<G1> Treat everyone with respect. All Teams are expected to conduct themselves in a respectful and professional manner while competing in VEX Robotics Competition events. If a Team or any of its members (Students or any Adults associated with the Team) are disrespectful or uncivil to event staff, volunteers, or fellow competitors, they may be Disqualified from a current or upcoming Match.Team conduct pertaining to <G1> may also impact a Team’s eligibility for judged awards. Repeated or extreme violations of <G1> could result in a Team being Disqualified from an entire event, depending on the severity of the situation.

This rule exists alongside the REC Foundation Code of Conduct. Violation of the Code of Conduct can be considered a Major Violation of <G1> and can result in Disqualification from a current Match, an upcoming Match, an entire event, or (in extreme cases) an entire competition season. The Code of Conduct can be found at https://vrc-kb.recf.org/hc/en-us/articles/9653987780375-Code-of-Conduct.

Violation Notes: All Violations of <G1> are considered Major Violations and should be addressed on a case-by-case basis.Teams at risk of a <G1>Violation due to multiple disrespectful or uncivil behaviors will usually receive a “final warning”, although the Head Referee is not required to provide one.

<G2> VRC is a student-centered program. Adults may assist Students in urgent situations, but Adults may never work on or program a Robot without Students on that Team being present and actively participating.Students must be prepared to demonstrate an active understanding of their Robot’s construction and programming to judges or event staff.

This rule operates in tandem with the REC Foundation Student Centered Policy, which is available on the REC Foundation website for Teams to reference throughout the season:

https://vrc-kb.recf.org/hc/en-us/articles/9654578622487-Student-Centered-Policy

Violation Notes: Potential Violations of this rule will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. By definition, all Violations of this rule become Match Affecting as soon as a Robot which was built by an Adult wins a Match.

<G3> Use common sense. When reading and applying the various rules in this document, please remember that common sense always applies in the VEX Robotics Competition.

<G4> The Robot must represent the skill level of the Team. Each Team must include Drive Team Members, Programmer(s), Designer(s), and Builder(s). No Student may fulfill any of these roles for more than one VEX Robotics Competition Team in a given competition season.Students may have more than one role on the Team, e.g. the Designer may also be the Builder, the Programmer and a Drive Team Member.

1. Team members may move from one Team to another for non-strategic reasons outside of the Team’s control.
   1. Examples of permissible moves may include, but are not limited to, illness, changing schools, conflicts within a Team, or combining/splitting Teams.
   2. Examples of strategic moves in Violation of this rule may include, but are not limited to, one Programmer “switching” Teams in order to write the same program for multiple Robots, or one Student writing the Engineering Notebook for multiple Teams.
   3. If a Student leaves a Team to join another Team, <G4> still applies to the Students remaining on the previous Team. For example, if a Programmer leaves a Team, then that Team’s Robot must still represent the skill level of the Team without that Programmer. One way to accomplish this would be to ensure that the Programmer teaches or trains a “replacement” Programmer in their absence.
2. When a Team qualifies for a Championship event (e.g., States, Nationals, Worlds, etc.) the Students on the Team attending the Championship event are expected to be the same Students on the Team that was awarded the spot.Students can be added as support to the Team, but may not be added as Drive Team Members or Programmer for the Team.

1. An exception is allowed if one (1) Drive Team Member and / or one (1) Programmer on the Team cannot attend the event. The Team can make a single substitution of a Drive Team Member or Programmer for the Championship event with another Student, even if that Student has competed on a different Team. This Student will now be on this new Team and may not substitute back to the original Team.

Violation Notes: Violations of this rule will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, in tandem with the REC Foundation Student Centered Policy as noted in <G2>, and the REC Foundation Code of Conduct as noted in <G1>.

<G5> Robots begin the Match in the starting volume.At the beginning of a Match, each Robot must be smaller than a volume of 18” (457.2 mm) long by 18” (457.2 mm) wide by 18” (457.2 mm) tall. Using Field Elements, such as the field perimeter wall, to maintain starting size is only acceptable if the Robot would still satisfy the constraints of <R4> and pass inspection without the Field Elements.

Violation Notes: Any Violation of this rule will result in the Robot being removed from the field prior to the start of the Match, and rules <R3d> and <T5> will apply until the situation is corrected.

<G6> Keep your Robots together. Robots may not intentionally detach parts during the Match or leave mechanisms on the field.

