Rule Amendments for CMAS

andrew is exactly right. the solution here is spelt W-A-I-V-E-R and i'm surprised the USA peoples havent already got it covered as such what with all the sueing and the sooing and what not.


i feel i must point out that crash has a fair point... it may seem like there are rules in sports like cricket that say it's mandatory to wear safety equipment... but if you look into it, you may find that in cricket for example, its up to the fielder if he wants to wear a helmet or not fielding in close to the wickets... ditto wicket-keeper. ditto batsman, depending on if he's facing quicks or spin.... there are no rules to say the ball is travelling so fast, you must wear such and such, and yes there are horrific injuries on occasion when players chance their luck in the name of comfort and get caught out.

witness cullinan a few years back wearing a ball in the face from a spinner trying to sweep... he wasnt wearing a mouthguard, for sure.

in motorsport, if you dont wear a neck/back brace you're a flaming idiot and risking death and i'm not surprised it's compulsory... the sponsors and safety teams dont want deaths on their hands. slightly different kettle of fish, kind of like astronauts wearing spacesuits in my opinion.


i wear a mouthguard, one of the US ones for the last couple of years, and have only a couple of times been hit in the face in the whole time i've been playing. i just think why not, it's sensible, but i could care less whether others do.

W-A-I-V-E-R

(i hope thats spelt right or... EMBARASSING)

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it's more polite on the grating than on the subs bench

[quote=atapene;5548]andrew is exactly right. the solution here is spelt W-A-I-V-E-R and i'm surprised the USA peoples havent already got it covered as such what with all the sueing and the sooing and what not.QUOTE]

USOA has waiver, and we require all players to sign one. This is actually a fairly new wrinkle. For many many years, waivers were not worth the paper on which they were written. Contention: if ordinary person could understand language, it was inadequate; if it was adequate, ordinary person could not understand it. Peson signing must be able to understand what they are signed without law school degree.

About 10 years ago PADI achieved a waiver that stood up in court in California, so we have modified it to our needs, BUT, basic neglegence is cannot be waived. If I walk up and hit a player with a hammer, s/he can sue waiver or no. This is where safety equipment comes in - common preventable injuries should be at least attempted to be prevented - ear, hand, mouth. Ear protection goes back to first set of rules I ever saw - 1981 I think.

Mouth protection is somewhat recent. For many years, snorkel flange was adquate but now all good players get puck off the bottom, and a 1250 mg flying puck in the mouth removes teeth. The 'glove' rule is not a glove rule - it reads hand protection, Mouth guard rule allows internal or external guards. There are and have been for years, commerically manufactured boil/bite guards and custom guards made by dentist. Custom guards protect against/minimize concusions as well as protect teeth and are required for American Football and other sports, but custom guards are very expensive in US - $500 and required 2 trips to dentist.

How does anyone suggest a water refer evaluate home made guards? a snorkel is soft or is isn't altho there is some subjectivity there. Does the ref drop a puck on the guard? or what?

As far as I know, USA has not had a tooth loss with Mylec guards; maybe I'm wrong but not a tournament I've been to. We have heard couple of player here on forum say they lost a tooth or even two, but most have said their teeth were not knocked out and credited the saving ability of mouth guards.

The complaint of 'being told' to be safe is old and long standing; I heard it in US when we mandated guards, but everyone has adjusted to it. As a health professional, I believe in basic safety practices especially when it affects other persons - team mates for example, no smoking regulations to protect against second hand smoke, innoculations for childhood diseases and such, but everyone is entitled to their opinion.

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Carol Rose

From the Soccer/football IF:

Soccer players are required to wear shin pads and shoes to compete. There are restrictions on the cleats used on shoes for safety reasons.

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Carol Rose

I know that footballers are not told which specific type of shin pad or shoes they must wear...