All-Star Knowing There Are Illegal Athletes On Your Team

[Ashley]

Just wanted to give an update.
Heard today that the team that I knew went to Worlds this year with an athlete who turned 12 one month before Worlds was in fact disqualified the moment that athlete set foot on the mat, so it seems that the USASF does follow through with investigating claims of illegal athletes with the appropriate supporting proof. Apparently the USASF warned them before they got to Worlds and again prior to competing and they chose to compete anyway.
Wondering if the parents of any of the athletes on the team even know that they were actually disqualified, since they were not dead last in prelims (which makes no sense to me).
The team is also supposedly ineligible to compete again in their division next year should they get another bid to Worlds. Of course, that team could just change it's division next year and be back on that mat once again. Love that USASF loophole.

For some reason I really though the whole gym was ineligible for Worlds - regardless of the division. But I really might have been imagining that rule.

 

[CheerBank]

For some reason I really though the whole gym was ineligible for Worlds - regardless of the division. But I really might have been imagining that rule.

Thought so too - but the same gym competed in another division in 2011 and I'm pretty sure they were disqualified for an illegal athlete then too (they definitely had one) - but they were back this year cheating once again. I do think once a gym is caught more than once then there should be a ban on the gym and not just for the division.

 

[ztaprincess]

For some reason I really though the whole gym was ineligible for Worlds - regardless of the division. But I really might have been imagining that rule.

The rule reads that you cannot obtain a bid (put in another part adds in the words "may forefit" getting a bid, doesn't say anything about getting on in a different division. The USASF just further proves that they make the rules up as they go.
How nice though that they will follow the rule of no bid for a US team but the International team was "forgiven" and allowed to compete in the exact same division.

 

[CheerBank]

The rule reads that you cannot obtain a bid (put in another part adds in the words "may forefit" getting a bid, doesn't say anything about getting on in a different division. The USASF just further proves that they make the rules up as they go.
How nice though that they will follow the rule of no bid for a US team but the International team was "forgiven" and allowed to compete in the exact same division.

I thought of you when I posted before. There are definitely different standards for International non-US teams.

 

[ztaprincess]

I thought of you when I posted before. There are definitely different standards for International non-US teams.

I am glad that you posted it because I haven't sent my e-mail to Les. Is there a way that you can screen shot the e-mail that said they wouldn't be allowed to attend under the same division and PM it to me? I would love to add that to my e-mail.

 

[kristenthegreat]

What gym is this? I am more than happy to be the person who 'outs.' Maybe if more 'outing' happened, people would realize that on occasion the USASF does SOMETHING right?

 

[NJ Coach]

See, here's the thing...obviously being DQ'd didn't have any effect on this team. They were warned multiple times apparently, and they still competed. What I'd like to see happen in cases like this, is not only should there be a disqualification...the gym should not be allowed to attend worlds the following year...AND, if the team decides to compete anyway, when they are announced onto the mat, I think the announcers should let everyone know they are being DQ'd for using an illegal athlete.

 

[CheerBank]

See, here's the thing...obviously being DQ'd didn't have any effect on this team. They were warned multiple times apparently, and they still competed. What I'd like to see happen in cases like this, is not only should there be a disqualification...the gym should not be allowed to attend worlds the following year...AND, if the team decides to compete anyway, when they are announced onto the mat, I think the announcers should let everyone know they are being DQ'd for using an illegal athlete.

I think a letter should be sent from USASF to the parents of every athlete on that team notifying them that their team was DQ'd along with the reason why so they in turn can hold their gym accountable for making the decision to take them to Worlds knowing that it would result in being DQ'd. If I was a parent I'd be screaming bloody murder knowing how much time and money was spent for nothing. But then again, most of those other parents knew exactly how old this kid, have access to the rules just as the rest of us do, and should have told the coaches that it was not acceptable putting her on the team.