Note: Parts which become detached unintentionally and therefore a Minor Violation are no longer considered “part of a Robot,” and should be ignored for the purposes of any rules which involve Robot contact or location (e.g., Scoring, Double-Zone, etc.) or Robot size.

Violation Notes: Major Violations of this rule should be rare, as Robots should never be designed to intentionally violate it.Minor Violations are usually due to Robots being damaged during gameplay, such as a wheel falling off.

<G7> Don’t clamp your Robot to the field. Robots may not intentionally grasp, grapple, or attach to any Field Elements other than the Elevation Bars. Strategies with mechanisms that react against multiple sides of a Field Element in an effort to latch or clamp onto said Field Element are prohibited. The intent of this rule is to prevent Teams from both unintentionally damaging the field and/or from anchoring themselves to the field in locations other than the Elevation Bars.

Violation Notes: Major Violations of this rule should be rare, as Robots should never be designed to intentionally violate it.

<G8> Only Drivers, and only in the Alliance Station. During a Match, each Team may have up to three (3) Drive Team Members in their Alliance Station, and all Drive Team Members must remain in their Alliance Station for the duration of the Match.

Drive Team Members are prohibited from any of the following actions during a Match:

1. Bringing/using any sort of communication devices into the Alliance Station. Devices with communication features turned off (e.g., a phone in airplane mode) are allowed.
2. Standing on any sort of object during a Match, regardless of whether the field is on the floor or elevated.
3. Bringing/using additional materials to simplify the game challenge during a Match.
   

   <G8c> is intended to refer to non-Robot-related items that directly influence gameplay, such as using a fan to influence opponent Triballs traveling through the air. Provided no other rules are violated, and the items do not pose any safety or field damage risks, the following examples are not considered violations of <G8>:
   

   • Materials used before or after a Match, such as a pre-Match alignment aid, or a carrying case for Robots/Controllers
   • Strategic aids, such as a whiteboard or clipboard
   • Earplugs, gloves, or other personal accessories

Note: Drive Team Members are the only Team members that are allowed to be in the Alliance Station during a Match.

Note 2: During a Match, Robots may be operated only by the Drive Team Members and/or by software running on the Robot’s control system, in accordance with <R26> and <G10>.

Violation Notes: Major Violations of this rule are not required to be Match Affecting, and could invoke Violations of other rules, such as <G1>, <G2>, or <G4>.

<G9> Hands out of the field. Drive Team Members are prohibited from making intentional contact with any Triballs, Field Elements, or Robots during a Match, apart from the contact specified in <G9a>.

1. During the Driver Controlled Period, Drive Team Members may only touch their own Robot if the Robot has not moved at all during the Match. Touching the Robot in this case is permitted only for the following reasons:
   1. Turning the Robot on or off.
   2. Plugging in a battery.
   3. Plugging in a V5 Robot Radio.
   4. Touching the V5 Robot Brain screen, such as to start a program.
2. Drive Team Members are not permitted to break the plane of the field perimeter at any time during the Match, apart from the actions described in <G9a>, <SG3>, and <SG6>.
3. Transitive contact, such as contact with the field perimeter that causes the field perimeter to contact Field Elements or Triballs inside of the field, could be considered a Violation of this rule.

Note: Any concerns regarding Field Element or Triball starting positions should be raised with the Head Referee prior to the Match.Team members may never adjust the Triballs or Field Elements themselves, except for Match Load Zone Triballs as described in <SG1>.

<G10> Controllers must stay connected to the field. Prior to the beginning of each Match, Drive Team Members must plug their V5 Controller into the field’s control system. This cable must remain plugged in for the duration of the Match, and may not be removed until the “all-clear” has been given for Drive Team Members to retrieve their Robots. See <T23> for more information regarding field control system options.

Violation Notes: The intent of this rule is to ensure that Robots abide by commands sent by the tournament software. Temporarily removing the cable to assist with mid-Match troubleshooting, with an Event Partner or other event technical staff present and assisting, would not be considered a Violation.

<G11> Autonomous means “no humans.” During the Autonomous Period, Drive Team Members are not permitted to interact with the Robots in any way, directly or indirectly. This could include, but is not limited to:

• Activating any controls on their V5 Controllers
• Unplugging or otherwise manually interfering with the field connection in any way
• Manually triggering sensors (including the Vision Sensor) in any way, even without touching them

Violation Notes: See <G12>.

