Rules Analysis
Players may overrule an observer's active ruling, provided it is to their team's detriment. Players may also decline enforcement of a yardage penalty assessed through the misconduct system. Observers may deny the declination if they feel the teams are trying to circumvent mandatory tournament rules, guidelines, or player safety.
If, for example, teams are trying to maintain proper sideline buffer zones, but a team is assessed a penalty after a third technical, an opposing team may decide to decline the yardage penalty as they do not want to gain an advantage in the game for this reason. Observers should accept this declination. However, if teams mutually agree to ignore the sideline technicals and players are willfully not maintaining proper safety buffers, this would be an example of when an observer should not allow the declining of the yardage penalty. Proper communication between observers and teams should alleviate any concerns.
