Quote:
Originally posted by Daryl H. Long
All too often I have seen officials notice an open wound and as a test have the player touch the area. If dry (as in no red to indicate bleeding) they let player continue to be in the game. I am even guilty of doing this.
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It turns out she had a huge canker sore (her explanation) that got red but did not bleed. During a dead ball she would touch the neck area of her uniform to her lip to dry it in an effort to ease the pain.
Can you cover a wound to the lips? Is the risk of infecting another player with a communicable disease just as likely through saliva as blood? Do you let her continue to play?
I let her play and did not press the matter further so as not to embarrass the young lady. I mentally noted that the cold sore may just have been something that followed her menstrual cycle which explained why she did not wish to talk about it to a male official.
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What if the cold sore was actually a symptom of a highly contagious venereal disease? The risk of transmitting this disease is no less than that of transmitting HIV/AIDS/HEPATITUS which prompted the Communicable Disease Procedure or "Blood Rule".
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How would you handle the open wound on the lips? Does your answer change if you know the player actually does have a communicable disease?
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Interesting questions. I'm quite sure the canker sore wasn't related to the menstrual cycle. Either she's heard the cold sore virus called herpes, and doesn't realize that what she has isn't THE herpes, and it makes her emotionally distraught, or she really has herpes, and it maker her emotionally distraught. Your being sensitive and not forcing her to talk about something so distressing is admirable, and your compatriot is an idiot.
I think I wouldn't let her play unless it was covered somehow. You're right that the risk of contagion is certainly as great as it would be with any blood-borne pathogen. I'm not sure how you'd cover it satisfactorily, though. Pretty hard to put a bandaid there!