HS Officials Blow It Again

[Atticus]

A boy is Georgia was DQed from the state XC meet for wearing a headband with something (a Bible verse, but that part is irrelevant) written on it. Headbands are legal, but they must be 'unadorned', so one official asked him to turn it inside out, which he did. But then another official decided you could still see the ink through it, so . . . DQ.

I'm scheduled for a lobotomy before the next track season, so I can be in consonance with other officals . . . sigh.

[lonewolf]

I guess some officials just gotta "officiate".

[Atticus]

if, by 'officiate', you mean 'meddle unnecessarily, thereby denying an athlete his performance', then, yes.

[guru]

...one official asked him to turn it inside out...

Not true.

Statement on the DQ from the GHSA

“First, let’s be completely clear that this disqualification had NOTHING to do with what was written on the athlete’s headband. The fact that it was of a religious nature did not enter into the decision whatsoever.”

“Also, despite published reports to the contrary, the athlete and his coach were informed BEFORE the start of the race that the headband in question was illegal and could not be worn during the race.”

“After being informed that the headband was illegal, the athlete removed the headband and the meet referee assumed he would run the race without it. However, at some point after that, the coach and the athlete made the decision to ignore the warning and the headband was put back on. Since the athlete then ran the race with apparel that had already been ruled illegal, there was no choice but to issue a disqualification.”

[1runner1]

If what guru writes is in fact accurate than the DQ justified...people here should not jump to conclusions with their un-informed lashing out statements.

[Atticus]

If what guru writes is in fact accurate than the DQ justified...people here should not jump to conclusions with their un-informed lashing out statements.

He left this part out:

"a third official told him the headband would be a violation of the uniform rule unless he turned it inside out."

after that, yet another official told him he could still see the writing, so it was not acceptable.

So now we're left with different officials telling him different things.

Let's put it this way, I, as Meet Referee, COULD have (properly) ruled that the headband was legal (turned inside out) and he could have run with it.

[booond]

He left this part out:

"a third official told him the headband would be a violation of the uniform rule unless he turned it inside out."

after that, yet another official told him he could still see the writing, so it was not acceptable.

So now we're left with different officials telling him different things.

Let's put it this way, I, as Meet Referee, COULD have (properly) ruled that the headband was legal (turned inside out) and he could have run with it.

Did that fourth official rule before or after the race? The one who could still see the writing.

[guru]

He left this part out:

"a third official told him the headband would be a violation of the uniform rule unless he turned it inside out."

That is absolutely wrong. You are confusing the coach with an official. Here's the referee's direct quote. At no point was the kid told wearing it inside out was ok.

“I was called to the start line by the clerk concerning the headband. It was a white headband with large black letters written on it. The coach said he could turn it inside-out and make it legal. He did so, and the writing was still very visible. The rule said the item had to be unadorned except for a logo, and this clearly was not the case. I told the coach and the athlete that he could not wear the headband during the competition. The athlete took it off -- neither the coach nor athlete were happy -- and I left. When I got back to the finish area, I noticed the athlete had a white headband on. So, when I saw him come down the finish hill, I went inside the finish corral to watch him finish, and he had the same headband on. I told the timer to DQ him, I paged the coach, and told the coach of the disqualification.”



http://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/47404814-story

[Atticus]

That is absolutely wrong. You are confusing the coach with an official.

I apologize - you are correct. But so am I in saying that I, as Meet Referee, COULD have told him to turn it inside out and run. That is within my scope of interpretation of what 'adorned' means.
Bad officiating.

[lonewolf]

I think the moral of this is: Get a haircut.