OFFICIATING BASKETBALL IN THE COVID ENVIRONMENT

​Due to the fluid status of living in pandemic conditions and the expanding knowledge base for understanding COVID, this plan is a "living" document; it will evolve to stay up-to-date.  There will be an attempt to highlight the recent changes. 
It is intended that this plan be consistent with the guidance published by the federal government and its health agencies.  If differences are found, please notify [email protected]. This plan should not be used as a substitute for medical or legal advice.

There are many facets to the necessary changes for reducing the risk associated with playing an indoor basketball game during this pandemic environment.  Many of those changes are presented in this plan, but the plan's primary focus revolves around changes for officials.  We recognize that everyone, Schools and Leagues, wants to reduce the risk for everyone; still, Board 12 feels that official's organizations, like IAABO Board 12, need to be included in the planning because we uniquely understand the demand and restrictions placed on officials.  We are also in the best position to suggest changes to the officiating procedures and mechanics.  
This plan is meant to generate discussions of the positions presented rather than being a list of demands; in no way do we feel we have all the answers.  Our collective wisdom, and cooperation, will produce the best results.  Many of the ideas in this plan are also contained in other plans; it is intended that new or unique ideas in this plan be shared with others.
This plan's style is bullet-point format, with the suggestion for the entity responsible at the end of the bulletpoint. 

Responsible Entity
Key

The host school or organization managing the event/tournament
Host

Board 12, the organization providing the officials
Board 12

The official/independent contractor
Official

The Team; players, coaches & trainers
Coach

Player
Player

Fans
Fans

Basketball is defined as a Moderate Risk activity by the NFHS.
CDC guidelines define close contact as within 6 feet for 15 minutes (cumulative).  But since officials working a basketball game as physically exerting themselves which would increase the rate of breathing, it is recommended that officials be more conservative when thinking about avoiding “close contact.”
Maryland Department of Health defines close contacts as: Persons within 6 feet for 15 or more cumulative minutes within a 24-hour period during the last two days before the onset of symptoms of a person identified as testing positive for COVID-19 or a person experiencing symptoms of COVID-19.
Maryland Department of Health also defines a COVID-like illness as:
  1. Any 1 of the following: cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, new loss of taste or smell, OR
  2. At least 2 of the following: fever of 100.4-degrees or higher (measured or subjective), chills or shaking chills, muscle aches, headache, sore throat, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, and congestion or runny nose.
An essential risk mitigation process is daily self-health checks, physical distancing, wearing a mask, and frequent hand sanitization.   CDC recommends the following actions for self-health evaluation:
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Cough or other respiratory symptoms
  • Headache
  • Chills
  • Muscle aches
  • Sore throat
  • Congestion or runny nose
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
  • Pain, redness, swelling or rash on toes or fingers (COVID toes)
  • A new rash or other skin symptoms
  • High-risk exposure: a new contact with an infected individual or prolonged contact with a crowd without physical distancing (for example, attended a party in which there was no masking or physical distancing)
  • Temperature of 100.4° Fahrenheit or above
Data makes it clear that along with handwashing and acceptable sanitization practices, physical distancing and universal masking are the most effective strategies for preventing COVID-19 spread at the community level. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations include the following guidelines for proper wearing of masks:
  • Wash your hands before putting on your mask.
  • Put it over your nose and mouth and secure it under your chin.
  • Try to fit it snugly against the sides of your face.
  • Make sure you can breathe easily.
  • Masks with exhalation valves or vents should not be worn to help prevent the person wearing the mask from spreading COVID-19 to others.
Set up of Gym
  1. Chairs for team personnel are not permitted in gyms if the placement of the chairs is within 6 feet of the sideline or end line of the court – Host & Coach
  2. Game administrators are responsible for ensuring that spectators will always properly wear approved masks if allowed in the gymnasium. - Host
  3. If fans are allowed, they should be seated in the bleachers opposite the teams/table - Host 
  4. In gyms that do not have a minimum of 10 feet between all boundary lines and the bleachers, spectators are not permitted to sit or stand on the first 3 rows of the bleachers or within 3 rows of team members if team members are seated on bleachers – Host
  5. Hand sanitizer shall be placed on the scorer's table for players and officials. – Host
  6. Nobody is permitted at the endlines of the gym unless they are always 10 feet away from the endline. – Host
  7. All individuals entering the gym must be screened for COVID, preferably using a questionary like what hospitals use. – Host
  8. Gyms should have an increased level of ventilation.  This could include large floor fans drawing outside air through the gym into a hallway. – Host
  9. The basketball bench will be physically separated from all other individuals.  Host
  10. Officials' pathway to the gym from their pre-game location, and entrance to the gym, should be separate from fans, and if possible, also teams. - Host
Pre-Game
  1. Pre-game conference at center court – 1 official and the head coach from each team (only) wearing masks and keeping social distancing. – Official & Coach
  2. Only team members whose names are in the official scorebook are permitted to participate in warm-ups – Coach
  3. Each team and all team personnel shall always remain below the 28 ft. coaching box line during pregame on-court warm-ups – Coach
  4. Officials shall wear masks and remain physically distanced and not stand below the 28 ft. lines during warm-ups – Officials
  5. No handshakes between participants, before, during, or after the game – Coach & Host
  6. Table personnel limited to the official scorer and the official timer and shot clock operator if applicable - Coach & Host
  7. Teams shall provide their own towels, beverages, and other necessary equipment. – Coach
  8. The home team shall provide towels and materials required for sanitization of the ball and the court. – Host
  9. Officials will not check, or sign, the scorekeeper's book before the game.  That responsibility will be the scorekeepers.  From a social distance, the officials will ask the scorekeeper, 10 minutes before the game, if the book is correct.  Because officials are not checking the scorekeeper’s book, no Administrative Technical will be issued this Winter season. – Official & Home Team
  10. The visitor's scorebook will be kept away from the scorer's table, preferably at the visitor's bench.  The two scorekeepers will still check the books at the end of each quarter but from a social distance. – Coach
  11. Table personnel should adhere to any required local/state face-covering requirements. - Host
  12. The table should be sanitized before the game and at half time. - Host
  13. Place officials table sufficiently away from the sideline to allow for additional space for substitutes to remain socially distant. - Host
 
