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Hearing
Aids - 1/3/2012
- An
early season incident raised a safety concern when player(s) were
participating while wearing the external type hearing aids.
These aids are in the same category as other prosthetic type
devices such as eyeglasses, braces, guards, etc. They
are permitted by rule and generally are not cause for safety concerns.
Safety concerns might arise only if the devices are hard like
metal, sharp, pointed or are so loose fitting that they will not remain in
place during the course of normal play. See the earlier December message
below.
Board 32
Policy on Hearing Aids - (Dec., 2011)
Don Marcotte, Rules Interpreter
To all Board
32 Officials,
We are always taught that when in doubt, we always make rulings on the
side of caution. This message is in regards to the use of hearing aids
during a basketball game. Recently, there was a situation whereby a player
was not allowed to play with "behind the ear" hearing aids. The
officials decided that they were not appropriate and discussed this at
length with the coach and AD and the player participated in the game
without the hearing aids. Needless to say, the coach, AD, and parents were
not happy with the officials decision.
We were asked by Pat Corbin, Executive Director of NHIAA, to get a ruling
on the legality of wearing these types of hearing aids. I researched this
as did Chick Smith who went so far as to contact Peter Webb for an
additional opinion. Peter said, and I agree, that there is no hard fast
rule about it and he would recommend that athletes be allowed to wear them
because every indication he has is that NFHS is trying to make
accommodations for players with these types of disabilities.
As far as I am concerned, the officials were not out of line and exercised
Rule 3, Section 5, Article 1 which states that;
"....Art 1 .... The referee shall not permit any team member to
wear equipment or apparel which, in his/her judgment, is dangerous or
confusing to other players or is not appropriate."
Ruling: Based on the research and the feedback from the appropriate
people, we as officials should allow players with these types of hearing
aids to participate in NHIAA sanctioned basketball games.
Yours in Basketball,
Don Marcotte
NFHS/IAABO Rules Interpreter - NH |
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