errors.
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Example: The athlete was given faulty directions on a course.
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Equipment or monitor failure that was not the responsibility of the athlete.
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Miscommunication by a judge regarding movement standards or event order or direction.
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Example: The athlete was held to a different standard or asked to complete movements in a different order than what was discussed during the athlete briefing.
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The action of another athlete or person impeded the athlete’s progress.
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Example: Event staff closed a gate on a course to allow spectator-crossing at a time when an athlete required passage on the course.
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Here is a list of non-appealable situations:
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Most range-of-motion (end ranges of a rep) faults, such as:
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Squat depth.
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Extension of hips, knees, or arms.
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Stabilization of a lift or equipment overhead.
*NOTE: If an athlete submits an appeal and it is determined that it is not an appealable case, the scenario is still investigated. For example, an athlete feels they were held to a much stricter range-of-motion standard than their competitors. While this may not be grounds to begin the appeal process, the Head Judges will investigate the lane judges for consistency and performance.
How to Make an Appeal
During the initial athlete briefing, athletes will be introduced to their Head Judges, Athlete Control Leads, and a dedicated Appeals Manager. In the event of an appeal, the competing athlete or team captain should bring the appeal request to the attention of the staff mentioned above.
Ideally, the appeal request is raised immediately following the test, or as soon as possible afterward. If the appeal request fits the criteria for a valid appeal, the athlete must submit the official form before the end of that day’s competition. Coaches may not appeal on behalf of their athletes.
The Process
The competing athlete or team captain requests an Appeals Form from the Head Judge, Athlete Control Lead, or Appeals Manager.
If the appeal fits the criteria, the athlete or team captain will fill out the Appeals Form and return it to the Appeals Manager or Athlete Control Lead.
The Head Judge, involved floor judge(s), and the Appeals Manager will review the submitted form and gather the facts for the issue in question.
Information to review and resolve appeals during live competition is gathered from multiple sources:
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Head judges on the floor have an overview of the field and in many cases spot the incident while it's happening.
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The athlete’s account of the situation in their own words is submitted and reviewed.
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Judges on the field and dedicated spotters along the sidelines will be interviewed by the Head Judges.
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Closed-circuit cameras positioned around all primary fields of play record all events.
After all the information has been gathered, the Head Judges will make the final ruling. The Appeals Manager will then communicate the outcome to the athlete.
If an athlete or team captain has not received a final decision, the appeal is still open and under consideration. The Appeals Manager or Athlete Control Lead will always contact the athlete or team captain with the final resolution to close the appeal.
The Two-Appeals Rule
To keep the appeals process focused on legitimate issues, the CrossFit Games is implementing a “two appeals” rule during this year’s Semifinals and CrossFit Games.
Two-appeals Rule:
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Athletes/teams will start the competition with two appeals.
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Athletes/teams have the option to appeal at any time.
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If the appeal rules in the competitor’s favor, the athlete/team will retain their appeal count.
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If, after investigation, the appeal is denied, the athlete/team will lose one appeal from their appeal count.
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If an athlete/team exhausts their appeal count, they will not be allowed to make any other appeals for the remainder of the competition.
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The appeals manager will be responsible for tracking the number of appeals remaining for competitors.
Case Study Examples for the Two-appeals Rule:
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An athlete submits their first appeal. They appealed because they believed they were required by their judge to complete more repetitions than necessary. This is a situation in which appealing is appropriate. After reviewing the video footage, it was determined that the judge DID require more reps than necessary. In this case, the appeal rules in the athlete’s favor. The athlete’s score was changed to reflect the decision and the athlete was notified. The athlete maintains two appeals.
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An athlete submits their first appeal. The athlete is appealing because they believe their judge inaccurately recorded their best lift during a max effort. This is a situation in which appealing is appropriate. After reviewing the video footage, it was determined that the loading recorded was accurate. The appeal was denied. The athlete was notified that there will be no change in their score. The athlete now has one appeal left for the remainder of the competition.
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An athlete requests to appeal. They believed their squat depth was low enough but their judge gave them three no reps during the competition. As this does not meet the requirements for an appeal, the appeals process is denied by the appeals manager and there is no change to the athlete’s score. The athlete retains two appeals as the process was not initiated.
For any questions regarding the appeal process, please contact support@crossfitgames.com.