Edit: The following represents my personal views. I am speaking in no official capacity as a member of the US team nor a member of the USBF.
Edit: The penalty was reduced at the discretion of the WBF Championship Committee.
You may have noticed that the SPAIN-USA match did not start on time on VG. Greco-Hampson started bidding the first deal but stopped a few bids into the auction. Bathurst-Lall never started the first board.
This is becausethe Spanish team (or some segment of it, they never identified exactly who was leveling the accusation) refused to sit against Bathurst-Lall, alleging that they have a concealed partnership agreement never to pass in third seat when nonvulnerable. They claim to have looked at 500 deals and Bathurst-Lall never passed in third seat, NV.They requested that we change the lineup and refused to play until we did.
We refused, of course, and SPAIN eventually decided to play, 33 minutes after the session start time. Some facts/opinions:
Benefits include:
Plus... it's free!