Question Number: 24559

League Specific 2/5/2011

RE: High School

K Jew of San Francisco, CA USA asks...

In a high school game, does an injured goal keeper have to leave the field after attended by his/her coach or trainer?
In the FIFA LOTG and NCAA rules(I think but not sure)keepers are exempt.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi
That is indeed correct. Teams must have a goalkeeper in a FIFA game and play cannot commence/restart without a GK hence the exemption. NCAA has the same policy.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

The high school rules differ. A keeper is treated like any other player. If either the referee determines they are injured OR they are treated on the field of play, injured players must leave the field and may return only after play has restarted. This is a substitution opportunity under NFHS rules.

Note: the rule indicates treated 'on the field of play.' The high school referee has the option to grant permission to the coach to leave the coaching area, but talk to the keeper from behind the goal line. If coach doesn't enter the field of play and the referee does not determine that the keeper is injured, the keeper does not have to leave.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

This is covered in Rule 3 Section 3 Article 1 c. All players are considered the same and there are no special exemptions for keepers. Any player considered injured by the referee and treated on the field of play must leave the field of play.

This is also considered to be an unlimited substitution opportunity for both teams. If an injured player is substituted for at the taking of a penalty kick, the substitute may not take the penalty kick.

An injured high school player may or may not be treated on the field but in any event must leave the field of play.

The LOTG generally require non-goalkeepers to be removed from the field for treatment but there are exceptions in addition to the goalkeeper :

a goalkeeper and an outfield player have collided and need immediate
attention
? players from the same team have collided and need immediate attention
? a severe injury has occurred, e.g. swallowed tongue, concussion, broken leg