<G12> All rules still apply in the Autonomous Period.Teams are responsible for the actions of their Robots at all times, including during the Autonomous Period. Any Violations committed during the Autonomous Period that affect the outcome of the Autonomous Bonus—whether they are Match Affecting or not—will result in the Autonomous Bonus being automatically awarded to the opposing Alliance.

If both Alliances commit Violations during the Autonomous Period that would have affected the outcome of the Autonomous Bonus, then no Autonomous Bonus will be awarded.

Violation Notes: The intent of this rule is to provide retribution for Violations committed during the Autonomous Period that are not Match Affecting, and therefore not Major Violations, but do affect the outcome of the Autonomous Bonus.

<G13> Don’t destroy other Robots. But, be prepared to encounter defense. Strategies aimed solely at the destruction, damage, tipping over, or Entanglement of opposing Robots are not part of the ethos of the VEX Robotics Competition and are not allowed.

1. VRC Over Under is intended to be an offensive game.Teams that partake in solely defensive or destructive strategies will not have the protections implied by <G13> (see <G14>). However, defensive play which does not involve destructive or illegal strategies is still within the spirit of this rule.
2. VRC Over Under is also intended to be an interactive game. Some incidental tipping, Entanglement, and damage may occur as a part of normal gameplay without violation. It will be up to the Head Referee’s discretion whether the interaction was incidental or intentional.
3. A Team is responsible for the actions of its Robot at all times, including the Autonomous Period. This applies both to Teams that are driving recklessly or potentially causing damage, and to Teams that drive around with a small wheel base. A Team should design its Robot such that it is not easily tipped over or damaged by minor contact.
   

Violation Notes:

• Major Violations of this rule are not required to be Match Affecting. Intentional and/or egregious tipping, Entanglement, or damage may be considered a Major Violation at the Head Referee’s discretion.
• Repeated Violations within a Match or tournament could be considered a Violation of <G1> and/or <S1> at the Head Referee’s discretion.

<G14> Offensive Robots get the “benefit of the doubt.” In a case where Head Referees are forced to make a judgment call regarding a destructive interaction between a defensive and offensive Robot, or an interaction which results in a questionable Violation, referees will decide in favor of the offensive Robot.

<G15> You can’t force an opponent into a penalty.Intentional strategies that cause an opponent to break a rule are not permitted, and will not result in a Violation for the opposing Alliance.

Violation Notes: In most cases, if a Team causes their opponent to break a rule, the Head Referee will simply not enforce the penalty on that opponent, and it will be considered a Minor Violation for the guilty Team. However, if the forced situation becomes Match Affecting in favor of the guilty Team, it will be considered a Major Violation.

<G16> No Holding for more than a 5-count. A Robot may not Hold an opposing Robot for more than a 5-count during the Driver Controlled Period.

For the purposes of this rule, a “count” is defined as an interval of time that is approximately one second in duration, and “counted-out” by Head Referees verbally.

A Holding count is over when at least one of the following conditions is met:

1. The two Robots are separated by at least two (2) feet (approximately one foam tile).
2. Either Robot has moved at least two (2) feet away (approximately 1 tile) from the location where the Trapping or Pinning count began.
   1. In the case of Lifting, this location is measured from where the Lifted Robot is released, not from where the Lifting began.
3. The Holding Robot becomes Trapped or Pinned by a different Robot.
   1. In this case, the original count would end, and a new count would begin for the newly Held Robot.
4. In the case of Trapping, if an avenue of escape becomes available due to changing circumstances in the Match.

After a Holding count ends, a Robot may not resume Holding the same Robot again for another 5-count. If a Team resumes Holding the same Robot within that 5-count, the original count will resume from where it ended.

<G17> Use Triballs to play the game. Triballs may not be used to accomplish actions that would be otherwise illegal if they were attempted by Robot mechanisms (e.g., interfering with an opponent’s Autonomous routine per <SG9>.)

Violation Notes: If a rule is Violated through the use of Triballs instead of a Robot mechanism, it should be evaluated as though the rule in question had been Violated by a Robot mechanism.

