Dear WCA Community,

The WCA Disciplinary Committee (WDC) has been facing a rise in the number of investigations concerning competitors trying to achieve a personal advantage by cheating (or attempting to cheat) during blindfolded events.

We are concerned about this phenomenon, especially because competitors often have been able to get away with it during competitions. The WDC had to step in and conduct difficult investigations after illegal results had been accepted by the WCA.

The WDC has decided to administer a six month ban to a competitor, who shall remain anonymous, because of their actions taken in an attempt to gain a personal advantage. The competitor was found to be intentionally cheating while competing in 3x3x3 Blindfolded by looking under their blindfold and using a sight-solving method to finish the cube. We would like to remind everyone that this kind of behavior is not allowed at WCA Competitions because it is in direct violation of the Regulations and contravenes both the Mission and Spirit of the WCA. If you or anyone else sees this kind of activity happening, please report it to the WCA Delegate of the competition immediately.

The WDC has also decided to retroactively DNF specific results of another competitor, who obtained exceptionally good results under unclear circumstances. Since the competitor in question failed to cooperate with the WCA Disciplinary Committee during the investigation, acted in an extremely defensive and suspicious way, and failed to present any sort of evidence or acceptable explanation, the WDC deemed impossible for these results to have been achieved in compliance with the WCA Regulations. The competitor has consequently been banned from any WCA Competition for one year. The WDC conducted a thorough investigation in this case, considering the opinion of top level speedcubers and cooperating with multiple witnesses. The ban is conditional, though, since we are willing to reopen the investigation if the competitor decides to cooperate and provides the evidence that we requested.

Thank you,
WCA Disciplinary Committee