What happens if un-prescribed or additional elements are included in a Short Program?

When un-prescribed or additional elements are included in a Short Program, the correct consequence is that an Evaluation Deduction, specifically ED3, will be called. This deduction is applied because the performance does not adhere to the required element limits set by the competition guidelines.

Skating programs are designed with specific requirements for elements to ensure fair competition and standardization. When a skater includes elements that are either un-prescribed (not listed as permissible) or exceeds the allowed number of elements, it shows a deviation from the rules. As a result, judges apply ED3, which is a penalty that reflects the importance of maintaining the integrity of the program structure.

In contrast, if no value were assigned, it would imply that the judges did not acknowledge the performance at all, which does not align with how the judging system works. Instead, a deduction specifically penalizes the inclusion of extra content that was not supposed to be part of the program. It emphasizes that adherence to prescribed elements is crucial for scoring and that any deviations result in a direct impact on the final score.