[FTC]: New De-Scoring penalty interpretation

[PhilBot]

During the Northern Super Regional we had a very weird call on our team during one of the late matches of the day.

My team was on the Red alliance with another robot who’s task was primarily blocking.

During some strong back and forward action near our opponent’s pendulum, there was a sequence of events that caused a block to be de-scored from our opponent’s basket. The call that was made by the refs was: Our alliance robot had forced our opponent’s robot into the goal, which then causes one of our opponent’s blocks to be de-scored (it essentially catapulted out of the basket)

Our alliance robot was never accused of touching the basket, pendulum or block... just the opposing robot.

Because of this action the ruling was that our alliance “caused” the de-score so we were penalized by 50 points.

A review of the game video shows that we didn’t force the opposing robot into the pendulum, however, even if we had, we don’t see how this action would constitute a penalty on us.

The opposing alliance robot clearly hits the pendulum and bounces the cube out of the basket, so taken in isolation GS3 would require that they would incur a penalty. However, if the refs decide that our alliance caused them to do this, G11 would negate the penalty (it specifically says” no penalties will be awarded).

There is no rule that says the penalty should be transferred to us. This seems like an arbitrary application of a penalty, which could lead to a whole new strategy of laying in wait to descore your own block when an opposing team is nearby.

Our team captain attempted to request a clarification of the ruling, but the refs did not want to entertain a discussion.

Has anyone seen another example of this sort of penalty interpretation?

Phil.