Runner Wasn't Punished for Religious Message: GHSA

The Georgia High School Association (GHSA) has issued an official statement explaining the circumstances behind the disqualification of a West Forsyth High School cross country runner during a meet last weekend.

John Green would have secured himself a third place finish in the individual standings and a best-ever finish for the Wolverines team at the state championship meet in Carrollton last Saturday, but he was disqualified after judges said he wore a headband that was in violation of association rules.

Green participated in the race while wearing a white headband that bore a biblical verse on it. Green was disqualified, but the GHSA says it was not due to the religious nature of the headband. There’s a rule against any inscription.

A statement from the GHSA provided to NPR says that there was no religious motive to the disqualification, and adds that Green and his coach were informed that the headband was not allowed before the race began. Furthermore, Green allegedly took off the headband after being informed that it was illegal, but then put it on again and ran the race.

“Since the athlete then ran the race with apparel that had already been ruled illegal, there was no choice but to issue a disqualification,” the statement says.

The meet referee told the GHSA that even with the headband turned inside-out, the writing was still too legible to clear regulations that state that any headwear must be a single color and unadorned with the exception of a single logo. The referee said that neither Green nor Coach John Tillery were happy with the decision, but complied at the time.

The referee saw Green finishing the race from his position at the corral and noticed Green had the headband on again, the GHSA statement says. The referee ordered the disqualification at that time.

Forsyth County School’s appealed the disqualification, but the ruling was upheld. In a statement, the school system said it “has no reason to believe” the GHSA is misrepresenting the facts of the disqualification, and thanked Green and his family’s long-time support of the Wolverines cross country program.

Despite the disqualification, the Atlanta Track Club kept Green on its All-Metro High School Cross Country Team, allowing him to compete for a $500 scholarship which hinges on him being voted onto the First Team. Voting is going on now and lasts until Nov. 18.