As per <T9>
Each Elimination Alliance gets one Time Out. Each Alliance may request (1) Time Out during the Elimination Bracket. The Time Out will be served at the time of the Alliance's next upcoming Match. Alliances must request their Time Out between Elimination Matches, as permitted by the Head Referee and Event Partner; they may not use their Time Out during a Match, for another Alliance's Match, or after they have been eliminated.
The definition of Time Out
A single break period no greater than three minutes (3:00) alloted for each Alliance during the Elimination Bracket.
Based on T9, I wanted to seek further clarification on a few scenarios:
-
Is it possible for a team to end a timeout early? The definition of time out specifies "No greater than", indicating that time out's can be ended early, I just wanted to confirm whether this interpretation was correct. If this is not correct, does this imply that time outs when granted by an Event Partner / Head Referee can be for a duration less than 3 minutes, based on the circumstances of the event?
-
If a timeout can be ended early, are teams allowed to strategically call a time out so that their opponents begin making changes to the robot / re-pumping pneumatics etc, than immediately cancel the timeout so the opposing alliance is at a disadvantage? Would both alliances need to agree for a timeout to be ended early?
-
The wording of T9 indicates that teams must Time Outs must be permitted by the Head Referee and Event Partner. Does this mean in the interest of time, for an event running 1-2hrs behind schedule, that Time Outs can be declined by an Event Partner / Head Referee? Or are all teams guaranteed the right to a time out, regardless of the current status of an event?