IAC Report #1, 4 August 2010
Public Report by the Independent Advisory Committee (IAC) regarding alleged unsportsmanlike behaviour of Haiyan Zhuang (
http://www.worldcubeassociation.org/results/p.php?i=2008ZHUA01)
This public report is based on multiple witness reports that form a consistent picture.
Since 2009 the following pattern has occurred at several competitions in China: Haiyan Zhuang repeatedly calls the organisers before the competition and asks for two rounds of Rubik's Cube blindfolded. The organisers do not want two rounds. In some cases the organisers include two rounds because they are heavily pressured by Haiyan Zhuang or are afraid of what Haiyan Zhuang might do during the competition. In other cases they say that they will include a second round if the schedule runs ahead of time and there is enough time for a second round. However, Haiyan Zhuang consistently interprets this as a fact that a second round is planned. At the day of the competition he asks for the second round. When he is told that there is no second round, he gets upset and disturbs the competition. He claims that a second round is originally scheduled and asks why it is cancelled. He continues to ask for a second round.
During the competitions he has acted aggressively, threatened to physically harm an individual several times, and verbally abused other competitors and WCA delegates. He has tried to act friendly with the organisers to create a split between the organisers and the WCA delegate, even if there is no split. The actions taken by the organisers and the WCA delegates during the competitions are found to be reasonable, considering the circumstances. The investigation made by the IAC has also found out that Haiyan Zhuang had exercised pressure on individuals to lie in order to witness in his favour.
One may add that all the requests of a second round of Rubik's Cube blindfolded have been unreasonable. Several other events with only one round have had more competitors than Rubik's Cube blindfolded. Therefore, if adding a second round for any event, some of these other events should have been considered foremost.
Prior to the start of the investigation by the IAC, the WCA Board temporarily suspended Haiyan Zhuang from competing in WCA-endorsed competitions during the month of August in 2010, and the WCA Board recommended that he does not attend any WCA-endorsed competition during the temporarily suspension. Despite of this, Haiyan Zhuang showed up at ChangChun Open 2010, 1 August, and insisted to compete. This behaviour shows disrespect and defiance of the WCA and the community.
In the WCA regulations, there are five instances when the WCA Board may suspend a competitor. The IAC concludes that Haiyan Zhuang has violated the following three of them:
2k2) competitor is suspect of cheating or defrauding the officials during the competition;
2k3) competitor behaves in a way that is unlawful, violent or indecent, or intentionally damages venue facilities or anyone's personal property within the venue;
2k4) competitor interferes or becomes a blatant distraction to others during the competition.
The IAC finds that Haiyan Zhuang has acted against the spirit of the WCA, which reads “people from all over the world have fun together in a friendly atmosphere, help each other and behave sportsmanlike”, and that his behaviour is a disgrace to the great Chinese cubing community.
The IAC recommends the WCA Board to take disciplinary actions against Haiyan Zhuang.
On behalf of the IAC,
Anders Larsson
