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Official Q&A: VEX V5 Robotics Competition 2025-2026: Push Back
2838: Can drive team members sit on the floor during matches?
According to GG1, students are not allow to sit on any sort of object during a match. And GG4 stays that students must keep hands out of the field. Rule S1 says Robot operation and Team actions must be safe.
When drive team members sit or kneel on the floor at the field, I'm finding they often lean on the top of the perimeter and they are much more likely to get a block in the face. While they are not sitting on an object, they are still sitting.
My questions are:
- Are drive team members allowed to sit on the floor in the alliance station during a match?
- Are drive team members allowed to kneel on the floor in the alliance station during a match?
- Are drive team members allowed to sit or kneel on the floor to match load?
Thank you!
**Related rules: ** <GG1> b. Standing or sitting on any sort of object during a Match, regardless of whether the Field is on the floor or elevated, except as required by an official accommodation request that has been approved by the REC Foundation.
<GG4> Hands out of the Field. Drive Team Members are prohibited from making intentional contact with any Blocks, Field Elements, or Robots during a Match, apart from the contact specified in or while introducing Match Loads as described in rule .
b. Drive Team Members are not permitted to reach into the 3-dimensional volume of the Field Perimeter at any time during the Match, apart from the actions described above. Rule applies.
<S1> Be safe out there. If at any time the Robot operation or Team actions are deemed unsafe or have damaged a Field Element, Block, or the Field, the offending Team may receive a Disablement and/or Disqualification at the discretion of the Head Referee. The Robot will require re-inspection as described in rule before it may take the Field again.
There is no rule against Drive Team Members sitting on the floor or kneeling during a Match. Head Referees can and should alert Students to safety concerns, and can ask Drive Team Members to move back from the Field for safety if needed.