The first article titled “It’s time for tests of the pads!” was inserted on the 21^st of September 2012 and caused many substantial comments, especially of Russian readers. I’ve read all of them and I’ll try to convey new readers the crux of the matter. There is also a link to that article below.

http://en.armpower.net/article/en/its-time-for-tests-of-the-pads-2376.html

 I’ve also talked it over with Igor Mazurenko and you’ll also find his opinion below. I’ll also take a liberty of add my point of view. In the text inserted earlier “Referees Elite - Sports Referees” I’ve praised our sports referees, especially those ones who are dealing with combat sports.

http://en.armpower.net/article/en/referees-elite-sports-referees-2378.html

The modern world of the degenerated civilization of the “caring” countries approves structures aiming at fudging individual responsibility for made decisions. An example? Once, a DOCTOR left an operating theater and said, what was with the patient. Today, DOCTORS leave and communicate with awaiting people by the press officer of the TEAM. Such examples could be multiplied, but it’s not the point. If you are suppose to understand it, you will. But let’s cut the chase!

A referee MUST shoulder the responsibility for certain decisions and there’s no return!

You’re a sports referee, you were, or still are an active competitors and you know the job! So, when you see a falling elbow or a false start, show it! Don’t be afraid! You’re assigned to do that, we believe in your competence and that’s all. Of course, a human being is fallible, but from my experience I can say, that sports referees are the people who live for work, they analyze it all the time and evaluate it. I’ve spend a lot of time talking to my friends and referees and although a lot of other things were happening 90% of our conversations were devoted to sport, refereeing and discussing regulations.

You can’t be afraid of the responsibility!

You’re better prepared for it than anyone else!

All the time I assume that a referee is perfectly impartial even if they are suppose to referee their relative’s fight with someone form a faraway country and it won’t influence their verdict. Of course it’s really hard, but without it, it will all fall apart! I remember, how I was agonizing over a competition in which my friend and sports teacher was taking part. It was powerlifting. I was praying for no controversial situations, the ones I would have to make a final decision. If I were “off side” his approach, I would be afraid to look him in the eyes. But it happened so only for the first time. Then I’ve heard: “Peater, you saw an off side, you’ve showed red, and that’s all right! That’s what I taught you!”

I can’t imagine that a fight could be assessed subjectively when you are a referee. Maybe I’m just naive, aren’t I?

Let’s speak to the point!

In our sport we can’t avoid subjective decision-making and that’s all! Even some safety measures as video cameras and the possibility to replay what happened frame by frame won’t evade you making a SUBJECTIVE decision and assessment. Even if a player appeals against your verdict, a commission will meet and their decision will also be SUBJECTIVE!

Made not using a ruler but after watching a rerun. There will also be an assessment while watching, “Did the elbow exceeded or not? Is that the whole elbow or just a half of it?”. Let’s think of weightlifting. Did he held a weight STILL on STRAIGHT arms or not? How to measure it? With a ruler?

Everyone who has ever lifted weights can “accept” his approach or not. Everyone knows if he really “froze” and “took control over the weight”. That’s why experienced referees of the competitors’ past don’t make glaring mistakes. Most of the strange decisions in weightlifting at this year’s Olympics were made by referees form rather exotic countries, who didn’t have too much contact with a weight.

In Armwrestling, every referee was or still is a competitor. That is why we don’t have such problems.

But it doesn’t mean that refereeing doesn’t have to be improved. But sensibly!

Do pads with edges make sense? Let’s think it over once again.

What did our readers comment information of the pads?

1- “There is still a matter of pain. If the edges are sharp, then in a struggle with so strong competitors as Andrey or Denis we must be aware that if one of them pushes the other it may cause even a serious elbow injury!”

2- “Well, if we keep winning by fouls... Maybe the edges don’t have to be on the four sides of pad, but on the competitor’s side and on 2 other sides. Take a look where elbows fall most often.”

3- “ I’m thinking, why not to make a pad on the whole table? Let them fight on all table pad! I’ll be much more interesting!”

Let me refer to these comments.

Ad 1. “A serious elbow injury!” The reader rightly points it out! Our sport is quite traumatic on its own, we should not be making it more risky.

Dear Friends! Everyone who has ever trained a little self-defence knows how you can cleverly “turn off” an opponent hitting a wall with his elbow or (even lightly) hitting his elbow with a stick from the back. There are many nerve endings and even a string man can “fall asleep” hit this way. You can also hurt yourselves the same way while renovating of a small room or even at the table. A huge strength of the opponent which acts on an arm of the fighting person and an “exposed” elbow, hitting on a sharp edge or just a strong one may cause a huge injury. It may even cause a player not to be able to take up the next fight.

Is that what we want?

Ad 3. “...all table pad! I’ll be much more interesting!” I don’t agree with it! Armwrestling is effective enough and there is no reason to keep “rummage in” the regulations to make it more effective. But please, devising this way we’ll reach the point when girls fight in G string cause it (for sure) make it more effective. Girls, sorry for this statement.

 So, should there be the edges or not?

At the same time two recipes for the same problem appeared. The problem – the elbow foul; the recipes: either video cameras or the pads with edges/

Is it really a matter of either… or…?

It rather is, as the edges would cover camera image!

Do the video cameras increase the risk of injury?

No, they don’t!

The EAF has already reported that they will contribute 3 000 euro for cameras, so that they could be used at every important competitions.

Igor Mazurenko as a person responsible for ma king new pads at the Championships in Kazakhstan, did his job accurately and on time.

Igor Mazurenko: “The pads were in Brazil. However it turned out that  the hosts did not prepare appropriate tables! They were under obligation to use certified tables, but they decided to put the poor fakes. Not only the tables lining caused larger than normal elbow abrasions, but also the holes for the pads were different form the typical dimensions. So the new pads could not have been used at the competition. Only some tests were conducted on a side table. After watching the tests I’m rather opposed to continuing work in this direction. That’s not the right way.

It is better to assign all the resources on refereeing using the cameras.

I remember as in 2000 symmetric pads, so identical, for left and right hand fights were discussed. The main argument was lowering costs. But, keep in mind that costs cannot hit the security! We’ve managed to firce the present asymmetrical set of the pads and it works!

And for the organizer of the competitions, the major competition, the cost of the table is still a fraction of the necessary expenses. And the safety is paramount. You remember the tables in 2004 - a special limited edition with a commemorative medal in the middle of the table, don’t you?  It looked wonderful, but the judges did not agree to use the because of the risk of injury.

So, in my opinion the video cameras need to be put. However, if there will be opinions to change anything with pads I think, they could be added some centimetres. So that their dimensions are 19 x 19 centimetres (7.48 x 7.48 inches). "

We are very curious to see what you think of it. So, please comment.

PeSzy