It’s a matter of semantics. If I refuse to pay the fee to get my drivers license I’m not refusing my right or ability to drive, they can give it to me free sure. That’s not how it works tho and I knew that form the start.

someone approaching a promotion but refusing to pay for it is essentially doing the same thing. They were well aware of the requirements. If you have met X -1 of the requirements you are essentially refusing to complete the steps which it out come is refusing a promotion. So yes, you “refused a promotion” if you refuse to complete the steps and would otherwise be promoted, regardless of what the steps ar sir what the promotion is.

Saying “I don’t want it” is also a refusal when it was an expectation for everyone. If your employer says “show up on time and you get work from home days like everyone else” and you refuse to show up on time you are effectively refusing work from home days as well as refusing to come to work on time, for example. It’s a consequence of action that is known. Saying, “ no I’ll work from home, just let me” is a worthless argument because it was never an option of negotiations to begin with. A belt is the same. The coach never implied fees are negotiable and if they did then this entire thread and any conversation real acted to it is worthless.

Lastly, I will accept a whitebelt refusing to pay fees OR one refusing to be promoted, however you chose to define it, that is beating black belts consistently on the world level as a whitebelt at any point in the entire history of BJJ. You can include Judo too. Like I said, I’ve heard this hypothetical argument over and over but have never once seen it in reality. I would accept them fighting up and consistently beating purples and browns too. I have never heard of it happen and would like to. I consider it a fantasy and unrealistic argument.