Administrative Authority - Montreal Pool League

1. CSI referees are the direct representatives of CSI in all matters concerning the conduct of the actual game on the table and the comportment of the players and spectators during CSI events.

2. A CSI referee is the final authority in all matters of judgment. Matters of judgment include whether:

a. a stroke or hit was legal or illegal;

b. a ball did or did not contact a cushion;

c. a ball is frozen to a cushion or another ball;

d. a ball is in a certain position with respect to any rule, such as in or out of the kitchen or rack, winner of a lag, etc.;

e. a shot was considered to be obvious (within the constraints of Rule 1-16);

f. a position can be restored;

g. the position of restored balls is accurate;

h. the table was illegally marked;

i. the rack is suitable for play;

j. equipment or conditions are suitable for play;

k. outside interference has occurred;

l. coaching has occurred;

m. a player meets dress code requirements;

n. a player's conduct is unsportsmanlike.

This list is not necessarily all-inclusive.

3. A CSI referee has the authority to:

a. suspend play;

b. warn, penalize or disqualify players for rules infractions;

c. if necessary, request players to take specific actions (AR 1-4);

d. request removal of persons other than players who disrupt or interfere with play.

4. A referee’s authority extends to the entire event venue at any time the referee is in uniform. A CSI referee’s authority is also held by other event officials other than the final protest authority, as designated by the Administrative Authority of that event, whether in uniform or not.

1. A referee must answer all players' questions regarding the CSI Rules, subject to the following guidelines:

a. A referee must provide only factual information. Examples include, but are not limited to:

1. how many games are needed to win the match;

2. what the penalty is for a specific rules infraction;

3. what rule would apply if a specific shot were taken.

b. A referee must never offer or provide an opinion concerning subjective information that would affect play. Examples include, but are not limited to:

1. whether a legal hit can be made, or what method or type of stroke might be used to execute a shot, unless the matter is specifically referred to in a rule and therefore required to be explained under Rule 10-2-1-a; (AR 10-2)

2. whether a ball will fit through a gap;

3. how the characteristics of the table might affect play.

c. If a player, after receiving either factual information or rules information from a referee, changes their mind about how to proceed with their game or what shot to take, the information provided is not considered to have affected play under the provisions of Rule 10-2-1-b.

2. For issues concerning the conduct of the game on the table, referees are not permitted to approach a table based on a request from anyone other than the players involved in the game. If you require information from a referee during a match, you must make the request yourself. If a referee determines that such a question asked by a person who is not a player in a match pertains to a match in progress, they will not answer the question, or go to the table unless properly called by a player involved.

3. Referees will assist players with equipment as follows:

a. they will help players locate and retrieve chalk when it is supplied by the Administrative Authority;

b. they will retrieve a mechanical bridge upon request, but may not assist the player in the use of the bridge. After the shot, they will take the mechanical bridge from the player upon request.

1. Referees will call fouls as soon as possible after they occur.

2. When called to a table, a referee will call all fouls that occur while the referee is at the table.

3. When making a ruling, a referee will announce the ruling and, if calling a foul, a brief description of the foul or rule that was violated. Some examples are:

“Good hit”

“Foul – double hit”;

“Foul – no cushion after contact”;

“Foul – contacted the 3-ball first” (if the 3-ball was an illegal object ball);

"Foul – object ball jumped off table".

When a scratch occurs or if the cue ball is jumped off the table, it is not necessary for the referee to announce a foul or the basis for the foul.

4. In the matter of judgment calls as referred to in Rule 10-1, a referee is not responsible for explaining to a player what methods were used to determine a ruling. At their discretion, a referee may briefly describe the violation, but they are not responsible for giving a player a detailed description of how the ruling was determined.

5. After calling a foul that results in ball in hand, the referee will pick up or retrieve the cue ball and hand it to the incoming player.

6. A referee will not call a foul or penalize a player in a dispute over a shot that was unseen by the referee if the call would have been a judgment call and the referee cannot clearly determine that a foul occurred. However, if the unseen act involves a rules

application, then referees and event officials will make every reasonable effort to ensure that the correct and appropriate ruling is made.

7. A referee will not call a foul unless, in their judgment, they have clear evidence of a foul. If the referee is not certain of the outcome of a shot or situation, the following guidelines are provided concerning various rules and their AR 1-2-2, No foul.

Rule When in question, presumption on situation seen

1-3 Equipment is legal.

1-3-c through g No foul. Warning to use caution may be issued.

1-4 The cue is legal.

1-8 No foul.

1-11 Time limits are not exceeded.

1-14 Rack is acceptable. Warning to use caution may be issued.

1-15 The shot is executed in time.

1-16, 1-42 The shot or safety was properly called. Warning to use care in calling shots and acknowledging calls must be issued to both players.

1-18, 1-19 The stroke or shot is legal.

1-25 The foot is in contact with the floor.

1-26 The ball is not in motion.

1-29, 1-30, 1-32 The shot is legal.

