WCL 2020: Division 1

Rules:  https://www.chess.com/clubs/forum/view/wcl-2020-rules

Team contacts: https://www.chess.com/clubs/forum/view/wcl-2020-team-contacts

All match results are preliminary and indicative (occasionally updated by hand). Consult https://chessteams.info/ for live results and rankings.

Two teams are relegated to Division 2.

Results may change due to ex-post corrections (see rules) until the cut-off dates on October, 15th (for relegation) and December, 31th (for the final ranking).

WCL2020 R1: Team of Budapest vs Team Odessa - Жемчужина у моря ↓

https://www.chess.com/club/matches/1058436

Kyiv - Moscow https://www.chess.com/club/matches/1059856

Prishtina -Zagreb

https://www.chess.com/club/matches/team-prishtina/1059590

It is not necessary to post match links here. Check at https://chessteams.info/ whether the match is listed. Take action only if this is not the case.

Thanks for posting. We will investigate this case.

Hello Admins,

How long does it take to resolve this clear case in game:Team Zagreb vs Team Prishtina.

Violated rule number 8:

8. Removal of players

In general, admins are not allowed to remove players from the rosters of their teams.
As an exception to the general rule, admins may remove players in the following cases:
Players with a timeout percentage of at least 25%.
Multi-team players.
Foreign flag players in excess of the foreign flag maximum.

Please apply this rule!

Admins are not allowed to remove players except for narrowly defined cases, indeed.

However, given the set-up of the chess.com website, it is extremely difficult to prove that players have actually been removed by an admin. Team Prishtina claims that these players have withdrawn themselves one or two days before the match start on the basis of internal discussion in the group. We cannot prove otherwise.

Team Prishtina has been warned that any policy that discourages low-rated players from participating in the WCL is against the spirit of or league. Prishtina's matches in future rounds will be monitored carefully.

You are saying they discussed removing low rated players internally within their club and put pressure on them.   So they left the match of their own free will but after discussion and probably pressure.  That needs action.  Not warning and monitoring.   This is a breach of the rules.  
NO higher rated players left the match.

Challenge sent ... https://www.chess.com/clubs/match_challenge/1821328

https://www.chess.com/club/matches/team-kyiv/1069022

RainPiper ... and other admins.

Are you aware of what your decision means?

Now any admin can remove low ranked players, however they wish, without the danger of sanctions. There is precedent, you are now promoting it.
Now other rules also can be violated, why abide by them?

In all leagues on Chess.com, it is a rule that the removal of low-ranked players is forbidden. If removal of the player is proven, the team will be penalized. This rule is always enforced.

Intra-group arrangements cannot be more important than WCL rules!

Are we the exception? We want to play without rules?

Think about it.

RainPiper, I know it's not easy to manage this great League and I support you in your desitions, but this time I believe SegrHlapic is wright. Prishtina has violated the rules.

Agree.  No higher rated players left this match only the group of the lowest rated players who were most likely going to lose.   And they were caught pressuring low rated players to leave and appear to have admitted to this.   How much more evidence do you need.

The fact that admin will do that against their own members is unbelievable.  

Should be punished.  Penalties should be applied.  

Team Prishtina has been insistently warned and their future matches will be carefully monitored.

The problem with the current rule is that you cannot prove that is has been broken. When a lot of low-ranked players disappear from a match, this is highly suspicious, but you cannot prove that they have been removed by an admin if he denies this.

Blocking low-ranked players from WCL matches is highly undesirable, but there is no rule prohibiting this. In fact, there are quite some teams that have a suspiciously low participation of low-ranked players. We would love to set up a rule prohibiting this, but as it is unverifiable, any such rule would be moot.

Team Prishtina claims that these players have withdrawn themselves one or two days before the match start on the basis of internal discussion in the group.

If the admin from this club said that then that is evidence that these players were coerced into leaving.  What do you think they discussed????   Pressure was put on these low rated players to leave or these players were evicted.  If you don’t act on this admin can remove whoever they wish without recourse and say it was discussed internally and they withdrew themselves.  NO HIGHER RATED PLAYERS LEFT.

And there is no point in monitoring as they’ll use the same excuse next time as they get away with it.