Blood rule
Encyclopedia
The Blood rule is a rule used in many sports that states that an athlete that receives an open wound, is bleeding, or who has blood
on them or their clothes, must immediately leave the playing area to receive medical attention. Though they may be able to play again later, they cannot go back and play again until the wound is taken care of, bleeding has stopped, and all contaminated equipment has been replaced.
The main concern addressed by this rule is the spread of infectious diseases like Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Hepatitis
, and other diseases that can be spread through the contact of blood.
Before this rule was enforced, the chance of spreading diseases through blood to teammates of the injured player, the opposing team, the officials, and even the injured player himself/herself in some cases where it could be spread through contact of saliva
, mucus
, or blood from another injured player, was great since an injured player's wound may have ended up touching all the other players by the end of the game as the player would continue playing unless they were bleeding enough for them to possibly die from a loss of a blood.
Though there are two options that can be chosen: The first option is that the player be substituted and play resumes, or the official can halt play until the player has returned, the former being the most commonly chosen. If a player refuses to leave even though an official requests they do so this occurs, the official will stop play, and if the player continues to stay after play has ceased, the official will enforce the rules for accompanying league
, which may include forfeiture of the game.
Some sports where this is used are Australian Rules Football
, NCAA Baseball, and all major sports leagues like the National Hockey League
, Major League Baseball
, National Basketball Association
, Major League Soccer
and National Football League
.
Blood
Blood is a specialized bodily fluid in animals that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells....
on them or their clothes, must immediately leave the playing area to receive medical attention. Though they may be able to play again later, they cannot go back and play again until the wound is taken care of, bleeding has stopped, and all contaminated equipment has been replaced.
The main concern addressed by this rule is the spread of infectious diseases like Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), Hepatitis
Hepatitis
Hepatitis is a medical condition defined by the inflammation of the liver and characterized by the presence of inflammatory cells in the tissue of the organ. The name is from the Greek hepar , the root being hepat- , meaning liver, and suffix -itis, meaning "inflammation"...
, and other diseases that can be spread through the contact of blood.
Before this rule was enforced, the chance of spreading diseases through blood to teammates of the injured player, the opposing team, the officials, and even the injured player himself/herself in some cases where it could be spread through contact of saliva
Saliva
Saliva , referred to in various contexts as spit, spittle, drivel, drool, or slobber, is the watery substance produced in the mouths of humans and most other animals. Saliva is a component of oral fluid. In mammals, saliva is produced in and secreted from the three pairs of major salivary glands,...
, mucus
Mucus
In vertebrates, mucus is a slippery secretion produced by, and covering, mucous membranes. Mucous fluid is typically produced from mucous cells found in mucous glands. Mucous cells secrete products that are rich in glycoproteins and water. Mucous fluid may also originate from mixed glands, which...
, or blood from another injured player, was great since an injured player's wound may have ended up touching all the other players by the end of the game as the player would continue playing unless they were bleeding enough for them to possibly die from a loss of a blood.
Though there are two options that can be chosen: The first option is that the player be substituted and play resumes, or the official can halt play until the player has returned, the former being the most commonly chosen. If a player refuses to leave even though an official requests they do so this occurs, the official will stop play, and if the player continues to stay after play has ceased, the official will enforce the rules for accompanying league
Sports league
League is a term commonly used to describe a group of sports teams or individual athletes that compete against each other in a specific sport. At its simplest, it may be a local group of amateur athletes who form teams among themselves and compete on weekends; at its most complex, it can be an...
, which may include forfeiture of the game.
Some sports where this is used are Australian Rules Football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
, NCAA Baseball, and all major sports leagues like the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
, Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
, National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
, Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
and National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
.