Pokestoppers

Lots of mixed emotions for this weekend in Orlando. Ethan was disqualified for unsporting conduct and creating an unsafe environment. At the end of Phase 2, we were called up to the hive and notified that Ethan was getting disqualified. It was reported that E had touched someone on the head or shoulder, and it bothered that person. When we asked what could have transpired, E thinks that it might've been when he walked past someone and tried to pat them on the shoulder to wish them good luck, but accidentally touched them on their head because they turned. He touched someone who didn't want to be touched. Regardless of his positive intent, we were told that this was unwanted behavior and that he had been asked not to do this before (he wasn't aware of this), and determined to be severe unsporting conduct and disqualification. While we don't fully understand the ruling, and we don't know the other child's story, we respect the expectations and the standards of conduct. The judges are just following the rule book and trying to create a safe space. For the family that we have caused distress towards, we are sorry. If you come across this, please feel free to reach out and help us improve our understanding of boundaries, and acceptable interactions. It’s a hard lesson for us and our community about the broadening need for respect, recognizing people's boundaries, and to not assume what might be acceptable to someone else.

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