Timeout or held ball?
 

Fed rules. A1 is holding the ball when B1 puts his hands on it. At that precise moment, coach A requests a TO. Do you grant the TO or call the held ball?

Is this a trick question?

I will take the bait on this one...

Anytime I see a try released, a fumble (loose ball), or A1 + B1 getting into a held ball I will not grant a TO.

I will bring the thumbs up quick on the held ball sitch, and after whistle and AP point, I will then ask coach if he still wants TO.

Been getting this right ?

I've had this a few times this season...
 

... coach, full or a 30?

You decide which occurred first and call that. And if it's a held ball, ask the coach if he still wants the TO.

That's not a held ball yet, nor has A1 given up player control.

Grant the TO.

Reading the OP a lil closer I might grant a TO in this sitch. If B1 simply "put hands on the ball" then Bob is correct, not yet a held ball.

I was reading the OP as 'During a held ball' and interpreting that to mean A1 and B1 both playing tug-of-war with the ball. If this were the sitch. does A still have team control, grant TO? If during a held ball (FC) team A still has team control can you have 3 Sec Violation on A?

There's no such thing as "during" a held ball.

Either you've decided that both players have their hands on the ball such that control cannot be obtained without undue roughness (or whatever the wording is -- in which case it's a held ball and no TO (unless another is requested), or the criterion hasn't been met -- in which case grant the TO.

Any Time Element Here Is A Myth ...
 

A held ball occurs when opponents have their hands so firmly on the ball that control cannot be obtained without undue roughness.