Post-Game24. No handshakes between participants, before, during, or after the game – Coach & Host
 
 

will begin the alternating possession procedure, and the home team will receive the next AP throw-in.  If an extra period(s) is required, the extra period(s) will start with an alternating possession throw-in awarded to the team with the arrow at the end of the prior period. – Officials
  1. During all game breaks, time-outs or end -of-quarter, the basketball must be cleaned. - Host
  2. The administering official should stand a minimum of 6 feet from the player making the throw-in and bounce the ball to the player making the throw-in – Official
  3. When reporting fouls to the table, stay in the reporting area, but also keep 10 feet away from the table.  For clarification purposes, while reporting fouls, the reporting official may point to the team bench prior to reporting the number of the player who committed the foul. - Official
  4. Avoid walking through players when reporting fouls. – Official
  5. When administering free throws, the administering official should stand behind the endline and bounce the ball to the shooter. – Official
  6. A player, who is wearing a mask, is allowed to leave the court without a penalty if they are experiencing breathing difficulty. - Official
 
  1. Officials must answer an on-line COVID questionnaire the morning before they work a game.  If they "fail" the questionary, they must immediately notify the Commissioner that they cannot work their game(s) (Sample of Form - https://www.123formbuilder.com/form-5710332/form). - Officials
  2. There will be mechanics changes for officials.  They are still being finalized - Officials
  3. Officials are permitted to use approved electronic whistles. – Official
  4. If traditional whistles are used, they must be covered with a whistle protective pouch/bag or whistle mask. – Official
  5. Officials are permitted to use masks during the game – Official
  6. Officials must wear masks when arriving at and leaving the court, during warm-ups, during all timeouts and between quarters, and if they are unable to keep social distance during communicating with players, coaches, table officials, or game management. It is recommended that gaiter mask be worn because of quick use capabilities. – Officials
  7. Notification of Commissioner of Board 12 an official test positive for COVID-19 virus infection or exhibit signs or symptoms consistent with those of COVID-19 infection. - Official
  8. Gloves are permitted – Official
  9. Officials may arrive at the game dressed – Official
  10. Officials will not wear game jacket onto the court – Official
  11. Black long-sleeved shirts may be worn under an official black and white striped shirt. – Official
  12. Long-sleeved black and white striped shirts are permitted but should be coordinated with partner(s) if possible. – Official
  13. If an official wants a beverage or a towel, the official should bring his or her own. – Official
  14. Even though the officials might arrive dressed, they still need space and time for a pre-game.  Whatever space is provided to the officials, it must have been cleaned before they arrive and not reused.  It also needs to allow for proper social distancing; a classroom might be better than the traditional locker room/coach's office. – Host & Official  
 
 
Positive Case Communication & Quarantining
  1. The following general standards will be utilized in handling cases of officials relating to COVID:
    1. If an official test positive for COVID, they will need to quarantine themselves from officiating for 14 days and must also not have a fever of 100.4ÕF without fever reducing medicine for at least one day. –
Official & Board 12
  1. If an official has been exposed for an extended time to someone who test positive for COVID, , they will need to quarantine themselves from officiating for 14 days from the date of exposure and must also not have a fever of 100.4ÕF without fever reducing medicine for at least one day.  – Official & Board 12
  2. Special circumstances will be reviewed by the Executive Committee of Board 12, relevant to the quarantine timeframes, if requested by the effected official. – Board 12 & Officials  
  1. The Host will collect accurate contact trace information to allow for proper notification to all individuals involved in the sporting event if there is a case of COVID reported by someone present at the event.  This notification at a minimum must provide the location of the person with the positive case (i.e. on-court individual, in the stands, in the building but not the gym, …).  The Host will notify Doug Buschman, Commissioner of Board 12, and he will notify the officials, if anyone at the event test positive for the
COVID-19 virus infection or exhibit signs or symptoms consistent with COVID-19 infection – Host
  1. If an official tests positive for COVID, or believes they have symptoms consistent with COVID, or have been in close contact with someone with COVID or COVID symptoms, the official needs to call, and talk with, Doug Buschman, Commissioner of Board 12. – Officials
  2. If an official notifies Doug Buschman, Commissioner of Board 12, of a positive COVID test or COVID-like symptoms, he will notify the Host of the event who will then notify all individuals associated with that event.  (Doug Buschman will notify the other officials who worked at that event.)  – Board 12