2008 NFHS Track and Field and Cross Country Rules Interpretations

Publisher's Note: The National Federation of State High School Associations is the only source of official high school interpretations. They do not set aside nor modify any rule. They are made and published by the NFHS in response to situations presented.
Robert F. Kanaby, Publisher, NFHS Publications © 2008

Corrections to Rule Book: None

Corrections to Case Book: None

SITUATION 1: A competitor from Team A is warming up for the long jump wearing a long-sleeved, single-solid-color visible undergarment on which the seams are stitched on the outside of the garment in a visible contrasting color to the undergarment. The competitor asks the event judge if this undergarment is legal.  The event judge indicates the undergarment is legal. RULING: Correct procedure. COMMENT: Rule 4-3-1d would prohibit the wearing of a visible, multicolored undergarment in competition. The contrasting thread in this situation serves a functional purpose in the basic construction of the garment. It is not a design sewn onto the garment. (4-3-1d)

SITUATION 2: The vaulter from Team A is making the approach, plants the pole in the box, but aborts the attempt and does not try to clear the crossbar. The pole did bend, and, as a result, the bend in the pole made contact with the landing system just beyond the zero point. The event judge rules this a foul. RULING: Correct procedure. COMMENT: It is a foul if the competitor allows any part of his/her body or the pole to touch the ground or landing system beyond the vertical plane (zero point) of the top of the stopboard, without clearing the bar. (7-5-29d)

SITUATION 3: A vaulter from Team A has the standards (uprights) set to position the crossbar 30 inches in direction of the landing surface from the zero point. The vaulter makes an approach but does not attempt to clear the crossbar. The vaulter brushes the landing system beyond the stopboard (zero point) but not beyond the positioning of the crossbar. The event judge rules a foul under 7-5-29d. The Team A coach protests that the zero point is not the determining factor for identifying the vertical plane. The protest is denied. RULING: Correct procedure. COMMENT: The zero point and the vertical plane are one in the same. Although the standards may be moved to set the position of the crossbar, the vertical plane remains constant – the zero point. (7-5-13, 7-5-19)

SITUATION 4: A Team A contestant reports to the clerk of the course to check in and become an official competitor for the 200-meter dash. The competitor is wearing a full-length body suit with a hood underneath her uniform for religious reasons. The body suit being worn as a visible undergarment has red-and-white vertical stripes. Through preventive officiating, the clerk informs the competitor that the visible undergarment is illegal because it is multicolored. The competitor may compete if she makes the uniform legal. The athlete tells her coach, who then wants to protest. RULING: Protest denied, correct procedure. COMMENT: The clerk of the course has the responsibility to check and enforce uniform, visible apparel and shoe regulations. The undergarment is illegal only because of being multiple colors and not because of the length or hood. The ultimate responsibility regarding uniforms rests with the school coach. The coach has the responsibility to place the school's athletes in legal uniforms and educate the student-athlete on what is a legal uniform. Any exception to the uniform rule shall be provided by the state association. (4-3-1d)

SITUATION 5: The state association has established a policy for how scoring, places and advancement within the state series track and field competition shall be addressed if it is detected after the meet results are official that an ineligible athlete competed and scored points. During the regular season, the state association has allowed each games committee to establish the timeframe to address similar situations. RULING: Correct procedure. COMMENT: The state association has the authority to establish a policy to address correction of score when an ineligible athlete participates, scores points and places. This policy may also be based upon the individual state's bylaws in conjunction with established policy. Such policy may apply to the state series only or may also include regular-season meets, whichever the state association deems appropriate. (2-3-2)