Activity, refereeing a sports activity

This code indicates that an injury or other adverse health event occurred while an individual was actively engaged in officiating or refereeing a sports activity. It specifies the context of the activity at the time of the incident, rather than the nature of the injury itself.

This code is used as an external cause code to describe the circumstances surrounding an injury sustained by a referee, umpire, or other official during a sporting event. It should be assigned in conjunction with a primary diagnosis code detailing the specific injury. Examples include a referee spraining an ankle while running on the field or being struck by a ball during a game.

• Always assign this code as a secondary diagnosis following the primary injury code.
• Ensure the documentation clearly states the patient was acting as a referee or official during the incident.
• Do not use this code if the individual was a participant in the sport or a spectator.