Question Number: 26135

Law 5 - The Referee 4/3/2012

RE: rec Adult

alex of richmond hill, ontario canada asks...

An injured player is being treated by team official on the field. Afterward the player refused to leave the field. The law states yellow card caution. Is that all that needs to be done and let the player play after the caution? or insist the player get off the field and give him a second yellow if he still does not comply?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Alex
The injured player must leave the field of play. If he refuses then the player is cautioned. He is then asked to leave again and if he fails to do so he is shown a 2nd caution and then dismissed.
If the player persists in remaining on the field of play the referee informs the teams that the match will be abandoned unless the player leaves the field of play and its surrounds.
Thankfully it is a very rare situation and something that most referees will probably not have to deal with.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

The injured player must leave the field of play and the referee must not restart play until the injured player is completely off the field of play. Each time the player refuses to leave he is cautioned. After the second caution he is sent off and shown the red card. If he still refuses to leave the referee has no choice but to abandon the game. Before doing that, the referee should tell the player's coaches and teammates what is about to happen and why. I imagine they would find a way to remove the player but if not, the game will be abandoned