JamesV

I'm filing this one in the "unreasonably harsh" file:

https://home.hamptonroads.com/stories...604&ran=128779

High school cross-country runners disqualified for wearing Livestrong wrist bands... nope, we don't want our youth demonstrating solidarity against cancer, do we?

Kestrelman

WTF????

aluckyfiji

my opinion, if they (those running the XC event) did not say something about it before the race then they should have not DQ them, there is a reason for the rule (the same rule exsist in soccer), you can easily break someone finger if their finger got between the braclet and your arm, so there is a safety reason for it, in soccer you could usually get away with a braclet if you taped it to your arm so there was no way someones finger could get caught and before every soccer game the ref would "look over" everyone (mostly checking to makesure the cleats where legal) but they would look for other things like this and tell you to remove them if need be (lost my chance to buy grateful dead tickets b/c of a ref that would not allow use to tape wrist bands down for the ticket loto)

bab

Since it made the media I bet the backlash is going to be brutal. I would hate to be that admin who decide they were illegal.

auricpoe

check this BS out on velonews!!!

High school runners disqualified for wearing LAF wristbands

https://www.velonews.com/race/int/articles/7083.0.html

its the 2nd article

Grasschopper

Nice. USA Volleyball has a similar rule but if you could get the whole team to wear one you could call it part of the uniform and get it to be ok. Still BS but a way around it if you were looking for one.

cycleprincess

That stinks! What sucks is that they didn't tell the kids before they ran...they told them afterwards that they had been disqualified for wearing them. Stupid...should have at least told them to take them off before they ran.

pogoman

wow, that is BS

ch0mb0

don't they have better things to worry about...like the race itself?

if some big name track star did it though, things probably would be just fine.

wabbit

But of course, everyone can deck themselves out in WWJD paraphrenelia. THat's not promoting a cause or agenda!

galen_52657

A girl cross country runner at my kid's highschool was DQ's because she had a tee shirt on under her uniform and you could see it. What a crock of poo.

auricpoe

they were worn in the olympics and no one was DQed for that.....

galen_52657

Olympians are pros. Nobody tells them what to do.

danielmolloy

Straight out of the dictionary:

jew·el·ry **
n.
Ornaments, such as bracelets, necklaces, or rings, made of precious metals set with gems or imitation gems.

Since when is rubber silicone considered a precious metal? Also, how does it make sense to allow these bracelets in international competition, but not for a lowly high school event?

DMax

Not that I necessarily support the ruling... but there was this in the new story:

"The Virginia Pilot reported high officials notified coaches by e-mailed prior to Wednesday's with reminders that the rule would be enforced."

So it looks like at least somebody in authority was told prior to the race. The coaches should have taken the steps necessary to make sure they were in compliance with the uniform requirements.

And I don't know if anyone here is familiar with the reasons that many schools districts are banning colored bracelets, but you might be interested to know that there are legitimate reasons for doing it.

john5211

Um, okay ... I'll bite ... what are the reasons for banning colored bracelets?

John

Laggard

I officiate soccer. Under FIFA laws, no jewelry is allowed during a match. The only exception is for medical alert bracelets.

There's a good reason for this law.

While checking in a U13 girls team this weekend, I noticed two players had livestrong bracelets on. I let it go. The bands are rubber and pose little risk to themselves or others.

I could and probably should have told the players to remove them.

galen_52657

Them there terrorists wear them bracelet thingies....

galen_52657

I would say there is more possiblity of and injury associated with the braclet in soccer than in track, since soccer is a contact sport. If 2 players were battling for control of the ball with a little hand checking going on, one could catch their fingers in the rubber braclet of the other player and if they fell, potentially dislocate a finger.

Smoothie104

It says that medical and religous jewelry are allowed, suppose cycling is your religion??

DMax

Uh, no, the colored bracelets mean things. Use your imagination, it involves sexual acts, and no I'm not a prude but if the school administration is aware of the meanings behind the bracelets the kids are wearing, then they have a right and a responsibility to ban them. To do nothing would basically amount to endorsement.

And the easiest and maybe fairest thing is to just ban all jewelery, as opposed to saying "No red round rubber braelets worn on the left wrist. No blue round plastic bands worn on the left wrist. No green bands on the right or left. No purple bands. A yellow bracelet is fine as long as it says "livestrong" or "remember the troops" on it. White bracelets are not allowed."

kerk

I also afficiate soccer. At a recent tournament I wore my livestrong and there was at least one player in each game that had one on also. We all did just fine.

Laggard

The reason I should have said no to the braceletts was not due to safety. It's that I hate to start making exceptions to rules.

DMax

"Linda Babb, Kellam High school’s athletic director and the administrator who oversees Beach District cross country, said she twice issued warnings to coaches about the “no jewelry” policy. She added that coaches received copies of the rules at the beginning of the season and were e-mailed prior to Wednesday’s meet with reminders that the rule would be enforced."

Stupid rule, maybe. But stupid coaches should bear the most blame.

jfmckenna

People are still wearing those things?

That is stupid. I can see telling them not to wear it b4 the race but after the fact is just a low blow by someone obviouslly suffering from self esteem and or ego power tripping problems.