Question Number: 15830

Character, Attitude and Control 6/19/2007

RE: competive Under 11

Paul Kloft of Dubuque, Iowa USA asks...

Hello,

quick question re. how a team responds to an injured player on the field. Normally what I observe is each player goes down on one knee until the incident is resolved. I haven't found anything in the rules pertaining to this and assume it's up to each team on how they want to respond. Our team is not practicing the one knee approach stating it opens up the potential for cramping? Is there any support for that and is up to the team on how they respond to an injured player on the field?

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

The laws of the game nor do any documents published by US Youth Soccer deal with this topic.

I'm not sure where this trend started, but I would offer that it is not required, nor prohibited so whatever the team chooses to do is entirely up to them. The only thing I like to be sure of is that player's from either team aren't crowding around the injured player

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Paul,
I advise not to take a knee. Instead play until you hear a whistle or if you see or truly believe a player is actually truly SERIOUSLY injured kick the ball out of play. I once had the referee yelling advantage to continue play after I heard the ankle of my opponent actually snap as he turned his ankle over on an attempt to tackle and sort of tripped me. I quickly booted the ball out and hollared for an ambulance

At the elite level you will on occasion see players kick the ball out of play to allow treatment and to support a possibly injured opponent or team mate. This is a matter of honor and the unwritten law that says you better reciprocate or things will get unpleasant! It does flaunt thought the authority of the referee to some extent.
Plus on drop ball or restarts after such incidents confrontational conduct often become flair points in match or man management if one team or the other is perceived to have failed to live up to this unwritten code!!

If play is stopped to deal with an injury or a restart delayed because of one, use the time to relay or receive tactical info and perhaps a water break. You can clap for support when the player pulls himself together or is removed from the field. As a coach I warn my players to defend immediately or attack immediately upon the restart and not to get distracted just because the ball might not be in play . Anticipation, use downtime to move into positions and recover stamina. Stay alert and be ready to resume play in an effective position. Plus on a cold or rainy day who wants to kneel on the cold wet or hard ground?

The take a knee approach was instigated by leagues who had no confidence in the referees managing the youth injuries, sniffles bumps or bruises. It could also be tied to a compassionate display of perceived sportsmanship and if all players see and drop then play must stop! Referee's at youth level are often inexperienced themselves and to be fair, foul recognition is likely less stellar than injury recognition unless blatantly obvious, blood streaming or bones cracking.

A referee has the discretionary power in law 5 to allow play to continue if he feels the injury is minor. Of course any serious injury head contact, blood flow etc.. demands an immediate stoppage upon realization it is so!

As my colleague Ref Montanino alluded to, keep away from the injury site, let those best able to deal with the situation get busy so the game can restart ASAP! Do not try to use injuries to delay or waste time by faking or drawing out the recovery period. It is a despicable act, an affront to the idea of fair play and a cautionable offence if perceived by the referee!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Jon [Withheld]

This is quite a big thing in England and Europe over the last season. In England, top players have been told to play on and the referee will decide to stop play on not, depending on the severity of the injury. This stops people going down when opposition is attacking so they kick the ball out only for the player to get straight back up. What I like to call cheating!! However, this hasn't been told to the rest of Europe who still practice the 'sportsmanlike' kick ball out of play for injured player. Therefore, problems arise in European comps.

However, to answer your question, there is no law on it. You play on until the referee stops play. Its up to him not you.

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

This is not in the LOTG. Teams sometimes just do this on their own. As a referee, I never encourage this. I want players to understand that I am on top of the injuries and will stop play if the injury is severe enough.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

I assume the players don't go down on one knee until after play has been stopped. I agree with my colleagues this is unnecessary, and can sometimes be detrimental to the players. Why do you want to put your legs on cold wet ground? Keep moving about to keep your muscles limber. Get a drink if it's a hot day. Talk with your teammates to plan the next play.

The practice probably got started back in the annals of youth soccer history. Someone discovered that if the players were down on a knee, they couldn't group around the injured player. They wouldn't be in the way of those helping the injured player. "Stand back, give him air" - remember that adage? Going down on a knee seemed like a good idea. In addition, kneeling was a sign of respect, as in kneeling to the king. Put it all together, and soon another myth of the game is formed.