More on promotions for old fa ... people of advancing years ... and kata too!

finarashi wrote:
Some posters here argue about the benefits of cross training. You imply that "Why practice anything that is not allowed in contest?" is the norm ...

Fin, in the context of the original question about self-control, age and fitness ... expanded to self-control, youth and behavior by Stacey ... I think all kinds of excuses are floated.  My intent was not to make a "why do kata" thread as there have been too many of those already ... and I will maintain the "his promotion is OK because he was a competitor" or "because he coaches competitors" is far from rare.

But I think you will have something more to say about the excuses themselves that are expressed at promotion time and medal presentation by the candidates, the evaluators, and the presenters.  And the guys who slip their otherwise untested buddies into the middle of the "approved for promotion" pile at the national office ...

Should yudansha especially be able to demonstrate healthy and well-mannered self-control as well as technique?  Or is lack of one a valid excuse for avoiding the other?