<SG1> Starting a Match. Prior to the start of each Match, the Robot must be placed such that it is:

1. Contacting at least one (1) of their Alliance’s Starting Tiles. See Figure 26.
2. Not contacting any Starting Tiles in the same Offensive Zone as their Alliance partner. One Robot must be in the red Offensive Zone, and one must be in the blue Offensive Zone. See Figure 20.
3. Not contacting any other gray foam field tiles, including the Match Load Zones.
4. Not contacting any Triballs other than a maximum of one (1) Preload. See rule <SG4>.
5. Not contacting any other Robots.
6. Not contacting any Barriers or Elevation Bars.
   1. Contact with the field perimeter and/or Match Load Bars is permitted, but not required.
7. Completely stationary (i.e., no motors or other mechanisms are in motion).
   

Note: The Triballs which start in each Match Load Zone must be contacting the Match Load Zone at the start of the Match. However, they may be repositioned during pre-Match setup by the Team whose Robot is using the Starting Tiles adjacent to that Match Load Zone. For example, in Figure 26, Red Robot 1 would be permitted to reposition the Triball in the lower-left red Match Load Zone.

Violation Notes: The Match will not begin until the conditions in this rule are met. If a Robot cannot meet these conditions in a timely manner, the Robot will be removed from the field and rules <R3d> and <T5> will apply until the situation is corrected.

Figure 26: The tiles in which Robots can start a Match.

<SG2> Horizontal expansion is limited. Once the Match begins, Robots may expand, but no horizontal dimension may exceed 36” (914.4 mm) at any point during the Match.

1. This limit refers to “horizontal” expansion relative to the playing field (i.e., it does not “rotate with the Robot”). For example, Robots which tip over during a Match or change orientation while Elevating are still subject to a 36” horizontal limit.
2. There is no height limit on Robot expansion.
   

   The following visual references on the field may be used by Head Referees when making in-Match judgment calls:
   

   • Diagonal of a single field tile (~34”)
   • Distance from the Barrier to the Neutral Zone’s single white tape line (~34.5”)
   • Width between Goal bases (~39.4”)

Violation Notes:

• The primary intent of this rule is to limit defensive horizontal expansion. As such, Robots who choose to expand horizontally in the vicinity of opponent Goals or Match Load Bars may be subject to rule <G14>, and will not receive the “benefit of the doubt” in the case of any Head Referee judgment calls.
• Because Elevation is an inherently offensive action, a greater “benefit of the doubt” will be applied to momentary/accidental Minor Violations of this rule during Elevation.

Figure 27: Visual references for a Head Referee to determine if a Robot has exceeded the maximum expansion limit.

<SG3> Keep Triballs in the field. Triballs that leave the field during Match play, whether intentionally or unintentionally, will be returned to the field by being placed in a Match Load Zone nearest the point at which they exited.

1. Referees will return Triballs to the field when it is deemed safe to do so, at their discretion.
2. This action is not considered a “Match Load”, i.e., the stipulations in rule <SG6> do not apply, For example, the Triball cannot be placed directly onto a Robot.
3. Incidental contact with other Triballs that are already in the Match Load Zone may occur, although referees will make a concerted effort not to do so.
4. The Triball may be placed on top of other Triballs that are already in the Match Load Zone if necessary, e,g., if Triballs are already covering the entire Match Load Zone foam tile region.
5. At their discretion, referees may also direct a nearby Drive Team Member or other volunteer to return the Triball to a specific Match Load Zone. However, this should never be done by Drive Team Members proactively without referee acknowledgment.

Note: Triballs which come to rest on top of a Goal may be retrieved by a Drive Team Member from the Alliance Station adjacent to the Goal in question. The Triball is then considered a Match Load for the Alliance who retrieved the Triball. This momentary interaction is an exception to rule <G9>.

<SG4> Each Robot gets one Alliance Triball as a Preload. Prior to the start of each Match, each Alliance Triball / Preload that is used must be placed such that it is:

1. Contacting one Robot of the same Alliance color as the Preload.
2. Not contacting the same Robot as another Preload.
3. Fully within the field perimeter.

If a Team does not wish to use their Preloads, or if a Robot is not present for their Match, then the Preloads may be used as Match Load Triballs in accordance with <SG6>.

Violation Notes: See <SG1>.

<SG5> Stay away from nets on the Goals. Becoming Entangled with the net on either Goal is considered a violation of <S1> and/or <G7>, and will result in a Disablement. Causing an opponent to become Entangled with the net is considered a violation of <G15> and, at a minimum, will result in a Disablement for both Teams.

