3299: May an Event Partner review photo/video when deciding on a Match replay?
Rule <GG5> states that a Match replay “must be agreed upon by both the Event Partner and Head Referee.” Rule <T3> states that “Referees are not permitted to review any photo or video Match recordings when determining a score or ruling.” Rule <T1> states that Event Partners “may not overrule a Head Referee’s gameplay or Robot decisions.”
When deciding whether to agree to a Match replay under <GG5>, may an Event Partner review photo or video recordings of the Match? If so, may the Event Partner share what they learned from the recording with the Head Referee, given that the Head Referee may not review recordings under <T3>? If the Event Partner can review video recordings, but cannot share what they learned from the recording with the Head Referee, what is the appropriate outcome if an Event Partner cannot agree with the Head Ref regarding a replay decision? Does the answer change if the recording shows something that occurred after the Match ended but before the score was determined?
From time to time, Event Partners may need to review photos or video recordings for concerns regarding the Code of Conduct, Student-Centered Policy, and similar matters. These are separate from gameplay and Robot ruling decisions, which are the responsibility of the Head Referee per <T1>. Event Partners should not be reviewing photos or videos of Match gameplay in order to inform a Head Referee and influence their decision about a score or ruling, as that would defeat the purpose of <T3.a>.
<GG5> requires that Match replays must be agreed upon by both the Event Partner and Head Referee, but their roles and considerations should differ somewhat in reaching this agreement. A Head Referee considers whether a Match replay is warranted based on gameplay events for a particular Match, while an Event Partner brings a different perspective through consideration of things outside gameplay, such as the potential impact of a replayed Match on event scheduling/logistics. Consideration of field fault issues can fall somewhere in between, involving both the Head Referee and the Event Partner.
If a Head Referee and an Event Partner cannot come to an agreement about replaying a particular Match, that Match will not be replayed. Outside of extreme circumstances (e.g., too little time left in an event schedule to accommodate more Match replays), the Event Partner should typically defer to the Head Referee when determining whether to replay a Match.