Expert: Vic Winnek - 11/27/2008

Question
I need to know when the rule was established that you could not wear tinted
visors and is this rule gonna stay so that no one in the next few years can wear
one

Answer
Marcus

It was 2006 when there was a complete prohibition of tinted eye shields.  It was implemented by the NCAA Football Rules Committee and the National Federation of High School followed suit. It is my professional opinion that this rule will remain in effect due to the player safety impact for the next several years

The primary reason why they are still sold is simple economics - there is a demand and a supply.  Clear visors are legal equipment.  Prior to 2006 [only 2 years ago] tinted or mirrored eyeshields / visors were allowed. I suspect the inventory in the market supply is such that vendors still sell them.  There are some semi-pro and club leagues that permit their players to wear them in spite of the playing rules.

The reason for the rule that there can be NO Tinting is for safety and to allow personnel to see the pupils of a player without any interference of light to the pupils.  The NCAA & National Federation issued a memo based on the recommendation of the National Athletic Trainers Association to prohibit eye shield that had any tint.  It must be 100% tint/color free to qualify as "clear".

The reason for prohibiting a tinted visor came from the recommendation from the sports medicine community and the National Athletic Trainers Association as early as 2005 to make any tinting of a visor/eye shield illegal equipment.  

The rationale is that medical personnel can not make a proper or accurate assessment of head injuries & eye injuries when viewing the pupils reactivity to light through a tinted eye shield.  

Further a tinted eyeshield would need to be removed to assess a concussion or head injury and the risk to the cervical spine or brain in removing the eyeshield is too great a risk.  The medical community argues that the benefit of a clear eyeshield to protect the eyes and face is proper and a benefit to player's safety but the tinting creates a problem in the evaluation of eye and head injuries and therefore recommends the eyeshield / visor be permitted as legal equipment but a tinted one be deemed illegal equipment.  

The medical community advised the NCAA rules committee that if tinting is required for a medical condition then the therapeutic remedy could be achieved by dark or tinted glasses, goggles or contact lens thus making the need for a tinted visor un necessary.  The medical community further argued that it could safely and easily remove glasses, contact lens or goggles without jeopardizing or compromising a spinal or brain injury.

Prior to 2006 the rule allowed tinting to a visor if there was a doctor's prescription for a tinted visor and the NCAA had approved the prescription. Likewise under the high school rules a doctor's note was required.  Then in 2006 there was a rules change.  Any tinted eyeshield with or without a doctors note authorizing it is illegal equipment.  The rule prohibits any player regardless of a doctor's note from playing with an eyeshield that has any degree of tinting.

The exact rule addressing visors is :

NCAA FOOTBALL RULE 1-4-5  (SEE 1-4-5-s)

Illegal Equipment
ARTICLE 5. No player wearing illegal equipment shall be permitted to play. Any question as to the legality of a player’s equipment shall be decided by the umpire. Illegal equipment includes the following:
...
s. Eye shields that are not clear or made from molded or rigid material. Note: No player wearing illegal equipment shall be permitted to play. If illegal equipment is discovered by an official, the team shall be charged a team timeout.  

Under National Federation Rule 1-5-3-n the rule is the same as the NCAA's.  The eyeshield must be a molded rigid material that is 100% translucent without any color or tinting.


Hope this answers your question,

Vic Winnek
NCAA Football Official