CAFA Judge / Official

Standards and Procedures

1 General Rules

1.1

The CAFA Board is the appropriate body to manage the list of CAFA Judges and the Judges Committee

1.2

Judges Committee is established to provide for the following:

Review of judging standards and procedures
Review of competition and record standards and procedures
Education and accreditation of judges
Education and accreditation of officials
Regulation of anti-doping guidelines
Disciplinary and protest resolution

1.3

Judges Committee is made up of the following members:

Chairperson appointed by the CAFA Board
Five most qualified CAFA National Judges appointed by the CAFA Board

1.4

Judges Committee chairperson issues final ratification on all CAFA records

2 Judging Levels and Responsibilities

2.1

There are five categories of CAFA Judges / Officials

CAFA Official
CAFA Judge in Learning
CAFA Regional Judge
CAFA National Judge
AIDA International Judge Level E

2.2

Judges are broken down into two groups:

Primary judge	Oversees the overall organization for judging a competition or record
Secondary judge	Insures the record keeping of the competition or record

2.3

One primary judge and one or more secondary judges with proper qualifications are required per competition or record

2.4 CAFA Official

2.4.1

Officials are responsible for the overall organization and functioning of the competition or record

2.4.2

Officials are subdivided into the following types:

Event Organizer

Responsible for:

Site-set up
Supervision

Zone officials / time keepers

Responsible in the following areas:

Warm-up
Stand-by
Competition

Safety scuba divers

Safety freedivers

Medical

2.5 CAFA Judge In Learning

2.5.1

Act as primary or secondary judge at local competitions

2.5.2

Secondary judge at regional competitions

2.5.3

Must be an official or athlete at any one competition or record before applying for CAFA Judge in Learning

2.5.4

Must complete CAFA Judging course

2.5.5

Must be secondary at two regional competitions to apply as a Regional Judge

2.6 CAFA Regional Judge

2.6.1

Primary or secondary at regional competition

2.6.2

Secondary at nationals and records

2.6.3

Must be secondary at two national competitions and primary at two regional to apply as a CAFA National Judge

2.7 CAFA National Judge

2.7.1

Primary or secondary at nationals and records

2.7.2

Instructs CAFA Judging course

2.8 AIDA International Judge Level E

2.8.1

Act as primary or secondary at national competition or record

2.8.2

Prerequisite for further AIDA International Judging levels

3 Appointment of Judges by event

3.1

The CAFA Judges Committee appoints judges to the following:

CAFA regional competition
CAFA national competition
CAFA Canadian records
Local competitions by request

3.2

CAFA Judges Committee may be asked to appoint judges for inter-club competitions or records

3.3

CAFA Judges Committee appoints the primary and secondary

4 Training of CAFA Judges

4.1

All persons wanting to become CAFA Judges must fulfill the following prerequisites:

Minimum age of 21
Current first aid and CPR within two years
Acted as an official or competitor at any regional or national competition
Knowledge of recreational and technical scuba diving
Knowledge of diving physiology

4.2

CAFA Judges course content:

Introduction to CAFA and philosophies
Theory on CAFA Team Competition regulation
Theory on CAFA Individual Competition regulation
Theory on CAFA regulation for Recognition of Records
Theory on the surfacing/end of performance - Black-out/Loss of Motor Control
Theory on dispute resolution and the Judges Committee
Theory on disqualifications, penalties and sanctions
Theory on the organization of a competition and technical issues
Practical application on time, distance and depth determination
Practical application on the judgment of time and distance disciplines
Practical application on the judgment of depth disciplines
Practical application on in-water rescue procedures

5 Renewal of CAFA Judges

5.1

In order to retain CAFA Judge status one must fulfill one of the following conditions within the last 12 months:

Judged any CAFA national or regional competition
Judged any CAFA Canadian record
Completed a CAFA Judges Refresher course

6 Disciplinary and Protest Resolution

6.1

CAFA Judges Committee may be called upon to act in a disciplinary or protest resolution function when brought to the committee by an athlete, event organizer or judge

6.2

CAFA judges Committee may take disciplinary actions against any athlete, official or judges actions deemed unsafe or un-sportsman like. Disciplinary action may take the following forms:

Suspension from competitions and/or records with time dependant upon the severity of the action
Suspension from judging or officiating duties
Suspension until an appropriate refresher course is completed

6.3

CAFA Judges Committee may be called upon to resolve a protest with a athlete in the following way:

6.2.1

Judges Committee reviews written protest, video and other documentation if provided

6.2.2

Committee votes by secret ballot after thorough review

6.2.3

Majority vote wins

6.2.4

All protests to the CAFA Judges Committee should be resolved within 2 weeks of the committee receiving the protest

6.2.5

Judges committee protest is the final authority to resolve any dispute or protest with an athlete, official or judge during a competition or record

6.3 Protests During Competitions

6.3.1

Athletes may launch a protest against any judgment during CAFA competitions with the attending competition judges.

6.3.2

A protest in writing detailing the reasons for the protest must be launched within 15 minutes of the completion of the event and the results being posted.

6.3.3

A fee of $25.00 Cnd will be assed for the protest.

6.3.4

All the judges in attendance of the competition will convene to review and give a decision in the same manner as the Judges Committee.

6.3.5

The athlete will have the opportunity to present their argument before final judgment is given.

6.3.6

Athletes winning their protest will have the protest fee refunded.

6.3.7

Should the athlete lose the protest with the competition judges, the athlete may wish to further the protest to the final authority the CAFA Judges Committee where another fee of $25.00 Cnd will be assessed. A delay of up to 2 weeks may be experienced.

6.3.8

If the athlete wins the protest at the CAFA Judges Committee, all protest fees will be reimbursed and the competition results will be corrected and announced.

6.4 Protests During Record Attempts

During a record attempt, athletes may launch a protest if they disagree with the final judgment of their attempt in the following way:

6.4.1

A protest in writing detailing the reason for their protest along with a fee of $25.00 Cnd and any documentation deemed necessary.

6.4.2

CAFA Judges Committee will convene in a meeting face to face or electronically after all members have thoroughly reviewed all available documentation including official videos and after having had adequate time to discuss the matter to render a decision by secret ballot with majority vote winning.

6.4.3

If the athlete wins the protest with the CAFA Judges Committee the protest fee will be reimbursed and the record decision will be corrected and announced.