Page 18 - NGA By-Laws

markdown in scoring, costing the athlete possible higher placement. GROOMING is also examined during this time, with the emphasis on the athlete's ability to present a well-prepared and attractive appearance. Included here are evaluations based on hairstyle and length, skin tone (free of blemishes not under his control), discoloring of skin, tan quality and evenness, stretch marks, sagging skin, etc. Jewelry other than rings and non-hanging earring are prohibited. Slouching or lack of attention by front stage competitors (called out for comparison) between requested poses should be viewed negatively by judges and reflected in scoring. Those athletes at stage rear not being compared should use this time for rest but should still attempt to remain visibly erect and attentive.
Choice of POSING ATTIRE should conform to NGA rules and compliment the physique. Posing suits must be one in color, well fitted, have no jewelry or other distractive materials attached and are in good taste. They must be of a color which compliments with the contestant's skin color and not be visibly soiled or discolored. Men's suits must fully cover the genitals and gluteal area (no "thongs", etc.), and be cut thinly on the side to exhibit hip and abdominal muscularity. Women's suits must fully cover the breasts, gluteal and genitalia (no "thongs", etc.), be of a two-piece variety (they may be connected by draw strings) and allow sight access to the abdominals, full back and upper chest.
III.3 Common Tendencies That Can Compromise Accurate Judging
While most judges set out to perform their duties in as fair and objective manner as possible, there are certain subconscious emotional prejudices which can inhibit their ability to do so. Every effort should be made to be aware of and avoid these impediments to accurate judging. The following are some of the most common:
1. Judging a competitor on reputation or previous placements instead of evaluating his/her condition on that given day. Even the top competitors sometimes miss their peak and should be judged and placed accordingly.
2. Judging a competitor favorably because of a personal relationship with the athlete. While most judges make all attempts to avoid any conscious favoritism they might show to friends and acquaintances, subconsciously it is very difficult to not see such people in a somewhat favorable light. It is essential for a judge to be aware of this and work doubly hard in evaluating and placing such an individual. In this situation, it is recommended that the judge leave the judges table and not judge the class.
3. Prioritizing attributes of competitors that the judge is particularly concerned with. This is particularly applicable when the judge is also a competitor. Most competitors have favorite body parts; possibly areas that they are lacking or have worked hard to bring up to par and therefore they place high priority on such areas. If conscious attempts are not made to avoid this mistake, judges with
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