Question Number: 19727

Law 4 - Players Equipment 8/11/2008

RE: Competitive Adult

Jack of Sydney, NSW Australia asks...

I have a question regarding Law 4.

Suppose a player runs over towards his technical area and demands of his manager 'I want my other boots.' (Note that the boots he was wearing were not damaged, and had already done him for 75 minutes of the game.)

The player begins ripping off his boots. The assistant referee on the bench line notices this, and sees potential for play to run right over the top of this player who is sitting on the ground taking his boots off. He grants permission to the player (this reponsibility was delegated by the referee in the prematch) to move off the field, since the player would likely be caught up in player, and shouldn't be changing equipment on the field. The player agrees to leave the field. Should the player have been ordered to leave the field? Is it permissible to be changing equipment (not just trivial gloves on/off) on the field of play whilst the ball was in play?

Around thirty seconds later, the player is ready to enter the field, and goes to run back on, but is stopped by the assistant referee, who says wait for a signal from the referee. The assistant referee points to the player after gaining the referee's eye contact, the referee gives a signal and then the player returns.

The real question I want to ask is, as it was equipment related, is the player allowed to return while the ball is in play (only on the touch line of course!), or must the player wait for a stoppage to have the equipment inspected in accordance with the incorrect equipment clause in Law 4?

Answer provided by Referee Gene Nagy

To answer your real question Jack he is only allowed to enter the game after his equipment has been checked. It seems that there has been some strange delegation going on and it is possible that the A/R has been straddled with the responsiblity to check equipment as well as allowing players to move off the field. Both these duities normally belong to the referee or the fourth official. The trouble is that the A/R has a job to do in watching play and he should not be destracted by having to check equipment during play. This means that the only real opportunity for him to check the new boots is in a stoppage in play. However, the A/R may have averted his eyes from the play and took a quick look at the boots and allowed the player to enter the field. While this procedure is frowned on by assessors, it is not per se illegal.

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 19790