Electronic Coaching Aids
What would you do?
You are a Referee at a tournament and you notice a player has
some sort of device attached to their back. Their coach has been
sitting by the court muttering away for the whole match. Another
parent asks what that "thing" is this player is wearing? You go on
court and ask to look at the device and discover that it is
connected to an ear piece covered by a headband the player is
wearing. It dawns on you that this is a wireless communications
device, similar in size to a cell phone that has been transmitting
messages to the player during the match.
What Happened Next
The Player was issued with a code violation for Coaching. This
match finished soon afterwards and then the Referee called the
NZTUA Administrator for advice. A conference call was set between
some Senior Officials and Tennis New Zealand. The Referee was
clarifying the use of such devices and whether anyone had any
experience with these in the past. The conference call endorsed the
withdrawal of the player from the tournament for a single Flagrant
Code Violation. Listed below is the excerpt from the 2008 TNZ Code
of conduct that this Referee used
Tennis New Zealand Player Code of Conduct
2008
Section 7 b) 8)
Coaching is instruction or advice given verbally or visually by
any person who is not a player in the match in question. The
penalty for coaching is given against the player who is the
recipient of the instruction or advice.
Section 7 c) Defaults
The referee may declare a default for a single flagrant
violation of this Code or continuous violations after the first
offence. In all cases of default, the decision of the referee
shall be final and cannot be appealed. The referee may
default a player for any flagrant violation of this Code and such
decision cannot be appealed. In addition, any player who is
defaulted as herein provided may be defaulted from all other
events, if any, in that tournament, except when the offending
incident involves only a violation of the Punctuality, Dress and
Equipment, loss of physical condition or injury provisions set out
in this Code.
Pictured right here are some simple walkie talkies
with headsets attached and also Bluetooth headsets which are
capable of transmitting to a receiver up to 30m away. Also a simple
cell phone with a headset attached could be used.
Advancements in Technology
Below is a sample of what is available on the internet. A watch
radio capable of being used to communicate up to 100m and a small
pair of voice activated walkie talkies which can also have wireless
or corded headsets.
Well done to the Referee for spotting this and also to the
Tournament Director for their swift action.
Because of privacy issues we cannot supply the name of the
player, coach, Referee or Tournament at this time