respotting colours

[Agent4125]

I was in a local match recently, summer league, on a 30 break, I'm almost straight on the blue in the centre and there's a red about 2 inches below the blue about half way to the centre pocket. I stun the blue in moving the white just below the blue spot. Ref tries to re-spot the blue, it fits easily, but every time he tries to respot it, it moves off the sticker and rests gently on the white. He proceeds to put the blue on the only free spot (yellow) which screws me up a bit because the pink is tied up.

I say to him "you can see it fits easily, just put it as near as you can, that's fine with me". He tries and tries to put it exactly on the spot but fails, then continues to put it on the yellow spot.

Was he correct? I didn't see any harm in placing the blue 3mm above its spot since it's a crap sticker spot.

[Londonlad147]

Yes, he was correct. If a ball cannot be placed on its own spot such that it is not touching another ball then it will be spotted in accordance with normal spotting procedures (for when own spot is unavailable).

[acesinc]

Yes, he was correct. If a ball cannot be placed on its own spot such that it is not touching another ball then it will be spotted in accordance with normal spotting procedures (for when own spot is unavailable).

Absolutely, positively correct. A circular sticker or a pen mark is nothing more than a visual cue to help the Referee determine the location of that spot quickly without having to break out a measuring tape every time. However, it is only a reference, not necessarily the actual, theoretical Spot. Over time, the cloth surface tends to wear in causing a divot and the ball will then come to rest in that dimple as you saw. As far as the Referee is concerned, that dimple MUST be considered to be that actual spot, not that center of the circular sticker or the pen mark. Very common occurrence.