Yellow Card For Lying

[jmaellis]

Last night I was the umpire during a V match. While observing the warm-ups I noticed player #11 on the visiting team had 3 or 4 cloth bracelets (friendship bands??) around her wrist. I told her to remove them. At the call for captains #11 shows up and has her wrist taped. I asked her if she just taped over the bracelets; she tells me that she did not. We go on with the meeting. after the meeting while I am briefing the scorekeeper and timer I notice #11 busily removing the bracelets from her wrist. R tells me that she checked the tape and felt the bracelets.

A card is required in this situation (4-1 Pen. 1). We issue a yellow. After the match I reviewed what happened and contemplated whether or not a red card would have been a more appropriate penalty in this situation because:

#11 didn't only not comply, she tried to deceive me by taping over the bracelets

and/or

#11 lied about it.

Comments.

[BigToe]

I think you are right in this situation to issue a yellow or red. Totally a judgement call. I would have issued a red for lying because I have a very strong opinion on that but others may not see it as big of a deal as I do so they may have issued a yellow.

[mbyron]

You could issue a yellow for the bracelets and then a red for unsporting conduct.

[Andy]

First of all....I would agree with either a yellow or red card in your situation. Hard to comment specifically without seeing how it all played out, attitudes displayed, etc. That being said, I wanted to comment on a few other parts of your post:

Originally Posted by jmaellis

Last night I was the umpire during a V match. While observing the warm-ups I noticed player #11 on the visiting team had 3 or 4 cloth bracelets (friendship bands??) around her wrist. I told her to remove them.

I never tell a player they must remove jewelry. I inform the player (or coach) that the player is not allowed on the floor while wearing the illegal equipment. That leaves the choice up to the player/coach. If they want to continue to wear the jewelry, they need to be off the floor, if they want to participate in the contest, they must remove the jewelry. It's their choice.

Originally Posted by jmaellis

At the call for captains #11 shows up and has her wrist taped. I asked her if she just taped over the bracelets; she tells me that she did not. We go on with the meeting. after the meeting while I am briefing the scorekeeper and timer I notice #11 busily removing the bracelets from her wrist. R tells me that she checked the tape and felt the bracelets.

I certainly hope your R is not feeling through taped areas on a player to check for jewelry, especially if it is a male R with female players. This is asking for trouble. We are instructed to ask if there is any jewelry under the tape and accept the answer at face value. If it turns out the player lies to us, we deal with it accordingly.


You, of course, are free to do as you please and administer your match in the way you are most comfortable and your assignor wants. These are just some random thoughts that you may or may not find useful.

[mbyron]

I agree about not touching players (and I don't think the sex of the official or the player enters it). Nothing in any manual requires touching, and we fulfill our obligations by asking the coach whether the players are legally equipped. If coaches negligently or knowingly answer incorrectly, the liability is theirs (and liability is what this is about, after all).

I also agree with the strategy of enforcing the rule rather than telling players or coaches what to do: "she can't be on the court wearing illegal equipment, coach." Perfect.

[bpowlen]

I guess I'm kind of confused on this particular issue. I thought it was all about safety. If a player can tape over a medical alert bracelet, with the tag showing of course, why can't she tape over a cloth friendship bracelet that may or may not be easily removed (they are usually knotted). I also thought new earring studs could be taped over, too. So I guess my point is that I thought it was to some extent the discretion of the ref, with regards to safety.

[MCBear]

bpowlen,

Jewelry is not allowed, period! It cannot be made legal by taping over it no matter whether it is cloth or metal.

Originally Posted by jmaellis

Last night I was the umpire during a V match. While observing the warm-ups I noticed player #11 on the visiting team had 3 or 4 cloth bracelets (friendship bands??) around her wrist. I told her to remove them.

The proper response to this is to tell the player to leave the court since she cannot be on the court while wearing jewelry. If she refuses or fails to do so, it will be a card on that player.

