Illegal Uniforms ???

[BillyMac]

I'm still working on my article on administrative infraction technical foul penalties. I was just about to "put the article to bed" and submit it when a question regarding illegal uniforms came to mind.

Here's the rule citation:

NFHS 10-5-4: The head coach shall not permit a team member to participate while wearing an illegal uniform (see 3-4). PENALTY: (Section 5) Two free throws plus ball for division-line throw-in. The foul is charged directly to the head coach. (Art. 4) Penalized when discovered. Only one technical foul is charged regardless of the number of offenders.

Here's my interpretation, for my article, of the rule citation:

Technical fouls for illegal uniforms (including illegal numbers) are not charged to the team, but are charged directly to the head coach. If a team member participates as a player while wearing an illegal uniform, then a direct technical foul is charged to the head coach, who will lose the coaching box privilege for the remainder of the game. This infraction is penalized when discovered, and the team member with the illegal uniform may participate without further penalty and is not required to change the number. A maximum of one technical foul shall be charged directly to the head coach regardless of the number of offenders.

Here's the situation that gave me pause:

The referee carelessly fails to note that A16 (an illegal number, and thus, an illegal uniform) is listed in the scorebook when he checks the scorebook twelve minutes before the scheduled start of the game. A16 is wearing a jacket during the pregame warmups so the illegal number is missed by the umpire observing the pregame warmup.

In the first period A16 legally reports to the table, is legally beckoned into the game, and participates in the game without the officials noticing that A16 is participating while wearing an illegal uniform.

Late in the first period A5 legally reports to the table, is legally beckoned into the game, and replaces A16, who is now legally bench personnel (team member, but not a player). The ball is made live and put back into play by a throwin at which point the Team B coach questions the officials about the status of A16's illegal uniform.

Is it too late to penalize the infraction at this point because A16 is no longer participating? Would it have mattered if the Team B coach questioned the officials after A16 became bench personnel but before the ball had been made live? I think not, in both cases, because the rule states "penalized when discovered" not "penalized if discovered while being violated" or "penalized if discovered before the ball becomes live" so once A16 participated the infraction could be penalized anytime after that once it came to attention of the officials. Any thoughts on this situation?

Another scenario: For the reasons stated above, it is not realized that A16 is wearing an illegal uniform until halftime. A16 has not yet participated in the game as one of the five players participating on the court. If A16 stays on the bench and never participates in the game as one of the five players participating on the court, then I'm assuming that no infraction has occurred, and no penalty is enforced. Am I wrong to assume this?

Just getting all my "ducks in a row" before I submit the article. Thanks.

[SAK]

If A16 never enters the game then there is no reason for the scorer to change the number in the score book. 10-2-c the note says penalize when they occur. A16 has not entered the game so if the official missed it in the book prior to the 10 minute mark nothing has occurred. Also this is a team technical, an Administrative technical not charged to the head coach but counts toward team fouls (see Technical-Foul Penalty Summary chart at the back of the rule book.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by SAK

Also this is a team technical, an Administrative technical not charged to the head coach but counts toward team fouls (see Technical-Foul Penalty Summary chart at the back of the rule book.

Are you sure? Illegal uniforms (and thus, illegal numbers (NFHS 3-4)) fall under 10-5-4 and are charged directly to the head coach.

NFHS 10-5-4: The head coach shall not permit a team member to participate while wearing an illegal uniform (see 3-4). PENALTY: (Section 5) Two free throws plus ball for division-line throw-in. The foul is charged directly to the head coach. (Art. 4) Penalized when discovered. Only one technical foul is charged regardless of the number of offenders.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by SAK

If A16 never enters the game then there is no reason for the scorer to change the number in the score book.

My fault. I didn't make this clear in my original post. Let's assume that A16 is wearing number sixteen on his uniform, and that there are no extra uniforms available, so he's going to wear number sixteen no matter what, as a team member on the bench, or as a player if, and when, he gets into the game, so in all cases, there would be no change in the scorebook.

I do agree with you that if A16 never enters the game as a player, then there is no infraction, and thus, no penalty, but, as stated above, disagree with you regarding the need, or lack of, to change the book.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by SAK

A16 has not entered the game so if the official missed it in the book prior to the 10 minute mark nothing has occurred.

Does the ten minute mark in any way apply to illegal uniforms, and thus, illegal numbers?

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by SAK

If A16 never enters the game then there is no reason for the scorer to change the number in the score book. 10-2-c the note says penalize when they occur. A16 has not entered the game so if the official missed it in the book prior to the 10 minute mark nothing has occurred. Also this is a team technical, an Administrative technical not charged to the head coach but counts toward team fouls (see Technical-Foul Penalty Summary chart at the back of the rule book.

Wrong rule.

An illegal uniform / number used to be charged to the player ( was 10-3-2); now it's charged to the head coach (10-5-4).

The "ten minute rule" doesn't have much to do with this, although if the infraction is discovered before that point, and can be corrected, then there's going to be no penalty.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Does the ten minute mark in any way apply to illegal uniforms, and thus, illegal numbers?

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

The "ten minute rule" doesn't have much to do with this, although if the infraction is discovered before that point, and can be corrected, then there's going to be no penalty.

