Rule for judges: If it's on the BOS table, it should be eligible for BOS.
Rule for organizers: If you don't intend to pass it to the BOS table, it better say so in the competition rules.
If more judges and organizers followed these rules, then there would be fewer problems. Anything else is unethical. If you don't have a problem with accepting money for a mead and cider entry, then you shouldn't have a problem with giving them an equal shot at an award. If BOS judges aren't giving every style an equal opportunity, then you picked the wrong BOS judges. That's true whether it's mead, American Lite Lager, a specialty beer, or anything else someone at the table might not personally approve of.