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Was it because of religious reference or just judges being jerks.

Was it the Bible verse? Teen runner disqualified from state meet over religious headband | Fox News

Odd. In the officials world there is an acronym OOO.

 

Overly Officious Official

 

From an outsider's perspective it seems the T&F world has more odd-to-the-public rules than other sports. Again, perception. I'll ask @quickslick for his take since he is in that world.

I will say this and not just in regards to this issue.

 

The fact that other officials ignore an issue/rule doesn't mean the one that finally enforces it is wrong.

Odd. In the officials world there is an acronym OOO.

 

Overly Officious Official

 

From an outsider's perspective it seems the T&F world has more odd-to-the-public rules than other sports. Again, perception. I'll ask @quickslick for his take since he is in that world.

 

For once ... this uniform issue is actually extremely easy to explain ...

If the state athletic association where this young man resides follows NFHS rules ... it has ZERO to do with the fact that the verse was on the headband.

 

The real rule .. is that the headband has to be a single, solid color ... the headband can have a school logo ... but otherwise anything outside of the above items would make it illegal.

 

In a nutshell the head band could have said "Uncle Roger and Uncle Clyde are 90 years old" .. he would have gotten the boot as well ... because the writing breaks the single solid color rule.

 

The uniform rule has relaxed a ton over the past few years ... and I would expect this to be relaxed a little more in the future ... and I have no idea why it hasn't been already.

The Georgia High School Association (GHSA) admits there is no specific rule violating headbands. But they do have a rule that allows referees to make up any rules not covered within the rules.

 

“The referee has the sole authority for ruling on infractions or irregularities not covered within the rules,” reads NFHS Rules Book, page 14, Section 4 REFEREE, Article 6.

 

That is about the dumbest rule I've ever seen. Refs are allowed to make up rules?

That is about the dumbest rule I've ever seen. Refs are allowed to make up rules?

 

There is an actual rule that deals with this ... pretty scary that I know the rule .. and the officials in Georgia are freaking clueless.

For once ... this uniform issue is actually extremely easy to explain ...

If the state athletic association where this young man resides follows NFHS rules ... it has ZERO to do with the fact that the verse was on the headband.

 

The real rule .. is that the headband has to be a single, solid color ... the headband can have a school logo ... but otherwise anything outside of the above items would make it illegal.

 

In a nutshell the head band could have said "Uncle Roger and Uncle Clyde are 90 years old" .. he would have gotten the boot as well ... because the writing breaks the single solid color rule.

 

The uniform rule has relaxed a ton over the past few years ... and I would expect this to be relaxed a little more in the future ... and I have no idea why it hasn't been already.

 

He turned it inside out so it wasn't visibly adorned with anything according to the article.

 

This basically boils down to idiot officials making up :poop: as they go. If two had already cleared it, why would just one overrule those two?

Every XC official everywhere was toilet-trained at gunpoint. I think it's a rule.

If it is a rule, it's stupid.

 

No big deal idiots, you just took away one of the greatest moments of this high school kid's running career. No biggie at all.

Here's all that really matters from the entire article:

 

John had worn the headband since the start of the 2015 season. He also wore the headband at region and sectional meets. At no point was he ever told to take it off.

 

And there’s a good reason for that – it turns out there’s not a rule banning runners from wearing headbands.

 

About ten minutes before Saturday’s race, a racing official inspected the team and gave them a green light.

 

I hope this kid sues the athletic association and gets a free college education out of it.

He turned it inside out so it wasn't visibly adorned with anything according to the article.

 

This basically boils down to idiot officials making up :poop: as they go. If two had already cleared it, why would just one overrule those two?

 

See Clyde's post.

 

NFHS rules are generally clear and consistent throughout a number of sports. Head and wrist bands are covered extensively in the NFHS rule books for a variety of sports.

 

Once the official notified the coach, the coach should have been able to correct the situation. Given that this kid was obviously an exceptional runner, I put this on the coach. I guarantee an athletic trainer on the grounds had a roll of beige pre-wrap that could have held the kids hair in place and met the rules. Why would a coach allow an outstanding runner to be in jeapordy ?

 

Regardless of whether or not you like the rule....well, you know the rest.

 

As for officials "making up the rules", that's not the intent of ruling on "infractions or irregularities". Rule books cannot possibly cover every situation that would occur so we need to be able to have a way to address those.

 

Preventative officiating would say that the official could have made an alternate suggestion to assist the runner in meeting the conditions and not subjecting them to being DQ'd.

 

Once he was told, and chose to run, it's on the runner....

Here's all that really matters from the entire article:

 

John had worn the headband since the start of the 2015 season. He also wore the headband at region and sectional meets. At no point was he ever told to take it off.

 

And there’s a good reason for that – it turns out there’s not a rule banning runners from wearing headbands.

 

About ten minutes before Saturday’s race, a racing official inspected the team and gave them a green light.

 

I hope this kid sues the athletic association and gets a free college education out of it.

 

Just remember, a journalist wrote this, and not an official...put your faith in those guys, they ALWAYS know all the rules

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Good Lord. How is anyone supposed to read that?!

Note Article 3 - d