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6.6      Violations

Upon any instance of a rule violation, unless otherwise noted, 1 or more of the penalties listed in Table 6‑3 are assessed.

Table 6‑3 Rule violations

Penalty

Description

FOUL

a credit of 2 points towards the opponents MATCH point total

TECH FOUL

a credit of 5 points towards the opponents MATCH point total

YELLOW CARD

a warning issued by the Head REFEREE for egregious ROBOT or team member behavior or rule violations. A subsequent YELLOW CARD within the same tournament phase results in a RED CARD.

RED CARD

a penalty assessed for egregious ROBOT or team member behavior or rule violations which results in a team being DISQUALIFIED for the MATCH.

DISABLED

the state in which a ROBOT is commanded to deactivate all outputs, rendering the ROBOT inoperable for the remainder of the MATCH.

DISQUALIFIED

the state of a team in which they receive 0 MATCH points and 0 Ranking Points in a Qualification MATCH or causes their ALLIANCE to receive 0 MATCH points in a Playoff MATCH

6.6.1      YELLOW and RED CARDS

In addition to rule violations explicitly listed throughout this document, YELLOW CARDS and RED CARDS are used in FIRST Robotics Competition to address team and ROBOT behavior that does not align with the mission, values, and culture of FIRST.

The Head REFEREE may assign a YELLOW CARD as a warning, or a RED CARD for egregious behavior inappropriate at a FIRST Robotics Competition event.

A YELLOW or RED CARD is indicated by the Head REFEREE holding a YELLOW and/or RED CARD in the air while the Game Announcer describes the violation.

YELLOW CARDS are additive, meaning that a second YELLOW CARD is automatically converted to a RED CARD. A team is issued a RED CARD for any subsequent incident in which they receive an additional YELLOW CARD, including earning a second YELLOW CARD during a single MATCH. A second YELLOW CARD is indicated by the Head REFEREE holding a YELLOW CARD and RED CARD in the air simultaneously after the completion of the MATCH. A team that has received either a YELLOW CARD or a RED CARD carries a YELLOW CARD into subsequent MATCHES, except as noted below.

Once a team receives a YELLOW or RED CARD, its team number is presented with a yellow background on the audience screen at the beginning of all subsequent MATCHES, including any replays, as a reminder to the team, the REFEREES, and the audience that they carry a YELLOW CARD.

Figure 6‑4 Example audience screen graphic showing YELLOW CARD indicators

All YELLOW CARDS are cleared in FMS at the conclusion of Practice, Qualification, and division Playoff MATCHES. Verbal warnings are cleared after Practice MATCHES and persist from Qualification MATCHES through subsequent tournament phases. The Head REFEREE may opt to perpetuate a verbal warning or YELLOW CARD earned during Practice MATCHES through to Qualification MATCHES for particularly egregious behavior.

6.6.2      YELLOW and RED CARD application

YELLOW and RED CARDS are applied based on the following:

Table 6‑4 YELLOW and RED CARD application

Time YELLOW or RED CARDS earned:

MATCH to which CARD is applied:

prior to Practice MATCHES

teams first Practice MATCH

during the Practice MATCHES

teams current (or just-completed) MATCH.

between the end of PRACTICE MATCHES and the start of Qualification MATCHES

teams first Qualification MATCH

during the Qualification MATCHES

teams current (or just-completed) MATCH. In the case where the team participated as a SURROGATE in the current (or just completed) MATCH, the card is applied to the teams previous MATCH (i.e. the teams second Qualification MATCH)

between the end of Qualification MATCHES and the start of Playoff MATCHES

ALLIANCES first Playoff MATCH

during the Playoff MATCHES

ALLIANCES current (or just-completed) MATCH

Please see examples of the application of YELLOW and RED CARDS as shown in Section 6.6.4 Violation Details.

6.6.3      YELLOW and RED CARDS during Playoff MATCHES

During Playoff MATCHES, YELLOW and RED CARDS are assigned to the violating teams entire ALLIANCE instead of to only the violating team. If an ALLIANCE receives 2 YELLOW CARDS, the entire ALLIANCE is issued a RED CARD which results in DISQUALIFICATION for the associated MATCH. If both ALLIANCES receive a RED CARD, the ALLIANCE assessed the first RED CARD, chronologically, is DISQUALIFIED and loses the MATCH.

