In a message dated 11/13/2003 4:33:27 PM Central Standard Time, carla.richards@USFencing.org writes:
A tournament is a sanctioned USFA tournament and thus one whereby classifications could be awarded only if the tournament/competitions are on the official Division schedule. No club can assume sanctioning of a competition it holds. Being a USFA club member DOES NOT give it the right to hold sanctioned competitions, only the Division in which the club resides can sanction tournaments/competitions.
ASK FRED is not a USFA vehicle, though used by some divisions for online registration - posting on it does not make a competition a sanctioned competition.
If the Division did not include the competition in its Division schedule of competitions, classifications cannot be awarded. The person who fenced in that competitions did NOT earn a classification. The only way a person knows if classifications can be earned is if the competition or tournament is announced as part of the Division schedule. Five day notice is inadequate notice to the members of a division.
Carla-Mae Richards
Director of Technical Programs
US Fencing
Association
carla.richards@usfencing.org
Phone: 719-866-4548
Fax:
719-632-5737
This email was in reference to the USFA Operations Manual, Page 44, 2000 Edition Revision 2000.09:
(1) Classifications must be certified in writing to the National Office by the organizer of the competition in which said classification was earned. Every member of the USFA is personally responsible for ascertaining his or her own classification in each weapon. To avoid questions with respect to individual fencers, each division, through its executive committee or other designated officer or committee, should certify all classification changes (both major and minor) to the National Office. Changes should be reported within two weeks. Failure to report changes in a timely fashion may affect athletes competing in a national competition.
(2) Classifications become official when verified at the National Office.
(3) A fencer drops one level of major classification if that fencer fails, during a period of four years, to re-achieve the results necessary to earn that major classification. All such reclassifications will take effect at the beginning of the fencing season. For example, a fencer classified as “B85” was reclassified as “C89” at the start of the 1989-1990 fencing season. The minor classification changes at the same time to indicate that the new classification was achieved in the calendar year 1989. A fencer who loses an “E” classification as a result of the application of this rule becomes Unclassified.
(4) A fencer remains unclassified as long as he or she does not qualify for one of the other classifications under the foregoing rules.
(5) The classification of a fencer in one weapon has no effect upon his or her classification in another weapon and is not affected by his or her winning or competing in individual three-weapon competitions, invitational meets, intercollegiate competitions, or unofficial club and inter-club competitions.
(6) Classifications can be earned only in regularly scheduled competitions run by the USFA, its sections, or its divisions. Classifications cannot be awarded if adequate notice of the competition has not been given to the members of the organizing body via such means as a published schedule, newsletter, or notices sent to all USFA clubs within the division or section. Classifications can be earned in competitions sanctioned by a body of the USFA but not run by that body (e.g., State Games) only after the sanctioning body has determined that the competition has been run in such a manner as to justify the awarding of classifications.