[kgr]

This is only a theoretical question and didn't really happen, but I wondered:
background:
In Belgium we have yearly teams competition. We have national competition for the highest - honor and 1 to 3 - divisions and Regional competition for the lower divisions. The national one is organized by BBF (Belgian Bridge Federation) and the lower ones by VBL (Flemish Bridge Federation) and LBF.
Only the team matches of honor division are played with a TD at place. For other team matches of lower division a form needs to be filled and send if a ruling is needed. The team matches for honor division are played on one central place at the location of one of the clubs. Other team matches of Lower national and of regional competition are played in the same room.
Team matches of honor division start at earlier time then the other matches
Phones need to be switched off during the matches.
Question:
What should be done by the TD that is available for honor division match when a phone rings and no-one else complains?:
- Of a player of lower National division who is playing another match?
- Of a player of lower National division who is already in the room, but not yet playing?
- Of a player of Regional division who is playing another match?
- Of a player of Regional division who is already in the room, but not yet playing?
- Of a kibitzer
- Someone at the bar

[blackshoe]

Depends on what the regulations say.

[kgr]

blackshoe, on 2012-January-15, 09:35, said:

Depends on what the regulations say.

Both in regulations of VBL and BBF:
During the play period, a cell phone and any other electronic communication device has to be disabled.
Use of mobile phones and electronic communications
- 1st offense: 1 VP
- 2nd offense: 2 VP, etc. to the team a player refuses to respect the rules.
In regulations of VBL there is always reference to VBL-TD (TD appointed by VBL) and in regulations of BBF there is reference to BBF-TD (TD appointed by BBF).
There is nothing in the regulations about authority of BBF-TD over VBL matches.
The only related thing I found about Kibitzers is that they have to be quite and that the hometeam is responsible for the Kibitzer regulations.

[barmar]

So the issue is that there are multiple events taking place in the same room, but the on-site TDs are only responsible for one of the events. This works OK for TD calls related to issues taking place within a single event; you call the on-site TD if you're in that event, otherwise you send a form via mail.

The issue he's raising is what happens if someone in a lower event (with no on-site TD) does something that affects the higher event (with the TD): a phone going off, or a player being otherwise disruptive of the entire event. The on-site TDs apparently have no authority to do anything to resolve this.

[blackshoe]

It seems the regulations are flawed. If I were the BBF-TD on site, I would, using Laws 81B1 and 81C1, tell the person whose phone rings to turn the damn thing off. If he objects, I'd tell him he doesn't get to disrupt my event, even if he's playing in the other one. Since both events have the same penalties wrt to phone use, I'd apply them. If the person was not in the BBF event, I would report what I've done to the TO and to the TD in charge of the other event.