6.6.4      Violation Details

There are several styles of violation wording used in this manual. Below are some example violations and a clarification of the way the violation would be assessed. The examples shown do not represent all possible violations, but rather a representative set of combinations.

Table 6‑5 Violation examples

Example Violation

Expanded Interpretation

FOUL

Upon violation, a FOUL is assessed against the violating ALLIANCE.

TECH FOUL and YELLOW CARD

Upon violation, a TECH FOUL is assessed against the violating ALLIANCE. After the MATCH, the Head REFEREE presents the violating team with a YELLOW CARD.

FOUL per additional NOTE. If egregious, YELLOW CARD

Upon violation, a number of FOULS are assessed against the violating ALLIANCE equal to the number of additional NOTES beyond the permitted quantity. Additionally, if the REFEREES determine that the action was egregious, the Head REFEREE presents the violating team with a YELLOW CARD after the MATCH.

FOUL, PLUS TECH FOUL IF REPEATED

Upon initial violation in a MATCH, a FOUL is assessed against the violating ALLIANCE. If the ALLIANCE ROBOT repeats the infraction in the MATCH, a FOUL and a TECH FOUL are assessed against the violating ALLIANCE. Assuming no additional infractions of that rule by that ROBOT in that MATCH, the ROBOT has earned 2 FOULS and a TECH FOUL for their ALLIANCE.

TECH FOUL, and for every 5 seconds in which the situation is not corrected, a TECH FOUL is assessed

Upon violation, a TECH FOUL is assessed against the violating ALLIANCE and the REFEREE begins to count. Their count continues until the criteria to discontinue the count are met, and for each 5 seconds within that time, an additional TECH FOUL is assessed against the violating ALLIANCE. A ROBOT in violation of this type of rule for 15 seconds receives a total of 4 TECH FOULS (assuming no other rules were being simultaneously violated).

RED CARD for the ALLIANCE

After the MATCH, the Head REFEREE presents the violating ALLIANCE with a RED CARD in the following fashion:

In a PLAYOFF MATCH, a single RED CARD is assessed to the ALLIANCE.

In all other scenarios, each team on the ALLIANCE is issued a RED CARD.

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6.6      Violations

Upon any instance of a rule violation, unless otherwise noted, 1 or more of the penalties listed in Table 6‑3 are assessed.

Table 6‑3 Rule violations

Penalty

Description

FOUL

a credit of 2 points towards the opponents MATCH point total

TECH FOUL

a credit of 5 points towards the opponents MATCH point total

YELLOW CARD

a warning issued by the Head REFEREE for egregious ROBOT or team member behavior or rule violations. A subsequent YELLOW CARD within the same tournament phase results in a RED CARD.

RED CARD

a penalty assessed for egregious ROBOT or team member behavior or rule violations which results in a team being DISQUALIFIED for the MATCH.

DISABLED

the state in which a ROBOT is commanded to deactivate all outputs, rendering the ROBOT inoperable for the remainder of the MATCH.

DISQUALIFIED

the state of a team in which they receive 0 MATCH points and 0 Ranking Points in a Qualification MATCH or causes their ALLIANCE to receive 0 MATCH points in a Playoff MATCH

6.6.1      YELLOW and RED CARDS

In addition to rule violations explicitly listed throughout this document, YELLOW CARDS and RED CARDS are used in FIRST Robotics Competition to address team and ROBOT behavior that does not align with the mission, values, and culture of FIRST.

The Head REFEREE may assign a YELLOW CARD as a warning, or a RED CARD for egregious behavior inappropriate at a FIRST Robotics Competition event.

A YELLOW or RED CARD is indicated by the Head REFEREE holding a YELLOW and/or RED CARD in the air while the Game Announcer describes the violation.

YELLOW CARDS are additive, meaning that a second YELLOW CARD is automatically converted to a RED CARD. A team is issued a RED CARD for any subsequent incident in which they receive an additional YELLOW CARD, including earning a second YELLOW CARD during a single MATCH. A second YELLOW CARD is indicated by the Head REFEREE holding a YELLOW CARD and RED CARD in the air simultaneously after the completion of the MATCH. A team that has received either a YELLOW CARD or a RED CARD carries a YELLOW CARD into subsequent MATCHES, except as noted below.