 

[kristenthegreat]

I think a letter should be sent from USASF to the parents of every athlete on that team notifying them that their team was DQ'd along with the reason why so they in turn can hold their gym accountable for making the decision to take them to Worlds knowing that it would result in being DQ'd. If I was a parent I'd be screaming bloody murder knowing how much time and money was spent for nothing. But then again, most of those other parents knew exactly how old this kid, have access to the rules just as the rest of us do, and should have told the coaches that it was not acceptable putting her on the team.

There's also the thing that, unless everybody knows, the gym can still advertise 'Oh look, we went to Worlds!' Without mentioning the DQ, and if they KNEW they weren't going to make finals anyway, did it really even matter? They still went and competed!

 

[CheerBank]

What gym is this? I am more than happy to be the person who 'outs.' Maybe if more 'outing' happened, people would realize that on occasion the USASF does SOMETHING right?

I agree - I think they should be outed for violating the Age Grid rules and let everyone know exactly what kind of morals the owners and coaches have - but I am curious to see first if they try to have the same team get a Worlds bid in the same division for the 2012-13 season. If so, :enjoyshow:.

 

[CheerBank]

Even more updates on the team that took an underage athlete to Worlds and was actually dq'd although no one knows it but their coaches:

• the USASF does not notify the athletes that the team was disqualified only the coaches.
• a team can be dq'd however their routine still scored and ranked amongst other teams, as was what happened in this case, making it very easy for the coaches not to inform the athletes or parents that they were in fact disqualified. I believe it was referred to as a "disconnect between the official and the tabulation team" in this case. It was stated that they would have never been allowed to advance to the next round, but still, no one knows they were dq'd except the coaches who knew what they were doing was illegal in the first place
• the only course of action taken is not to allow them to compete in the same division the next year. There is nothing in place to disqualify an entire gym even if they have been found to cheat with ages more than one time.

I will say though that the USASF has been most responsive to questions in regards to this matter. They may not be giving the answers that we want to hear but at least they are responding.

 

[cheer--il]

This information should be made public.....to discourage them and other gyms from committing fraud in the future. The best disinfectant is sunshine :)

 

[kristenthegreat]

Even more updates on the team that took an underage athlete to Worlds and was actually dq'd although no one knows it but their coaches:

• the USASF does not notify the athletes that the team was disqualified only the coaches.
• a team can be dq'd however their routine still scored and ranked amongst other teams, as was what happened in this case, making it very easy for the coaches not to inform the athletes or parents that they were in fact disqualified. I believe it was referred to as a "disconnect between the official and the tabulation team" in this case. It was stated that they would have never been allowed to advance to the next round, but still, no one knows they were dq'd except the coaches who knew what they were doing was illegal in the first place
• the only course of action taken is not to allow them to compete in the same division the next year. There is nothing in place to disqualify an entire gym even if they have been found to cheat with ages more than one time.

I will say though that the USASF has been most responsive to questions in regards to this matter. They may not be giving the answers that we want to hear but at least they are responding.

See, that's what peeves me. When athletes in other sports are DQ'd, EVERYBODY and their auntie's dog knows it. How does the USASF see that as ok? Do they just assume everyone on the team knows everybody's ages? I don't! Even so, somebody could lie or the gym could fudge the birthday by a few months. Unless all the athletes went to school together or were best friends, you might never know!

I can see wanting to punish the whole gym, HOWEVER, I think the athlete themselves should be banned for a year as well (tag it to their Athlete # or what have you), to keep them from cheating with a gym, then ditching them for another if/when the gym is caught. THIS would be the place for a gym blacklist..

 

[ztaprincess]

I will say though that the USASF has been most responsive to questions in regards to this matter. They may not be giving the answers that we want to hear but at least they are responding.

I am glad that they have been responsive to you, but I can't help but let this make me even more angry with them. The fact that they were quick to jump up and do this to a US team and respond so quickly, yet for an International team who did the exact same thing they "forgave" them. To be honest if I were this US team I would be LIVID that the rules were being enforced against me but not an International team that did the exact same thing. Sure they broke the rules too, but it isn't fair to them that they get punished for it and the other team didn't even get a slap on the wrist really.