I was privileged to do some chairs at the Masters Tournament in Austin this past weekend and came across a scenario that I thought would be perfect for the blog...
Player A takes a medical timeout during his singles final. During the MTO his wife did acupuncture on his elbow. She then repeated the procedure during the 10 minute break between the second and third sets.
Here is the rule from the FAC:
Page 111 (E, 4):
4. Non-treatable medical conditions. Plays may not receive a medical timeout or treatment any time during a match or a warm-up for the following medical conditions:
c. Any medication condition requiring injection (other than insulin injection), intravenous infusion, or supplemental oxygen. A player who receives any injection, intravenous infusion, or supplemental oxygen, except under circumstances specifically authorized by USTA Regulations, shall be immediately defaulted.
The ruling at the tournament was that acupuncture is not an injection and is therefore permitted.
Do you agree or disagree?
7 comments:
This is an extremely weird situation, but I agree with the tournament ruling with the way the rule is worded.
It is my opinion that the player should be defaulted. I construe an injection as any needle piercing the skin, thereby requiring a default. Until the rules specifically allow acupuncture, then it should be treated as an injection.
Mark Gatzki
This would be considered treatment in my ruling.
I was talking with some officials today and they said it might be considered an injection since noone knows what might be on the needles they are using for acupuncture.
Good thought and deserves some consideration.
Well, Randy, based on poster #2, I guess a player getting stung by a bee would be defaulted due to an injection. Just saying!
Chuckie, Using a eppi pin for an insect sting, is a automatic retirement. It speeds up the heart and makes it dangerous to continue playing. If you can play after being stung by a bee, but are not allergic, play can continue. I guess this will be the next new rule.
I don't think this is legal under the current rules, but if they can get the wording straightened out so that it is made legal, this could be a new cottage industry for this player's wife!
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