[CQ-Contest] CQ WW contest rules and rulings

[W0MU Mike Fatchett]

I am fairly certain that the passage below has been part of of the rules 
for decades in one form or another.

*XIII. DECLARATION:*

By submitting a CQ WW DX Contest log, and in consideration of the 
efforts of the CQ WW DX Contest Committee to review and evaluate that 
log, an entrant unconditionally and irrevocably agrees that he/she has: 
1) read and understood the rules of the contest and agrees to be bound 
by them, 2) operated according to all rules and regulations that pertain 
to amateur radio for the station location, 3) agreed the log entry may 
be made open to the public, and

4) accepted that the issuing of disqualifications and other decisions of 
the Committee are official and final. If an entrant is unwilling or 
unable to agree to all of the foregoing, the entrant should not submit 
the entry or submit the entry as a Checklog only.

Where does it say in the rules that we as the peanut gallery are owed 
any explanation whatsoever?  I appreciate that they committee has opened 
up to us when they do not have to.  Debating Disqualifications or bans 
on the internet generally never ends well.  Most times the organizers 
are attempting to limit the PR damage to the participant but some 
continue to deny and cry out to the court of public opinion, who never 
have all the facts in a dire attempt to get pity or empathy so that we 
will pressure the organizers to change their minds.  I would like to see 
more transparency but I also see value in not humiliating participants.

As participants and competitors I believe we should be able to discuss 
rules and violations in a civil manner.  Personally I may have crossed 
that line a time or two and jumped to a conclusion without all the facts.

Disqualifying people is no fun. Follow the rules, whether you agree with 
them or not or don't play.  The self spotting rule was in effect for the 
CQ WW DX contests in 2016 and people broke the rule.  Because I think 
self spotting should be allowed does not make the rule go away.  We all 
agreed to the rules by submitting a log.

These people are volunteers.  If you think you can help then volunteer.

I do not believe that CQ-Contest should be used to argue DQ cases in 
public.  This list is not the Supreme Court of contesting.

W0MU