If the ref wants to accept what the player said, then fine, although I disagree with this tact. But the final call belongs to the referee presiding over the match.
Who ever said it didn't?
No match has ever proceeded where one player's claim overrode the ref's call, against the ref's will.
If I were the referee I would only accept what I directly witnessed or could logically reason based on the circumstances. This way, none of the players could be erroneously accused of cheating. Sometimes the player didn't see that they fouled. Should they be accused of cheating because they didn't turn them self in? How do they prove they didn't notice it? Where does it end?
Actually it ends pretty quickly and easily and without any special difficulty.
This is not a problem that needs "fixing".
Seated player: "the shooter fouled."
Shooter: "No I didn't."
Ref: "I didn't see it. Carry on."
Play then proceeds, with the seated player sulking.
And maybe the public thinks of the shooter as a cheater and maybe they don't.
But that's just the court of public opinion and has no impact whatsoever on the tournament.
You're saying that, for some reason,
you'd handle self-reporting differently than every pool ref in history:
Shooter: "I touched the cue ball."
Ref: "No you didn't. Carry on."
Seated player: "WHAT?!?!!?"
Which one do you think will lead to more problems and meltdowns?
This discussion over "self calling" a foul has been beaten to death numerous times in this forum. The fact that a notable pro self called a foul does not some how give the defenders of this practice a credible saint to follow and promote their agenda.
[snip]
Don't single her out and make her the poster child of "self called" fouls.
Your choice of words is funny. "Agenda".
What exactly is the "Agenda" you see here?
What underlying motives do you think people have when they praise self-reporting fouls?
I prefer self-calling because I think it's the right way to play pool,
and it's better for the game's image and for ensuring a fair outcome of the match.
It's not because I have an "Agenda".
If someone gives me back an extra 10 dollars in change, I give them back the extra 10.
Do I have a change-giving-back agenda? Do I have some secret plan to screw up the cashier or his employer?
Agenda. lol.
There's no "agenda" rick, there's simply people who think failing to do this is wrong and cheating.
Allison probably would agree. I don't think she'd object at all to being a poster child for honest sportsmanlike play.
If she does, she'll let us know.
Pool would be the only sport i can think of, when you have a referee, you still call a foul on yourself. I can imagine Lebron James walking over to a ref and saying "i traveled on that last dunk, please take the two points away." And no, golf doesn't have referees monitoring every single shot.
With that said, it is refreshing to see this show of integrity from such a great, classy player.
It's what I'd expect from her. For the record there are famous instances of golfers self-reporting fouls both
with and without a ref.