This rule is a specific exception to <G15>. Normally, under <G15>, a Robot which is forced into breaking a rule (such as being pushed into the net) is not penalized. However, because heavy Robot-to-Robot interaction is expected around the Goals, and Entanglement carries a high risk of playing field damage, any Robot that becomes Entangled must be Disabled regardless of fault.Robots are responsible for their own actions and mechanism designs.

Note: Lifting the net structure in an attempt to add or remove Triballs is considered a Violation of <SG5>, and may also be considered a Violation of <G7> and/or <S1> at the Head Referee’s discretion.

Violation Notes:

• Momentary or incidental contact is expected and is not considered a Violation or Disablement. The rule only becomes invoked once a Robot has become Entangled with a net and the Head Referee wishes to avoid potential field damage.
• The Disablement associated with this rule is not considered a Major Violation. It is intended to be an avenue for the Head Referee to prevent any potential safety concerns and/or damage to the net.
• Intentional, strategic, or repeated Minor Violations and/or Disablements may escalate to a Major Violation at the Head Referee’s discretion.
• Disablements last for the remainder of the match, regardless of whether the status that led to Disablement is resolved or not.

<SG6>Match Load Triballs may be safely introduced during the Match under certain conditions.For the purpose of this rule, “introduce” refers to the moment when a Match Load Triball is no longer in contact with a human and has crossed the plane of the field perimeter.

During this action, a Drive Team Member’s hand may temporarily break the plane of the field perimeter. This momentary interaction is an exception to rule <G9>. Excessive, unnecessary, or unsafe actions while introducing a Match Load may be considered a Violation of <S1> and/or <G1> at the Head Referee’s discretion.

Match Load Triballs may be introduced by a Drive Team Member in one of two ways:

1. By placing the Match Load gently onto a Match Load Zone. This may be done at any time during the Driver Controlled Period, provided that no other rules are Violated.
   1. “Throwing,” “rolling,” or otherwise imparting enough energy onto a Triball such that it bounces out of the Match Load Zone is not permitted.
   2. Note that the Match Load Zone refers to the foam tile itself; it is not a three-dimensional volume. There is no rules-bound limit for how many Triballs may be in the Match Load Zone at any given time, provided that new Match Loads are placed directly onto the foam tile without violating any other rules.
2. By placing the Match Load gently onto a Robot from the Drive Team Member’sAlliance.
   1. The Robot must be contacting the Match Load Zone or the Match Load Bar.
   2. Rules <S1> and <S3> still apply to this interaction; there should be no reason for a Robot to extend outside of the field perimeter during this action.

Note: Match Load Triballs may only be introduced once the Driver Controlled Period has begun. During the Autonomous Period, and during the time between the Autonomous and Driver Controlled Periods, Match Load Triballs may not cross the plane of the field perimeter.

<SG7> Possession is limited to one (1) Triball. Robots may not have greater-than-momentary Possession of more than one Triball at once.Robots in Violation of this rule must immediately stop all Robot actions except for attempting to remove the excess Triball(s). This rule applies to both intentional and accidental Possession.

Violation Notes:

• Any intentional Violation by an Alliance who wins the Match will be considered Match Affecting.

Examples of egregious Violations that may immediately escalate to Major Violations include, but are not limited to:

• Continuing to play other portions of the game (e.g., defensive maneuvers, Elevating) without attempting to remove excess Triballs for the majority of the Match
• “Accidentally” Possessing an egregious amount of Triballs

<SG8> Stay out of your opponent’s Goal unless they are Double-Zoned. During the time when an Alliance meets the definition of Double-Zoning , opposing Robots are permitted to “break the plane” of the Double-Zoning Alliance’s Goal, such as to remove Triballs.

1. This allowance ends once the Alliance is no longer Double-Zoning (i.e., when one or both of the Robots has returned to the other side of the field or contacted the Long Barrier).
2. Entering an opponent’s Goal at any other time is prohibited. This includes staying inside of an opponent’s Goal after they end their Double-Zone status.
3. This rule applies to both intentional and unintentional interactions.Teams are responsible for the actions of their own Robots.
4. This rule only applies during the Driver Controlled Period. Entering an opponent’s Goal is not permitted at any time during the Autonomous Period.
5. If an Alliance has only one Robot present, then that Alliance can never meet the definition of Double-Zoning , and therefore its Goal is never open for opponent interactions.

