Question Number: 16141

Law 5 - The Referee 7/27/2007

RE: rec Adult

alex of richmond hill, on canada asks...

This question is a follow up to question 16121

I can understand the logic behind the replies from the panel in allowing for water breaks.

However, the game is played by 2 teams competing against each other with their skills, discipline, and physical fitness. A physically less fit team will naturally wishes to have, and needs more water breaks than its opponent. By granting these breaks, the referee is taking the advantage away from the team who is in better shape.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Being in better shape has little to do with dehydrating. Granted, the better shape team is more likely to have prepared themselves for the hot weather by increasing fluids in the days before the game. And granted, the 1-2 minutes it takes to get the water will give the less-in-shape team time to catch their breaths.

However our primary concern should be player safety. It is far better to give a water break that might slightly benefit one team than to have players dropping from heat exhaustion and dehydration.

You in Ontario and I in Michigan don't really appreciate the extreme conditions that can occur. Something above 30*C with high humidity happens only one or two days in a season. And even then you would limit taking a break to lower-level youth games and non-competitive recreational games. Our panel members from CA, TX, GA and FL can weigh in on extreme heat conditions.

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

Perhaps - but the team with better fitness, skills, and dicipline should easily be able to win and over come a 2 minute break for water. (Which they benefit from as well, no?)

I can only have so much sympathy for a team that is supposedly superior to another who would not be able to win by virtue of a water break. Remind me to bring the world's smallest violin to the match and I'll play it during the water break for them.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

It is a thought that a referee might overstep his discrestionary powers to *enforce* a water break but to allow a restart to be momentarily delayed to ensure the players in hydration distress are treated is not so in my opinion. Education is the key! Coaches by lack of experiance or understanding do not bring sufficent water nor teach the kids how important it is** little and often** water should be scattered around the field because it is NOT against any law to drink water at any time during a match even during play. The players simply cannot leave the field to do so so. The coaches should make sure water is easily obtained near the touch and goal lines up and down the field. Certain southern USA leagues actually have manditory waterbreaks in the bylaws. You only need to pack 1 person in ice to transport by helicopter for heat exhaustion to know how quickly it can occur and how oblivious those around realized what was going on! Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Players should drink as necessary to prevent dehydration. It makes no difference whether they do it during play or during a stoppage in play. If a referee is foolish enough to prevent their taking a drink he doesn't deserve his place in the food chain.

The other side of this is a referee who knows a player is in heat distress and advises his technical staff of the fact. If they refuse to allow him to hydrate this, I firmly believe, is grounds to terminate the match. It is far better to explain why the match ended that it is to explain why one of your players died.

Heat stress is serious business and those who treat it lightly will wind up explaining a serious case of heat exhaustion or even the death of a player whose welfare is entrusted them.

Unless water breaks are mandated by the league the referee should advise players they are entitled to drink during the match so long as they don't leave the park or bring the water or sponges into the field. Further this may be done at any location on the field. US Soccer will state, in it's ATR, that drinking may only happen during play on a touchline and at any field boundary at a stoppage in play. [Chapter 19, ATR 2007]

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Also depends on age level. Only a fool would deny children proper opportunity to take in liquids. At higher levels nothing prevents players from taking in fluids during play.