Penalties for being pushed?

[EricH]

Let's go through the rules again and look at a) where your opponent needs to be and b) negations of rules.

[G25]
Robots may not contact or otherwise interfere with the opposing Alliance Bridge.
Violation: Technical-Foul. If the act of Balancing is interfered with, also a Red Card and the Bridge will be counted as Balanced.

[G28]
Robots may not touch an opponent Robot in contact with its Key, Alley, or Bridge.
Violation: Foul; Technical-Foul for purposeful, consequential contact.
This rule applied at all times, no matter who initiates the contact, see [G44].

[G44]
Generally, a rule violation by an Alliance that was directly caused by actions of the opposing Alliance will not be penalized. Rule [G28] is an exception to this rule.

[G45]
Strategies exploiting Rule [G44] are not in the spirit of the FRC and are not allowed.
Violation: Technical-Foul and Red Card

If you are pushed into your opponent's bridge, that is a violation of [G25], caused by an opponent. [G44] applies because [G25] is not an exception, so no penalty is given. If you push your opponent into your bridge, no free points for you!

If you are pushed into your opponent's key, alley, or bridge, there is no penalty until they make contact with that area. However, once they make contact with that area, [G28] applies, and you get a foul. [G44] does not apply because [G28] is the exception to the rule.

Now, the million-point question is, if someone is repeatedly shoving their opponents into their own key, alley, or bridge far enough to make contact themselves, does [G45] come into play to slow down the [G28] violations being racked up? I haven't seen anybody say anything for sure. I would expect to see a clarification come out this week on that.