What is the general principle of fairness referees must uphold?

• A. Consistency, objectivity, and adherence to the official rulebook across all lifters.
• B. Speed of decision making overrides accuracy.
• C. Favoring higher-ranked lifters in close calls.
• D. Personal interpretation of rules when convenient.

Answer: (A)

Fairness in refereeing comes from applying the rules in the same way to every lifter, based on objective observations and the official rulebook. Referees must judge lifts using the same criteria for depth, pause, and execution, and they should base every decision on what is codified in the rulebook rather than personal preference or who the lifter is. This consistency ensures that all competitors are held to the same standards, and decisions are transparent and defensible.

If decisions varied by lifter, or if judges let personal opinions or speed of calling override accuracy, the competition would lose legitimacy. Favoring higher-ranked lifters or interpreting rules subjectively would undermine trust in the process. That’s why the principle of fairness centers on consistent, objective enforcement of the rules for every lifter.