Question Number: 24746

Law 3 - Number of Players 3/28/2011

RE: Rec Adult

stuart olley of coquitlam, bc canada asks...

I was coaching a Womens Cup final this weekend and the ball went out of play for a corner kick. I asked for a sub and the ref granted. Seeing as it was a formal cup final we were instructed to have all players leave at the centre and once they had left the sub could come onto the field at centre which is what happened. My sub player then ran onto the field and then back off the field to take the corner. The ref instructed her and me that she was not eligible to take the corner? He tried to explain the rule to me after the game but I still do not understand it? She was given permission to be on the field and left the field to take the corner. What diff would this be for any other free kick or throw in etc?

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

That makes absolutely no sense and I doubt anyone anywhere would have some weird local rule forbidding a legal player from taking a corner. The only thing I can imagine is the referee was completely confused and had what the rule is exactly backwards: i.e. before the now player may take the corner she must first step ONTO the field of play, same as on a throw-in, then step off to take the corner or throw.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

The substitute becomes a player as soon as she entered the field. She was eligible to take the corner kick. If she had never entered the field, it is a simple matter to ask her to step on before taking the kick.

If there was a teammate already off the field positioned to take the kick, the referee might have intended to communicate that there should be only one player off the field for the corner kick. Otherwise, I cannot imagine what the referee was thinking.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Stuart
Once the substitute steps on the field of play she becomes a player and she is entitled to take any restart. She is also subject to the Laws of the game as a player from that point onwards. What cannot happen is that the substitute runs along the touchline without entering the field of play and then attempts to take a throw in or corner kick. She must step on to the field of play to complete the substitution.
Also cup final or not there is no requirement for the exiting player to leave at the half way line. The player can leave the field of play at any location. The sustitute however must enter at the half way line.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Very confused referee, from your description. Please call or email the referee assignor for the game and tell them what you told us. They can see to it that the referee is retrained and better informed.

Couple of things - players can leave the field anywhere, not just at the halfway line. Substitutes must always enter at the halfway line.

Once the sub entered the field, she was a player and eligible to participate in any way, including the taking of a corner.

All I can imagine is perhaps the referee has confused a high school rule with the FIFA Laws of the Game? Even then, I don't think his position is remotely defensible.

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