1-33-2 There is no effect on the outcome of the shot.

1-39, 1-41, 1-42 Marking, coaching or interference has not occurred. Warning to use caution may be issued.

1-43, 1-44 Concession has not occurred.

1-45 penalty Issue a more lenient penalty and unequivocal warning rather than a more severe penalty.

2-8, 6-11 The safety was called. Warning to use care in calling and acknowledging safeties must be issued to both players.

To emphasize, the above listed information is intended as guidance for officials, and is irrelevant if the referee is certain in their judgment that a situation has occurred. Once a ruling has been made by an official, players may not use the provisions of this rule to attempt to influence the decision.

8. When a referee is not present, a foul may only be called by a player involved in the game. See Rule 1-41, Coaching, for more detail and for team play exceptions.

1. CSI events are usually played with referees having responsibility for more than one table. In that situation, the following procedures apply:

a. Referees will not make any calls concerning the game on the table unless

they have been properly called to the table by a player involved in the game. Exception: Unsportsmanlike Conduct may be called without having been called to the table.

b. A referee observing a foul before being called to a table may use that knowledge to call the foul if called to the table after the foul. The foul may not be called if the referee is not called to the table before the next shot.

c. “Properly called to the table” means that the player requesting the referee’s presence has complied with the requirements of Rule 1-9. If a referee that is summoned by a player observes the player’s opponent already down on a shot, the referee will not attempt to interrupt or stop the player.

d. If a referee observes a player about to commit an act that would be a foul, the referee will take no action to alert the player or stop the foul from being committed, regardless of whether they have been properly called to the table.

Exception: after the referee has arrived at the table and before the shooter is down on a shot, if the shooter starts to proceed before the referee has authorized them to shoot, the referee will request the shooter to not proceed until authorized. (AR 10-4)

e. When approaching a table to stop or suspend play for reasons other than being summoned by a player, a referee will not interrupt a player down on a shot, but rather will wait until that shot is completed before intervening.

f. When directed by Administrative Authority, referees may come to the table without having been called in order to enforce items such as dress code or other violations of event regulations.

2. After having been properly called to a table, the referee takes over the responsibilities and duties of the non-shooting player, including acknowledging called shots or safeties. The non-shooting player must leave the table while their opponent is shooting, and does not necessarily have the right to occupy any particular position away from the table other than being in the chair.

3. When a referee is presiding over a match, the referee will make all calls concerning the match, and no request by the players is necessary. However, players may still request specific information from the referee as necessary.

1. You may protest if you feel a referee has incorrectly applied the rules or made an incorrect rules interpretation. You must make your protest both immediately after the decision in question, and prior to the next shot being taken, or it will not be considered. Referees must honor your request, suspend play, and inform their supervisor or the appropriate event official of the protest.

2. Matters involving a referee’s judgment may not be protested.

3. The Tournament Director or other designated event official is the final authority on all protests. They may, and should, consult with the senior referee present and other referees as necessary to gather information relative to the protest and for technical assistance if desired. However, no final decision on any protest may be made by any CSI referee while acting in the capacity of a referee. Any person holding final protest authority must avoid acting as a referee.

4. Whenever possible, referees faced with unusual situations not specifically covered by the CSI rules must first look to the events’ Administrative Authority for guidance before making a ruling. The tournament director or other designated event official with final protest authority is responsible for making rules interpretations in unusual situations.

5. If you have a specific issue concerning a referee’s conduct that is not related to a judgment call or rules issue, you should contact the Administrative Authority or Head Referee of the event, or the CSI National Office.

1. Referees may solicit information from any source to aid them in making their decisions. (AR 10-6)

2. If ruling on a situation or issue which occurred while a referee was not present, the referee will make their best effort to gather the appropriate information required to render a decision, and will make their decision based on that information. However, players are ultimately responsible for ensuring that they provide referees with all relevant information, and the referee is not responsible for information that is not offered or obtained. As in all other cases involving referees’ decisions, after another shot has been taken no previous ruling may be changed or protested, even if it is later discovered that the referee had incomplete or incorrect information at the time of the ruling.

Referees will make their best effort to ensure that the tournament equipment is suitable for play and meets CSI requirements. During play, players may ask a referee to clean one or more balls, remove excess powder from the table bed or rails, or assist in any other way to keep the equipment playable.

Referees are obligated to ensure that players do not engage in any act or activity that, in the referee’s judgment, is unsportsmanlike in nature. This includes, but is not limited to: actions that are embarrassing, disruptive, or detrimental to other players, spectators, referees, event officials, or the sport in general, or any act that makes a travesty of the game.

The Administrative Authority of an event may alter the CSI rules as necessary. If they choose to alter the rules in any way, the Administrative Authority must make a reasonable effort to ensure that:

a. all players affected by the alteration are properly notified in a timely manner;

b. the alterations are available to the affected players in writing;

c. the alterations are properly detailed and complete;

d. if requested, the alterations are provided to the CSI National Office