Blood Rule

[nybarefs]

Blood Rule Interpretation. (FED)

White (#22) has blood on jersey (soiled). During the game, this is an easy call. Player goes to bench, substitute enters until uniform is cleaned/changed. Coach can get him back in with a time-out.

However, here is the situation that happened the other night:

Before the tipoff of the 2nd Overtime, I noticed the #22 (team's leading scorer) has blood on jersey, I walk him over to the bench to get a new jersey. We announce to the book that White #22 is now #24. I allowed him to return to the floor. I do not charge white with a time-out.

I used two schools of thought there. 1) We were between quarters (which is kind of like a time-out) rather than stopping the game for the blood. 2) It was the right thing for the game (2OT's).

For whatever it is worth the Green coach's only concern was whether or not the original #24 would be allowed to participate in the game.


Here is the question: What is the technically correct way to administer the situation and how would you have handled that situation? Perhaps they are different answers.