Question Number: 23051

Law 3 - Number of Players 4/1/2010

RE: Varsity High School

Steve of Hampshire, IL USA asks...

Ball goes out of touch to blue. Whistle is blown to stop the clock to check on an injured white player. Player does not leave the field of play nor receives any medical attention on the field. There is a white sub waiting to come on the field. He has reported...

Is the sub allowed when blue restarts with a throw in?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Referee Steve
My limited knowledge of this is that if the white player has to leave the FOP for treatment for an injury the substitution to be allowed.
As it is Blues throw in and the White player has not left the FOP for treatment the substitution is not allowed.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Rule 3-3-2b provides for unlimited substitution whenever a player on either team is injured. In this case the referee stopped play to check on the condition of the player. If the referee determined that the player is injured (whether or not a trainer is summoned), the player must leave the field. If, as here, the referee determined the player is not injured (even though play was stopped), and the player does not leave the field. Thus, there does not appear to have been an injury, and no substitution opportunity.

Under Rule 3-3-3a, only the team in possession of the ball may substitute on a throw-in. If blue substitutes on its throw-in, then white may do so as well. Rule 3-3-4.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Here there's no injury. So it boils down to what Blue wants to do. It's their decision to substitute or not. If they do then so may white. If not, neither may white

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