Once a team receives a YELLOW or RED CARD, its team number is presented with a yellow background on the audience screen at the beginning of all subsequent MATCHES, including any replays, as a reminder to the team, the REFEREES, and the audience that they carry a YELLOW CARD.

Figure 6‑4 Example audience screen graphic showing YELLOW CARD indicators

All YELLOW CARDS are cleared in FMS at the conclusion of Practice, Qualification, and division Playoff MATCHES. Verbal warnings are cleared after Practice MATCHES and persist from Qualification MATCHES through subsequent tournament phases. The Head REFEREE may opt to perpetuate a verbal warning or YELLOW CARD earned during Practice MATCHES through to Qualification MATCHES for particularly egregious behavior.

6.6.2      YELLOW and RED CARD application

YELLOW and RED CARDS are applied based on the following:

Table 6‑4 YELLOW and RED CARD application

Time YELLOW or RED CARDS earned:

MATCH to which CARD is applied:

prior to Practice MATCHES

teams first Practice MATCH

during the Practice MATCHES

teams current (or just-completed) MATCH.

between the end of PRACTICE MATCHES and the start of Qualification MATCHES

teams first Qualification MATCH

during the Qualification MATCHES

teams current (or just-completed) MATCH. In the case where the team participated as a SURROGATE in the current (or just completed) MATCH, the card is applied to the teams previous MATCH (i.e. the teams second Qualification MATCH)

between the end of Qualification MATCHES and the start of Playoff MATCHES

ALLIANCES first Playoff MATCH

during the Playoff MATCHES

ALLIANCES current (or just-completed) MATCH

Please see examples of the application of YELLOW and RED CARDS as shown in Section 6.6.4 Violation Details.

6.6.3      YELLOW and RED CARDS during Playoff MATCHES

During Playoff MATCHES, YELLOW and RED CARDS are assigned to the violating teams entire ALLIANCE instead of to only the violating team. If an ALLIANCE receives 2 YELLOW CARDS, the entire ALLIANCE is issued a RED CARD which results in DISQUALIFICATION for the associated MATCH. If both ALLIANCES receive a RED CARD, the ALLIANCE assessed the first RED CARD, chronologically, is DISQUALIFIED and loses the MATCH.

6.6.4      Violation Details

There are several styles of violation wording used in this manual. Below are some example violations and a clarification of the way the violation would be assessed. The examples shown do not represent all possible violations, but rather a representative set of combinations.

Table 6‑5 Violation examples

Example Violation

Expanded Interpretation

FOUL

Upon violation, a FOUL is assessed against the violating ALLIANCE.

TECH FOUL and YELLOW CARD

Upon violation, a TECH FOUL is assessed against the violating ALLIANCE. After the MATCH, the Head REFEREE presents the violating team with a YELLOW CARD.

FOUL per additional NOTE. If egregious, YELLOW CARD

Upon violation, a number of FOULS are assessed against the violating ALLIANCE equal to the number of additional NOTES beyond the permitted quantity. Additionally, if the REFEREES determine that the action was egregious, the Head REFEREE presents the violating team with a YELLOW CARD after the MATCH.

FOUL, PLUS TECH FOUL IF REPEATED

Upon initial violation in a MATCH, a FOUL is assessed against the violating ALLIANCE. If the ALLIANCE ROBOT repeats the infraction in the MATCH, a FOUL and a TECH FOUL are assessed against the violating ALLIANCE. Assuming no additional infractions of that rule by that ROBOT in that MATCH, the ROBOT has earned 2 FOULS and a TECH FOUL for their ALLIANCE.

TECH FOUL, and for every 5 seconds in which the situation is not corrected, a TECH FOUL is assessed

Upon violation, a TECH FOUL is assessed against the violating ALLIANCE and the REFEREE begins to count. Their count continues until the criteria to discontinue the count are met, and for each 5 seconds within that time, an additional TECH FOUL is assessed against the violating ALLIANCE. A ROBOT in violation of this type of rule for 15 seconds receives a total of 4 TECH FOULS (assuming no other rules were being simultaneously violated).

RED CARD for the ALLIANCE

After the MATCH, the Head REFEREE presents the violating ALLIANCE with a RED CARD in the following fashion:

In a PLAYOFF MATCH, a single RED CARD is assessed to the ALLIANCE.

In all other scenarios, each team on the ALLIANCE is issued a RED CARD.