8.4 Protest Protocol

This protocol deals with the handling of a protest issued by one of the teams. Teams can only protest in three situations:

• Against the interpretation of the rules (not the judgement)
• Scoring errors
• Playing conditions (light, sand, temperature, etc)

The protest protocol consists of two levels.

Impor­tant

In Austria, protests are only possible at the national championship.

Before permitting a protest

before the application of a protest, the following steps have to be taken:

• Clear and detailed explanation of the rule and its interpretation to the team’s captain
• Declaration whether a protest in possible in this case
• Confirmation by the first referee that the captain actually wants to file a protest.

Level 1

A level-1-protest is dealt with by the head referee directly on the court.

• Proposal of a formal protest (level 1).
• Decision, whether the protest protocol is initiated.
• Gathering of all information necessary for a decision.
• Announcement by the head referee regarding the outcome of the protest.
• Assuring the scorer records all details regarding the protest correctly.
• Continue play.

Level 2

A level-2-protest is applied if a level-1-protest is not realizable (no head referee present) or has been allowed and the other teams wants to protest the outcome of the initiated protest. Furthermore, a level-2-protest is applied if the protested situation occurred after the end of the match.

• Recording of all details regarding the level-1-protest.
• Recording of the protest proposal on the score sheet.
• The protest will be handled by the federation.