Robert van Oort, a 51-year-old from Tilburg, was serving as a juror at the World Gymnastics Championships in Rotterdam. He was responsible for assessing exercises alongside other judges, with difficulty and execution scores forming the basis of the final mark. Van Oort said he aimed to judge objectively and quickly after extensive preparation, while athletes could challenge a deduction if they disagreed with it.

Cameras positioned around the apparatus were being tested at the championships, along with systems designed to transmit deductions live and speed up scoring. Van Oort said he and another judge had awarded a gymnast a score one tenth too low during the qualifying competition, but the gymnast still reached the apparatus final. Van Oort also helped Dutch gymnasts prepare for the championships by taking part in judging courses and practice sessions.