Question Number: 25389

Law 5 - The Referee 9/3/2011

RE: Adult

Phil of Manchester, Uk asks...

In a game between man city and everton, a cross came over and tim cahill & joe hart went for the ball. The goalie punched the ball out for a corner but there was also a clash of heads and both cahill & hart were out for the count breeding treatment from physios. Cahill recovered first, stood up and started walking off the pitch as is the rule, then a minute later joe hart stood up took his place between the posts for the corner. Everton players protested, that hart should go off as well, city players then countered with 'surely we can't be expected to defend a corner without a goalie.. Handbags were thrown, voices raised etc etc, finally, the ref made his decision to restart the game with both players on the pitch...was he right, what is the rule regarding this, does it apply to the . Clearly common sense prevailed but the question remains , what would have happened if it was a pk?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

I find it strange that a referee in a professional game would not be familiar with the Law in this situation. An injured goalkeeper is allowed to receive treatment on the field, and may remain on the field if he is able to continue with the game after treatment. If not, then the team would substitute for him (or appoint a field player to the position, if the team had no substitutes left). The team must play with a goalkeeper.

In addition, if a goalkeeper and an outfield player are injured in a collision, they may both stay on the field after receiving treatment.

Recently there has been a change in that if two (or presumably more) players from the same team are injured in an incident, they may receive treatment on the field and are not required to leave. This exemption was not extended to a situation when two players from opposite teams are injured, unless one was a goalkeeper.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Phil
The Everton player assumed that he had to leave the field of play to receive treatment. In the case of goalkeepers there is no requirement for goalkeepers to leave the field of play to receive treatment. In those instances where an outfield player is being treated for the same incident involving the goalkeeper there is an exception made for the outfield player to remain on the field of play and receive treatment. When the matter was protested by the Everton players the referee made the correct decision and allowed Cahill to return before play restarted. Remember that treatment should not take place on the field of play and the referee is not to know what Everton wanted to do with the injured player Cahill ie substitution, allow further treatment off the FOP such as stitches etc
The exceptions to a player being required to leave the field of play for treatment are
# a goalkeeper is injured
# 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