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After the first reaction (“I am puzzled”) we asked the spokesman for Team Varese to express his thoughts on the ruling of the CNG (National Tournament Committee). Paolo Uggeri has today posted an official statement. We publish it here.
You asked me what I think about CNG’s judgement.
So let’s read this ruling together: Angelini disqualified but the Championship has been approved. Anyway there will be “the consequential amendment of the classification” very ugly term which means that the final will not be repeated and that the ranking should be revised: Lavazza first, second Varese, Villa Fabbriche third.
Let’s see what provides for the regulation (Article 10 Regulation championships): The irregular position of one or more players, at any time found, in the event of team competition, will involve for the team that owns the player to award zero points.
Zero points means that Angelini has lost the match with Varese, so Varese should and must still play the final against the Lavazza team.
The ruling of the CNG is clearly a political decision: to replay the final should be a blow to the image of the Federation, which had once allowed a “powerful” team to line up players in an irregular position against a team of total unknown players.
It was the duty of the Federation to monitor themselves the regularity of the participation of teams, should not be necessary a complaint, even so promptly submitted, to exclude the participation of non-resident foreign players from a competition reserved for residents.
If a formation of two men enter in a mixed pairs championship, I hope and believe that pair would be removed from the event without quarrels.
The official magazine of the Federation, “Bridge d’Italia”, in its report on the final, was conspicuous because of the complete lack of information not only about the complaint, but also on the order of CNG that did not approve the outcome of the match and stated verbatim that “the Varese appeal appears prima facie established. “
The official website of the Federation has not still published the news of (partial) acceptance of the complaint, nor shows the new classification.
A real order of silence.
Let’s go back to the original question: what do I think about the judgment.
All the possible evil.
I am full of respect for individual professionals at the time decided to sacrifice a portion of their free time to perform the delicate function of CNG guarantee: if they candidated, sure they had spirit of self-denial and justice, knowing that in certain situations could and should make difficult decisions.
Very well and very good, but then why on this occasion had they behave like Multicolor, weak with the strong and strong with the weak?
Paolo Uggeri
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