[DownTownTonyBrown]

Earlier Scott said:

I have seen a coach direct a player to "drop" their gum on the court during a particularly heavy set of breaks, in order to give their players a rest. "Look Ref, there is gum on the floor, we gotta get that up."

Number 1 I don't like kids telling me what I "gotta" do. But man, if you've got that kind of evidence ("seen a coach direct a player to drop their gum"). T- the manipulative prick. T- the kid too, if you like. This is surely unsportsman-like play.

Then he said:
Have a choking episode to slow down the action. Player B5 appears to choke and takes a knee around mid-court. "Hey Ref, that kid is hurt!"

In my opinon, if you are certain this is a ploy, either play on and see how quickly he recuperates, or show your concern by requiring the coach to make a substitution. And don't back off when he is all better 15 seconds later. Require the substitution. "I still need a sub and you've only got 15 second left before I T-bone you."

Of what you have said, I think the preventive officiating is the best choice. If you don't want it in your game, show your safety concern by discussing it in the pregame. Then you have established the basis for having it removed during the game.

Because, rule-wise, I don't think you have a leg to stand on. There are many things on the court that are dangerous. We can't arbitrarily remove some of them and let other's be accepted. If we start that, then you have created a liability for yourself - you felt one thing was a safety concern and you removed it. Someone else feels and proves that something else is a safety concern and you have not removed it. A player gets hurt. You're getting paid; you're making up rules as you see fit; your game is not strictly abiding by the written rules; you're liable. We only have the rules to work within.