Official results of the CQ WPX Contest were announced in the Contest web-site.
Along with congratulating all winners, I'd like to draw your attention at numerous yellow cards issued by Randy K5ZD.
At first, I did not want to write something on the subject, but hue and cry that Randy arranged punishment after WRTC 2010, or that Randy eliminates Eastern Europe rivals changed my mind to write this note.
Here is the list of YC issued (in other words, DQ'ed) contesters: 9A5Y (9A3LG), CT2IOV, EM0X (UT2XQ) , HA8BE, IT9RBW, RL4R, RU3SD, RV3RM, RW9USA, SP4DZT, SP4TKR, SP5XVY, UT3L (UR5LO ) - with wording 'unclaimed assistance'; HG5A (HA1CW) - with wording 'withdrawn log'.
Looks like everything is clear, but the wording of the group is muddy.
What is 'unclaimed assistance'?
It would be easier to formulate this 'for use cluster', but see Contest Rules extract below:
"XIII. Rule Violations: Violation of amateur radio regulations or the rules of the contest; unsportsmanlike conduct; taking credit for excessive unverifiable QSOs or multipliers; use of any non-amateur means of communication to SOLICIT, ARRANGE, or CONFIRM any contacts during or after the contest will be deemed sufficient cause for disqualification.
"ANY use by an entrant of any non-amateur means including, but not limited to, telephones, email, Internet, Instant Messenger, chat rooms, VoIP, or the use of DX cluster to SOLICIT, ARRANGE, or CONFIRM any contacts during the contest is unsportsmanlike and the entry is subject to disqualification.
"An entrant whose log is deemed by the Contest Committee to contain rule violations may be issued a Yellow or Red card depending on the seriousness of the infraction. If the entry is in a multi-operator category, all listed operators are so affected.
"YELLOW card: Any entrant or operator issued a yellow card is not eligible for an award and will be listed at the end of the published results.
"RED card: Any entrant or operator issued a red card is not eligible for an award, will be listed at the end of the published results, and will be ineligible for any CQ-sponsored contest award for a period of one year beginning with the publication of the violation in CQ magazine.
There is no 'unclaimed assistance' there.
In my general opinion, a major task of referee (as you can see at http://www.cqwpx.com/contact.htm, it's Randy K5ZD who is 'dancing and singing' as he wants), is observance of rules of the Contest.
Discrepancies appear exactly in this point, as Randy judge it as he wants, but not ex aequo et bono.
You can see examples of this in the article:
https://dxnews.com/new_year_2010_cqwwdx_contest_committee/
Besides that, there are other examples of double standards policy, and they cause discussions both behind the scenes, and in reflectors.
73 Al 4L5A