Page 108 - Judge Manual 2017

K.29.19 Appendix F (Kiteboarding Competition Rules)
Protest committees need to use Appendix F5 which modifies the protest and
redress rules applicable to kiteboarding competitions.

K.30 Hearings Involving Support Persons
Introduction

Historically, the focus of the racing rules has been on boats and competitors.
Rules involving the actions of individuals attending the regatta in support of a
boat, mainly coaches, concentrated on a boat receiving unfair outside
assistance, or SIs restricting support boats. Event organizers and race officials
have experimented with rules for coaches and support persons without a good
way to enforce them.

Starting with the 2017-2020 RRS, a Support Person has been defined as:

Any person who

In addition, the protest committee may call a hearing to consider whether a
support person has broken a rule. When it decides that a support person has
broken a rule the protest committee has broad discretion as to warning or
penalizing the support person. In appropriate circumstances, if the
requirements of rule 64.4(b) have been met, the boat may also be penalized
Protest committees also decides whether to call a hearing under rule 69,
Misconduct, when it receives a report alleging a support person may have
committed an act of misconduct. In such cases, it is very important to follow the
required rule 69 procedures. Those procedures, and additional advice, are
included in Section N.
Breach by a Support Person

Under the 2017-2020 RRS, rule 60.3(d) permits the protest committee to call a
hearing to consider whether a support person has broken a rule.
Rules 61 and 62 state the requirements and contents of a protest or request for
redress; but the rules are silent about what is required to initiate a hearing about
a support person under 60.3(d). Common sense tells us the allegation must be
in writing and describe the incident, including when and where it occurred, and
what rule is believed to have been broken. The support person must be notified
of the alleged breach, and the notification must be timely. Therefore, it makes
sense to follow the same process for timeliness as in a normal protest. This
hearing can be scheduled with the protest and redress hearings.

Some of the rules of Part 5, Section B regarding the conduct of hearings, apply
only to protests or redress, but most of the rules are generic and apply to any
hearing. When conducting a hearing called under 60.3(d), a wise protest
committee will follow the rules on hearings in Part 5 Section B to the extent they
can apply. There is no good reason to either shortcut normal hearing