SG11 Elevation is Protected was updated to reduce protected period of short barrier to 15 seconds, and contact with elevated opponent elevation bars, elevated robots, and robots in contact with elevation bars remains prohibited in the last 30 seconds . <SG11>
However the red clarification box still mentions indirect contact with adjacent barriers could be a violation, but does not distinguish between the time period from 0:30 to 0:15, and 0:15 to 0:00.
The intent of this rule is to prevent potentially damaging defensive interactions with Robots who are in the process of Elevating. Indirect contact may also be considered a Minor or Major Violation of G1, G13, or SG11, at the Head Referee’s discretion. This could include actions such as: ...
- Repeatedly hitting the Barrier adjacent to the opponent’s Elevation Bar ...
How should referees interpret intentional ramming or blocking of the short barriers in the time period from 0:30 to 0:15, since contact is no longer explicitly prohibited? Would one or both of these be considered viable defensive strategies now? Or the intent of the change simply to reduce penalties for incidental contact with short barrier in that time period, and intentional ramming still count as a violation?