So the uniform number sixteen on a team member doesn't become "illegal and penalized" until after the ten minute mark, and after the team member with such an illegal uniform number has actually participated in the game?

[Adam]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

So the uniform number sixteen on a team member doesn't become "illegal and penalized" until after the ten minute mark, and after the team member with such an illegal uniform number has actually participated in the game?

by "corrected", bob of course means the player may change jerseys (if available).

[BillyMac]

The referee carelessly fails to note that A16 (an illegal number, and thus, an illegal uniform) is listed in the scorebook when he checks the scorebook twelve minutes before the scheduled start of the game. A16 is wearing a jacket during the pregame warmups so the illegal number is missed by the umpire observing the pregame warmup. A16 starts the game. One minute into the game, while A16 is one of the five players participating on the court, an official notices that A16 is wearing an illegal uniform, due to an illegal number, and charges head coach of Team A with a direct technical foul, which counts toward the team foul total for the purpose of the bonus. The head coach of Team A will lose the coaching box privilege for the remainder of the game. Team B receives two free throws for the technical foul and receives the ball for a throwin at the division line opposite the table. A16, and any other Team A players with illegal uniforms are allowed to play with no further penalty.

Correct interpretation?

[BillyMac]

The referee carelessly fails to note that A16 (an illegal number, and thus, an illegal uniform) is listed in the scorebook when he checks the scorebook twelve minutes before the scheduled start of the game. A16 is wearing a jacket during the pregame warmups so the illegal number is missed by the umpire observing the pregame warmup. A16 never participates in the game as one of the five players participating on the court. Score at the buzzer that ends the fourth period: Team A 60, Team B 59. Before leaving the visual confines of the court at the end of the game, the head coach of Team B politely points out to the officials that team member A16 had an illegal uniform, due to an illegal number. The officials, citing NFHS 10-5-4: "The head coach shall not permit a team member to participate while wearing an illegal uniform ... Penalized when discovered.", rules that no infraction has occurred because A16 never "participated".

Correct interpretation?

[BillyMac]

The referee carelessly fails to note that A16 (an illegal number, and thus, an illegal uniform) is listed in the scorebook when he checks the scorebook twelve minutes before the scheduled start of the game. A16 is wearing a jacket during the pregame warmups so the illegal number is missed by the umpire observing the pregame warmup. A16 starts the game. One minute into the game, substitute A5 reports to the table, is legally beckoned, and legally replaces A16, who now becomes a nonparticipating team member on the bench. Head coach of Team B now politely points out that A16, who is now on the bench, was wearing an illegal uniform, due to an illegal number, while participating a few moments ago. The official, citing NFHS 10-5-4: "The head coach shall not permit a team member to participate while wearing an illegal uniform ... Penalized when discovered.", now charges head coach of Team A with a direct technical foul, which counts toward the team foul total for the purpose of the bonus. The head coach of Team A will lose the coaching box privilege for the remainder of the game. Team B receives two free throws for the technical foul and receives the ball for a throwin at the division line opposite the table. A16, and any other Team A players with illegal uniforms are allowed to play with no further penalty.

Correct interpretation? Does the fact the the ball is live, or dead, when the inquiry is made by head coach of Team B have any impact on this interpretation?

[BillyMac]

The referee carelessly fails to note that A16 (an illegal number, and thus, an illegal uniform) is listed in the scorebook when he checks the scorebook twelve minutes before the scheduled start of the game. A16 is wearing a jacket during the pregame warmups so the illegal number is missed by the umpire observing the pregame warmup. A16 starts the game. One minute into the game, substitute A5 reports to the table, is legally beckoned, and legally replaces A16, who now becomes a nonparticipating team member on the bench. A16 does not participate as one of the five players on the court for the rest of the game. Score at the buzzer that ends the fourth period: Team A 60, Team B 59. Before leaving the visual confines of the court at the end of the fourth period, the head coach of Team B politely points out to the officials that team member A16 participated with an illegal uniform, due to an illegal number. The officials, citing NFHS 10-5-4: "The head coach shall not permit a team member to participate while wearing an illegal uniform ... Penalized when discovered.", now charges head coach of Team A with a direct technical foul, which counts toward the team foul total for the purpose of the bonus. The head coach of Team A will lose the coaching box privilege for the remainder of the game. Team B receives two free throws for the technical foul. Two successful free throws will end the game with a victory for Team B. No successful free throws will end the game with a victory for Team A. If only one free throw throw is successful, then the game will go into overtime. A16, and any other Team A players with illegal uniforms are allowed to play in the overtime with no further penalty.

Correct interpretation?

[BktBallRef]

I've got a headache.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by BktBallRef

I've got a headache.

it's called "paralysis through analysis".

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

It's called "paralysis through analysis".

OK, so you're not pleased that I broke it down into a few different situations, each with a slight variation. I can understand that. But the bottom line is:

Are my interpretations correct?

Can a general statement be made regarding NFHS 10-5-4 that the infraction can be penalized at any time, up until the officials leave the confines of the gym, if the player with the illegal uniform (illegal number) actually participated in the game as one of the five players, even if there was a time lag between said player participating and the discovery of the infraction?