Cheating Scandal in USPSA

[Mr_White]

I predict that the custom of the RO, the scorekeeper, and the shooter all actually looking at the timer will be further cemented than it already is.

I'm sure there are endless ways for a truly dishonest RO to screw the shooter. I don't *think* there is a lot of problem with this kind of stuff, and I sure hope I am not wrong about that.

I will pay a little more attention and not be afraid to ask to review the time in detail if something seems wrong. Otherwise, I am probably not going to get a Shotmaxx or do anything else differently. I can't let this crap get in the way of running stages and shooting As. That's what I need to concentrate on.

[Chuck Whitlock]

But it seems odd that his timer would consistently malfunction in a way that helps his friends and damages other shooters.

There are easily identifiable patterns of certain people getting a break, with others getting screwed. There's also a pattern of these doctored scores never being shown to anyone else: just yelled out. If it were the timer's fault, there should be plenty of footage of other people confirming the values that he screams out.

I guess I didn't flesh the thought out enough....Even faulty equipment doesn't do so selectively.

[TAZ]

Seems like a firmware fix to the Shotmaxx or any other timer capable of a spy mode to begin the clock with the beeeeep of the official timer could give the scorekeeper and shooter a back up.

I agree with Origami. Cement the concept of showing the timer to score keeper and shooter to minimize cheating. Never going to fully eliminate it as someone somewhere will figure out a work around, but you can minimize it.

This dirt bag needs a formal lifetime ban from USPSA. The rest of the shooting sports should also shun his sorry self as well. We already have enough enemies. No need to keep internal ones around as well.

[GardoneVT]

I predict that the custom of the RO, the scorekeeper, and the shooter all actually looking at the timer will be further cemented than it already is.

I'm sure there are endless ways for a truly dishonest RO to screw the shooter. I don't *think* there is a lot of problem with this kind of stuff, and I sure hope I am not wrong about that.

I will pay a little more attention and not be afraid to ask to review the time in detail if something seems wrong. Otherwise, I am probably not going to get a Shotmaxx or do anything else differently. I can't let this crap get in the way of running stages and shooting As. That's what I need to concentrate on.

The next scam will be shooters collaborating with ROs to game the stats, if they haven't already.

[TCinVA]

I predict that the custom of the RO, the scorekeeper, and the shooter all actually looking at the timer will be further cemented than it already is.

I'm sure there are endless ways for a truly dishonest RO to screw the shooter. I don't *think* there is a lot of problem with this kind of stuff, and I sure hope I am not wrong about that.

I will pay a little more attention and not be afraid to ask to review the time in detail if something seems wrong. Otherwise, I am probably not going to get a Shotmaxx or do anything else differently. I can't let this crap get in the way of running stages and shooting As. That's what I need to concentrate on.

The competition shooting community is pretty small, so I'd guess that the vast majority of honest RO's will be taking extra measures to make sure the competitor sees the screen from now on.

[orionz06]

Expect a lot more cameras.

[Spr1]

A lifetime ban is totally appropriate. Cheating is incredibly toxic to a sport/participant activity like USPSA.

There was a club in a neighboring state that in the 90's had 80-90 people at each monthly match. A few years later it had 30 or so participants. I suspect for the reason I stopped going.... A well developed good old boys club had risen there and the RO's would give their friends reshoots, invent doubles, mess with the timer starts for people not in the inner circle, etc.

[Slavex]

Expect a scoring app for tablets and smart phones that logs changes in a history file, expect later on a scorring app that synchs properly to a time (wifi, or faster Blutooth) so that all the info on a run is carried over into the scoring, so that when you synch your phone to the scoring system you'll have all your times, including first shot and all the splits too. That's the future I'm waiting for.

[PPGMD]

As I've mentioned I would've preferred something posted on the USPSA facebook to the effect of "Yes we know about it, and we will figure out what to do," as soon as they heard about it.

But I am satisfied with their final response.

[rob_s]

As I've mentioned I would've preferred something posted on the USPSA facebook to the effect of "Yes we know about it, and we will figure out what to do," as soon as they heard about it.

But I am satisfied with their final response.

Which was?