[TubaMorg]

Wow what a story! It is my view that they could/should have been disqualified when reinspection showed them to fail both size and weight restrictions.

On my team the kids are CONSTANTLY trying to figure out ways to "lawyer" the rules, but their intent is clear %99 of the time. There may not be a SPECIFIC rule addressing this SPECIFIC violation, because there is no concievable way that the FIRST game designers can account for every single possible scenario that might arise. Even if they tried we would end up with a rule book 10 inches thick. They have done a very good job at describing INTENT so that teams that attempt to circumvent the rules to gain an unfair advantage can be stopped. If there were a rule addressing this issue, then you (as Head Ref.) would be forced to DQ teams that probably shouldn't be DQ'd. I think it is reasonable to except that a team may accidently exceed weight limits by a small amount as a result of emergency repairs in the heat of competition. In this case you would want to give them a chance to rectify the situation.

12 lbs. over weight is clearly a deliberate middle finger at the rules and other teams. I am betting that their pneumatic system is involved, based on the size change and weight change. Our team had to redesign without a air system and that was just about the weight we saved(compressor + storage + cylinders). And the components are ez to take off and put back on. Either that or a couple of drive motors. Either way it makes no difference, because they added weight (and presumably functionality) to their robot that gave them an advantage in the competition. I 100% agree with your assesment and analysis of the violation, but wish you would have DQ'd them on the spot and told them to try again next year with a robot that complies with the rules. Who knows? One of the teams that were on standby may have been seeded much higher if the other team hadn't cheated, right?

So the rules don't specify any actual punishments/penalties to be assesed for this violation, but clearly they violated several rules:
Weight
Size
Didn't get reinspected after making a change to robot design after initial inspection
Not to mention WAY anti-GP

The rules only say each team must pass initial inspection before competing (which this team did) and gives the officials leeway to reinspect before or after matches. In this case, you felt compelled (against your gut intinct) to allow the team to continue. I doubt, however, there are many teams out there that would have objected to having that team removed from the competition. I am sure we could open a different thread asking people to dream up of ways violate the rules without getting DQ'd. There are many (much more subtle) ways to gain an unfair advantage in this competition and NOT get caught. Many aspects are governed by the honor system. When teams begin snubbing the rules we establish a slippery slope, where other teams must respond in kind (violating rules) just to remain competitive. So, again, the more I think about it the more I am in favor of DQing this team in this case.

Perhaps as a remedial solution, they should be placed on probation, should they choose to compete next year. The should be informed they will be receiving a disportionately large number of "random" inspections. Or the brainiac mentor who allowed this should be removed from the team. Something.