Valid rule interpreation RE: backcourt violation

[rwest]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

How about using the most recent publication as the one with precedence. In that case, it's the rule book. They had an off-season to change the rule if they wanted to.

I can agree with that, however, it has taken a rules committee years before changing a rule. So, although you have a point, I can still see where the rules committee might still want this interp to be enforced. Really, the Fed needs to have a clear process and let the officiating community now what it is. Does an Official Interp override the rule book? Does the fact that the next rule book, published after the Official Interp came out, wasn't changed mean the interp is no longer in effect? When do official interps expire and are they communicated to the officiating community as such?

My main point is this, when an official interpretation comes out after the rulebooks are pubished, we don't have the luxury to ignore it just because it doesn't agree with the rule book. The official interp takes precedence, IMHO, over the rule book.