All-Star What Should Penalty Be For Cheating?

[championprincess]

"How about it's the morally correct thing to do? When I am at a USASF sanctioned event I have the expectation that everything is on the up and up, I guess it's been a false sense of security. If the EP is going to offer bids to the biggest USASF event, then the rules should be followed, at all of the EP’s events. Don't you think you'd gain customers as being known as a highly respected EP?"

I feel like I need to reiterate/clarify a couple of things. We, and most other event producers that I have talked to about this issue, address and fix anything that they can BEFORE the event. Unfortunately, almost all of the issues are brought up after the event....some weeks later. This certainly doesn't mean that they are ignored or overlooked. I have been on the phone with a County Registrars office 3 weeks after an event trying to verify if a birth date on a birth certificate is correct. We are happy to take the ethical stand on anything that we know about. However, we have seen this take place more with Mini Level 1 teams. At that point, our options are to disqualify them from an event that they already competed at and took a trophy home from...who really cares that their teams name was removed from the results. The only alternative that I have heard offered up is banning them from my events. Any financial penalties at that point, the team simply won't pay & either way I have earned my competitors a customer for life. That's why I so strongly feel that it needs to be a USASF penalty, that way it can cover from one EP to the next, and they can't escape the consequences of cheating...and the USASF Scholarship fund sees the benefits.

 

[RockstarCheer]

Ok, so I got an update from our appeal for the use of a too old athlete for a Senior team. We won our appeal, the information I provided was substantial enough proof. So, the Universal Spirit Association corrected the results after the illegal use of an athlete. Now, we have filed a complaint with the USASF, so we'll see what happens here.

 

[Mom Jeans]

Ok, so I got an update from our appeal for the use of a too old athlete for a Senior team. We won our appeal, the information I provided was substantial enough proof. So, the Universal Spirit Association corrected the results after the illegal use of an athlete. Now, we have filed a complaint with the USASF, so we'll see what happens here.

So happy for you, so happy for all of us. Curious have you had any backlash from the team you reported?

 

[cheer8]

I hate this. If we want anything done about it right now, we have to be a bunch of tattle tales. We need photo ids!

I agree with photo id's but don't you think these kids these days can fake a photo id. I mean dang people have been faking licenses for decades to get in over... I don't think it will work a 100% but it will cut back!

 

[crazycheermom]

Whether it would work or not, I don't know, but my husband coaches my son's travel baseball team. He is required to carry copies of all team member's birth certificates. If another coach questions a player's age, he has to have the birth certificate or the player is ineligible. As for teams sandbagging, in baseball, once your team racks up so many wins at a certain level, you are automatically moved up to the next level. As I said, not sure it could be implemented, but ....

 

[PullandPray23]

Gym forfeits competition. If a Worlds team, suspended from Worlds for one year.

what would they do for a team that has a crossover at worlds...say gym x has 5 teams at worlds and one of the girls on sm. sr competed with that team and her gyms large sr....both teams place top 3 and get globes and medals...they later find out she is a crossover who is rostered on sm. sr so who gets in trouble? do you take away their awards and disqualify both teams or just lg. senior cause techinically they were the only ones to cheat or are both teams guilty by association.

 

[PullandPray23]

Personally if someone will truly go to great lengths to win by cheating...all I can say is bless your heart, you need that medal more than I could ever possibly need it.

 

[cheerKT]

what would they do for a team that has a crossover at worlds...say gym x has 5 teams at worlds and one of the girls on sm. sr competed with that team and her gyms large sr....both teams place top 3 and get globes and medals...they later find out she is a crossover who is rostered on sm. sr so who gets in trouble? do you take away their awards and disqualify both teams or just lg. senior cause techinically they were the only ones to cheat or are both teams guilty by association.

Hopefully if she was rostered this would be brought up as an issue to the coaches before they compete at Worlds. But if not, I would say yes, both teams should get in trouble.

 

[hopskipandjump]

Do gyms have to turn in athlete's birth certificates to each competition company? If they do, do the companies just not check/don't care? If the company does get legal documents of each athlete, shame on them for letting this many people slip through the cracks. Or does the company just get the age, and if it is called into question they require a birth certificate?

I used to have to turn in birth certificates when I coached rec, but these last few years in all star I have found no one requires the birth certificates to show UNLESS there is a question of date of birth by another organization. (the complaining organization though usually has to put money up if they are challenging the eligibility of an athlete from another organization - this deters a lot of teams following up on their concerns).

 

[King]

what would they do for a team that has a crossover at worlds...say gym x has 5 teams at worlds and one of the girls on sm. sr competed with that team and her gyms large sr....both teams place top 3 and get globes and medals...they later find out she is a crossover who is rostered on sm. sr so who gets in trouble? do you take away their awards and disqualify both teams or just lg. senior cause techinically they were the only ones to cheat or are both teams guilty by association.

Be definition she was illegal on both teams. So both teams are disqualified.

The act of being a crossover means you are doubly competing, and that is illegal at Worlds. It doesn't matter your original team.

 

[bestbackspot]

team forfeits that competetion and is suspeneded from that comp and the companies comps for one year

 

[cheerbear2x]

Lets say I'm 18, on senior 5 team.
Would it really be fair if just because a level 2 youth had one 12 year old on it, that I don't get to go to Worlds for my very last time?

 

[ilikebigbows]

If there is an issue where an illegal competitor is an option, go with the less convenient but SAFER, LEGAL way. If Susie falls out of her tick tock, just cross someone over from another team in your gym. So what if she can only switch up, or so what if she can't do a full? Or only compete four stunt groups and not five with 19 people! It's not so difficult that the only option would be to have an illegal competitor on your roster. It may be inconvenient, but so is losing your eligibilty for Worlds, a hefty fine, bad reputation, etc etc etc.

 

[Cheer_Explosion_Coach]

team forfeits that competetion and is suspeneded from that comp and the companies comps for one year

Which means less $$$ for that EP. Remember they are in business to make money. Potentially that program would never go back to XYZ comp. If it is a program with 60 kids may not be big deal. IF it is program with 350 kids..... HUGE DEAL!!!

 

[Cheer_Explosion_Coach]

I have never given a school an original birth certificate for either of my kids in any state they have attended school in. I just had to show a birth certificate and social security card. But never actually turn in an original or certified copy. Those cost money and take time to obtain if you only have one in your files. So I don't know about requiring originals. Not saying it isn't a way to help stop cheating...but I have NEVER had to provide an original for anything other than obtaining my kids' passports.

I got a one last month from our Clerk of Court. It took $10 and 5 mins. I think it's a bit easier now....