NFHS SWIMMING

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NFHS SWIMMING DIVING PRESENTATIONJEWELRY RULE
--Tom Shafranski, Assistant Director Wisconsin
Association
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History LessonThe Jewelry/Attire Rule

• 1977-78 Jewelry Rule adopted in NFHS Basketball
• 1978-79 Jewelry Rule adopted in NFHS Wrestling
• 1994-95 Jewelry Rule adopted in NFHS
  Swimming/Diving Rule 3-3-4
• Rationale Jewelry rule is now consistent with
  other National Federation sports rules.

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1994-95

• NFHS Rule 3-3-4 Approved as All jewelry,
  except religious/medical medal which must be
  taped to the body shall be removed before
  competing.
• Written in NFHS Rulebook as The referee shall
  require a competitor who is wearing jewelry
  (except religious/medical medal which must be
  taped to the body), objectionable attire or
  non-permanent body markings to remove it before
  competing. Objectionable permanent body markings
  shall be covered. PENALTY for use of an illegal
  artificial device The competitor is
  disqualified from further competition.

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1995-96

• NFHS Rule 3-3-4 A competitor shall not wear
  jewelry, (except religious/medical medal which
  must be taped to the body) or objectionable
  attire. Objectionable body markings shall be
  properly covered or removed.
• NFHS Rule 3-3-5 Prior to the meet, the coach
  shall verify with the meet referee that all
  his/her competitors are legally attired and not
  wearing jewelry or objectionable body markings,
  the competitor shall be disqualified from that
  event.

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1995-96

• PENALTIES
• 1. When it is discovered just prior to a dive or
  start of a race through the competition of the
  dive or race that a swimmer/diver is wearing
  illegal attire, jewelry or objectionable body
  markings, the competitor shall be disqualified
  from that event.
• 2. When team personnel/competitor uses an
  unapproved artificial device during an event, the
  competitor(s) is disqualified from further
  competition.

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1995-96

• PENALTIES for conduct violations (Swimming or
  Diving)
• 6. When a competitor refuses to make his/her
  illegal attire or jewelry legal when directed to
  do so by the referee, he/she shall be
  disqualified from further competition.

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1996-97 NFHS Rule 3-3-4

• Drop Objectionable body markings shall be
  properly covered or removed.
  Penalties 1. When it is discovered during
  his/her dive/race that the swimmer is wearing
  illegal attire or jewelry, the competitor shall
  be disqualified from the event.

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1998-99

• Penalties 1. When it is discovered during
  his/her dive/race that the competitor is wearing
  illegal attire or jewelry, the competitor shall
  be disqualified from the event.

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2001-02

• NFHS Rule 3-3-4 A competitor shall not wear
  jewelry, (except religious/medical medal which
  must be taped to the body) or objectionable
  attire. Hair restraining devices are considered
  legal, provided they are functioning and are
  being worn in the hair during the event.

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2003-04

• Swimmers/Divers DQd for wearing Religious,
  Medical, Livestrong bracelets/jewelry and hair
  restraining devices.
• Created concern for disqualifying a swimmer/diver
  from a State Association Championship Meet.
• Disqualification for wearing a Religious, Medical
  or Livestrong bracelet and hair restraining
  device on wrist is viewed as too harsh of a
  penalty.
• Redefinition and Revisions of rule approved by
  NFHS Rules Committee NFHS Board of Directors.

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2004-05

• NFHS Rule 3-3-4 Jewelry or objectionable attire
  shall not be worn. Religious and medical-alert
  medals are not considered jewelry. A religious
  medal must be taped and worn under the uniform.
  A medical-alert medal must be taped and may be
  visible. Hair restraining devices are considered
  legal, provided they are functioning and are
  being worn in the hair during the event.
• Penalties 2. When it is discovered during
  his/her dive that a diver is wearing illegal
  attire or jewelry, he/she shall be disqualified
  from the event.

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2005-06

• NFHS Rule 3-3-4 Jewelry or objectionable attire
  shall not be worn. When it is discovered that
  any competitor is wearing illegal attire or
  jewelry, he/she will not be permitted to
  participate in an event/dive until the illegal
  attire/jewelry is replaced or removed. Religious
  and medical-alert medals are not considered
  jewelry. A religious medal must be taped and
  worn under the uniform. A medical-alert medal
  must be taped and may be visible. Hair
  restraining devices are considered legal,
  provided they are functioning and are being worn
  in the hair during the event.

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2007-08

• NFHS Rule 3-3-4 A competitor shall not wear
  illegal attire or jewelry. When it is discovered
  that any competitor is wearing illegal attire or
  jewelry, prior to the start of that heat/round,
  he/she shall not be permitted to participate in
  an event/dive until the illegal attire/jewelry is
  replaced or removed.
• Medical-alert medals are not considered jewelry,
  must be taped to the body and alert may be
  visible.
• Religious medals are not considered jewelry, must
  be worn under the uniform and taped to the body.
  
