Question Number: 18810

Law 5 - The Referee 4/18/2008

RE: Adult

Oscar of Geneva, -- Switzerland asks...

If a player is injured (but able to move) and requires treatment, it is common for the ref to order him off the park while the trainer attends to him. He then has to return to the technical area and be brought on via the 4th official.

What, however, if the player in question is a goalkeeper? Is there any special dispensation for this position that would allow the game to be held up for, say, 5 minutes while he was attended to in the goal mouth area?

Or should he be ordered to the sidelines and the affected team required to designated another player to take his jersey and go between the sticks?

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Injury to the goalkeeper IS an exception. The keeper may be treated on the field. Of course, if there is a suspected neck injury to any player and the player's safety is jepordized by movement, play is halted until the player may be safely moved off the field.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

It is not common for the referee to order a player off the field for treatment it is a requirement! Law 5 is specific in this, it says if play is stopped because of a serious injury the referee will ensure he is removed from the field of play. Way in the back of the Law book is hidden the exception to this, the goalkeeper and if another player is involved in the same incident he too is excepted.

Regards,