Lost Contact Lens and Timeout

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by kzooref

A1 loses a contact lens during a live ball and calls a timeout because the lens is lost. Is the timeout charged?

The quick and dirty answer is: NO! Why? Players and Head Coaches 'request" at TO and Game Officials 'grant the request'.

Now lets look at the Situation: Glasses (and contact lenses) are Equipment, they are not part of a Player's Uniform (shoes are not Equipment but are part of the Player's Uniform, and, with apologies to the late J. Dallas Shirley, when they become untied are not to be treated as a pair of glasses that have come off. This is a discussion for another thread but my position can be found in many previous threads which one can search for in the Forum.).

When a Player loses his/her glasses or contact lenses, stop the Game at the appropriate time. If it is a contact it is entirely appropriate for the Game to be stopped for a short period of time to search for the Contact. If not found immediately, the Player is to be treated as an Injured and Ill Player and be replaced or his/her Team can use the TO protocol to keep said Player in the Game.

MTD, Sr.

EDITED on Dec. 19/Thu.(10:51pmEST), 2024:
1) Delete sentence in RED. RATIONALE for deletion: I was in bed responding using my phone and did not proof read what I wrote.
2) Replace deleted sentence with: If the Player's HC comes onto the Court to attend to the Player, the Player is to be treated as an Injured/Ill Player and must be replaced or his/her Team can use the TO protocol to keep the Player in the Game.