• Hair restraining devices are considered legal,
  provided they are functioning and are being worn
  in the hair during the event.
• NOTE When the competitor starts a heat/round
  and is observed with jewelry or illegal attire
  he/she shall complete that heat/round and be
  notified to remove the jewelry and make legal the
  uniform before becoming eligible for any further
  participation. The competitors coach shall be
  notified of the violation (4-2-2)

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Committee Conclusions

• Not a frequent penalty.
• Jewelry rule has different penalties in team
  sports (non-disqualification) than individual
  sports.
• Forgetting to remove jewelry is different than
  purposefully wearing jewelry.
• Penalty for a subsequent offense of
  disqualification from meet was too harsh.
• Jewelry is identified in a variety of forms.
• Safety and injury liability are limited as
  rationale for jewelry regulations.

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2008-09

• NFHS Rule 3-3-5 PENALTY When an official
  discovers a competitor wearing illegal attire or
  jewelry a subsequent time within the same meet,
  the official shall
• 1. When prior to the start of the heat/round,
  notify the competitor to make legal the uniform
  and/or remove the jewelry before becoming
  eligible to compete.
• 2. When during or after the heat/round, notify
  the competitor and his/her coach at the
  completion of that heat/round of his/her
  ineligibility to compete in that heat/round and
  disqualification from the event (or a failed
  dive) for failure to make legal the uniform
  and/or removal of jewelry
• 3. Notify the competitor he/she is ineligible to
  compete in further competition until compliant
  with Rule 3-3-5.

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Rationale

• Although the wearing of jewelry and/or illegal
  attire is not a frequent occurrence, once a
  competitor and a coach have been notified of a
  violation there is no justification to allow the
  competitor to continue in the competition without
  penalty if observed by an official a subsequent
  time. The penalty is now disqualification from
  the event/round rather than the meet for
  unsporting conduct. The penalty is more
  appropriate for the severity of the violation and
  can be more consistently enforced and
  administered by the meet referee.

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Summary

• An official discovers a competitor wearing
  jewelry
• First Offense
• 1. Prior to, During, or After a heat/round
• Officials response Notify competitor to remove
  jewelry before becoming eligible for further
  participation notify competitors coach
  document notifications.

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Summary

• An official discovers a competitor wearing
  jewelry
• Second Offense
• 1. Prior to a heat/round
• Officials response Notify competitor to remove
  the jewelry before becoming eligible to compete
  and is ineligible to compete in further
  competition until compliant with NFHS Rule 3-3-5.
• 2. During or After the heat/round
• Officials response Notify competitor and
  competitors coach at the completion of that
  heat/round of competitors ineligibility to
  compete in that heat/round and disqualification
  from the event (or a failed dive) Notify the
  competitor and coach that competitor is
  ineligible to compete in further competition
  until compliant with NFHS Rule 3-3-5.

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Application of NFHS Rule 3-3-5

• Situation An official observes a competitor
  wearing illegal jewelry while the swimmer is
  walking to the starting platform prior to the
  start of the swimmers event.
• Ruling The swimmer is directed by the official
  to replace or remove the illegal jewelry and
  shall not be permitted to participate in the
  event until the illegal jewelry is replaced or
  removed. Notify competitors coaching staff of
  the violation and restriction and document
  warning. NFHS Rule 3-3-5

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Application of NFHS Rule 3-3-5

• Situation A Starter observes a competitor
  wearing illegal jewelry after the swimmer has
  been called (long whistle is blown) onto the
  starting platform and the starter is ready to
  begin the race.
• Ruling
• 1. Officials should be as preventative as
  possible and check over swimmers before having
  them step onto the starting platform. Ask
  swimmers to remove jewelry inform competitors
  coach document notification.
• 2. The race begins when when the swimmers are
  called to the blocks (long whistle blown)--NFHS
  Rule 1-3-4. Swimmer is allowed to compete in the
  heat. Following the heat, notify competitor and
  competitors coach that competitor will not be
  permitted to participate in an event until the
  jewelry is removed and document warning. NFHS
  Rule 3-3-5

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Application of NFHS Rule 3-3-5

• Situation Following the starting sound, an
  official observes a competitor wearing jewelry
  during an event.
• Ruling The competitor is allowed to complete
  the event, the official will direct the
  competitor to replace or remove the jewelry and
  the competitor will not be permitted to
  participate in any subsequent events until
  jewelry is removed.
• Notify competitors coaching staff of the
  violation and restriction and document warning.
  NFHS Rule 3-3-5

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Application of NFHS Rule 3-3-5--Diving

• Situation An official observes a diver wearing
  jewelry after the diver steps on to the board
  ready to begin approach (prior to taking starting
  position).
• Ruling Preventative officiating practices need
  to be applied. The diver should be asked to step
  down off the diving board and asked to remove the
  jewelry.
• Notify competitors coaching staff of the
  violation and restriction and document warning.

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Application of NFHS Rule 3-3-5--Diving

• Situation A diver in Round 3 takes her position
  on the diving board. The official notices that
  she has on earrings. The same diver had been
  notified in Round 1 and had removed the earrings
  to compete. After the dive, the referee rules
  the dive as failed and notifies the diver and her
  coach as the diver being ineligible for any
  further competition unless she removes the
  illegal item.
• Ruling Correct Procedure. When a subsequent
  violation is discovered after the initial
  notification to the coach and competitor, the
  dive is a failed dive and notification of
  ineligibility to compete unless the jewelry is
  removed. NFHS Rule 3-3-5

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Application of NFHS Rule 3-3-5

• Situation An official observes a competitor in
  the stands wearing jewelry.
• Ruling Jewelry allowed. Competitor is not on
  the way to an event and currently not involved in
  the meet.