The thing that can be done in the instance where a player shows up wearing tape covering where there is a possibility of jewelry is to request to see what is under the tape. If the player refuses, then the proper response is, "Thank you, then you are not going to be allowed on the court tonight. Please leave the court immediately."

[Back In The Saddle]

Originally Posted by bpowlen

I guess I'm kind of confused on this particular issue. I thought it was all about safety. If a player can tape over a medical alert bracelet, with the tag showing of course, why can't she tape over a cloth friendship bracelet that may or may not be easily removed (they are usually knotted). I also thought new earring studs could be taped over, too. So I guess my point is that I thought it was to some extent the discretion of the ref, with regards to safety.

Medic Alert bracelets, I believe, are allowed because they provide potentially life-saving information in the event the player becomes unconscious. It is potentially less safe for the player if it is removed. So the alternative is allow them to make it as safe as possible.

As for earrings, I do not understand why people feel a tiny bit of tape is going to make them safer. If a player is going to be struck in the ear with sufficient force to puncture the skin behind the ear, is a bit of tape really going to prevent this? If she is going to be struck with such force that it would tear the earring from the ear, is a bit of tape going to prevent this? I just don't see how a bit of tape is going to stop the worst of what can do wrong.

[Retrozetti]

Though MCBear's comments are almost point on, I would strongly discourage you from "request(ing) to see what is under the tape." You have to trust their answer. [07'-08' Case Book 4.1.6 Situation B(comments)] Having that said, if the jewelry becomes exposed during the game, then you caught them in their deception, and it's an immediate Red Card for unsporting conduct or Yellow & Red Card for "flagrant unsporting conduct." Never lie to the ref!

Step-by-step, given your situation, I would:
1) Upon noticing the bracelets, ask the player to step off of the court (never touch any player or coach), inform the player that "jewelry is not allowed on the court during warm-ups and/or competition, those bracelets are considered jewelry... so please remain off the court while you are wearing jewelry." Never tell them to remove their jewelry, you don't have that authority, but you do have the authority to to prohibit them from stepping onto the court while wearing jewelry. [Rule 4.1 Penalties]
2) At the captains meeting, you notice "possible" taped-over bracelets. Using preventative officiating, you can remind them that tape over bracelets is not acceptable, so if there are bracelets under the tape, the player will not be allowed on the court. Also, if during your captains meeting the player is standing "on the court," you certainly should ask the player if they have bracelets under the tape, because if they are wearing jewelry, then they shouldn't be on the court. [07'-08' Case Book 4.1.5(b)] No card would be required if they step off the court and acknoweldged that they will remain off the court until their uniform is made legal.
3) You ask the player, and they say that they are not wearing jewelry. You have to trust their answer. [07'-08' Case Book 4.1.6 Situation B(comments)] "Unless it is obvious there is jewelry present, officials need not look under tape to see if there is jewelry..." However, when you mentioned that the Referee "checked the tape an felt the bracelets", never never never touch a player, not even for court injuries... only for "life-saving measures" or to "determine if a player is unconscious or apparently unconscious." [Rule 3.3.18]
4) Assuming this match is for high school (NFHS), after your preventative officiating, if they were still wearing the bracelets (but didn't respond to your concerns in a deceptive manner), it would be an IYC (unsporting conduct). [Rule 4.1 Penalties] Or no card if they either: remained off the court, or moved off the court with the intent to make their uniform legal before entering the court.
5) However, after your preventative officiating, if they were still wearing the bracelets and lied to you about it being under the tape, you have the discretion to sanction with an IRC (unsporting conduct - serious offense) or IY&RC (Individual Yellow & Red Card: unsporting conduct - flagrant offense). [Rule 12 Penalties (a) (b) & (c)] However, an IY&RC is an extreme sanction for this situation. Officiating is not about "I caught ya" nor "one-bullet Barnie's"... instead, preventative officiate, communicate to the players coach about your concern, and protect the "enjoyment of the sport."