Violation Notes: Attempting to remove Triballs from an opponent’s Goal is an intentional and inherently defensive action. Therefore, <G14> will apply to these interactions, and the offensive Alliance will always receive the “benefit of the doubt” in the case of any close judgment calls between opposing Robots.

Figure 28: One Robot from each Alliance in their respective Offensive Zones; Triballs in Goals are safe.

Figure 29: Both Red Robots are in the Blue Offensive Zone; Red Goal is open for de-scoring by a Blue Robot.

Figure 30: Both Red Robots are in the Red Offensive Zone; Red Goal is open for de-scoring by a Blue Robot.

Figure 31: A Red Robot is contacting the Long Barrier; the Red Alliance is NOT Double-Zoning, therefore Triballs in Goals are safe.

<SG9> Stay in your starting Zone during Autonomous. During the Autonomous Period, Robots may not contact foam tiles, Triballs, or Field Elements on the opposing Alliance’s side of the Neutral Zone, or in the opposite Offensive Zone from which they began the Match.

1. <G17> does not apply to this rule, unless egregiously exploited for strategic gain. It is expected that Triballs which are launched as part of normal Autonomous gameplay may contact foam tiles on the opponent’s side of the field.

Violation Notes:

• All Violations of this rule (Major or Minor) will result in the Autonomous Bonus being awarded to the opposing Alliance.


• Intentional, strategic, or egregious violations, such as intentional contact with an opposing Robot while contacting the foam tiles past the Neutral Zone, will be considered Major Violations.


• Intentionally using a Triball to interfere with the Match Load Zone that is used for an opponent’s Autonomous Win Point may be considered an example of exploiting <G17> for strategic gain. If the opponent has already successfully retrieved their Triball when the Violation occurs, then this will be considered a Minor Violation of <SG9>, and the Autonomous Win Point is not affected (per <SC7>). If the opponent has not retrieved their Triball, then this will be considered a Major Violation.

<SG10> Enter the Neutral Zone during Autonomous at your own risk. Any Robot who engages with the Neutral Zone during the Autonomous Period should be aware that opponent Robots may also choose to do the same. Per <G11> and <G12>, Teams are responsible for the actions of their Robots at all times.

1. If opposing Robots contact one another while both engaging with the Neutral Zone, and a possible <G13> violation results (i.e., damage, Entanglement, or tipping over), then a judgment call will be made by the Head Referee within the context of <G13> and <G14> just as it would if the interaction had occurred during the Driver Controlled Period.
2. In the context of <G14>, the Zones will always determine “offensive”/“defensive” roles during the Autonomous Period. For example, in Figure 32, the Robots are in the Blue Offensive Zone. Therefore, if an interaction occurred in the Neutral Zone that required a Head Referee judgment call, then Robot B1 would receive the “benefit of the doubt.”

Figure 32: Two Robots legally interacting within the Neutral Zone.

<SG11> Elevation is protected. During the last 30 seconds of the Match, Robots may not contact the following:

1. The opposing Alliance’s Elevation Bars
2. Opponent Robots who are contacting their Elevation Bars
3. Opponent Robots who meet the definition of Elevated
4. The Short Barriers adjacent to the opposing Alliance's Elevation Bars.

This section provides rules and requirements for the design and construction of your Robot. A VEX Robotics Competition Robot is a remotely operated and/or autonomous vehicle designed and built by a registered VEX Robotics Competition Team to perform specific tasks.

There are specific rules and limitations that apply to the design and construction of your Robot. Please ensure that you are familiar with these Robot rules before beginning your Robot design. These “inspection rules” are verified prior to the beginning of each event, in a formal Robot Inspection.

Inspection Rules are “pass/fail”; there are no Major or Minor Violations, only Violations. The penalty for all Violations is the same, as outlined in <R3d> and <R27>.

Most of these rules are “hard limits,” such as the maximum number of motors permitted. However, some are “at inspector discretion,” such as determining a mechanism’s potential safety risk. At many events, the lead inspector and the Head Referee are the same person; if they are not, then the volunteer inspector should confirm any questionable judgment calls with the Head Referee. The Head Referee has final authority regarding all Robot rules, since it is ultimately their decision whether a Robot takes the field for a Match after inspection has concluded (per <R3d> and <R3e>).