Slight leakage = pass
Severe leakage = fail
Shock absorber not working = fail
Is that slight leakage, severe leakage, or somewhere in between? Obviously there is some element of discretion and the tester is supposed to use his judgement.
I'd say last year you were given the benefit of the doubt.
If you've left it for a year, done nothing and presented it for test with this much seepage, my view is that it would be a fail, and deservedly so. And as has already been said, if it's lost its damping effect, it's a definite fail.