Blood Rule:

 

Aggressive treatment of open wounds or skin lesions should be followed. In particular, whenever an athletics participant suffers a laceration or wound where oozing or bleeding occurs, the practice or game should be stopped at the earliest possible time and the athlete should leave the field of play and be given appropriate medical treatment.

 

During practice, the athlete should not return to the field of play without the approval of medical personnel. If, during a game, the athlete can be treated without undue delay, play shall be stopped until the athlete has received treatment and is cleared to play by medical personnel. However, if the bleeding requires extensive treatment, a substitute shall replace the injured player.

 

A.R.: In a situation where a player is bleeding, a decision to substitute for the player must be made within 10 minutes from the time play is stopped. A substitute player must begin warming up immediately when play is stopped because of this injury. If the player is the pitcher, this shall be treated as an injury (the relief pitcher is given adequate time to warm-up).