Question Number: 27317

Law 5 - The Referee 4/14/2013

RE: Select Under 16

Larry Kap of Middletown, pa USA asks...

Field player gets injured and is attended to on the field by the coach or trainer. There is no collision with the goal keeper involved in the injury. It was always my understanding that the player had to leave the field of play. Is that correct?

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

The player who is attended on the field must leave with only a few exceptions: (a) if the keeper is injured and treated; (b) if the keeper and another player are injured (neither needs to leave); and (c) if two players on the same team are injured and treated (neither needs to leave).

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Larry
Strictly under the Law a player may not receive treatment on the field of play. All that is permitted on the field is assessment. Does treatment happen on the FOP? At lower levels I would say most of the time and most definitely at underage. At higher levels stretchers are common and are used in WC and CL games to comply with the Law.
There are a number of situation where a player is not required to leave the field of play for treatment. Those exceptions are outlined by Referee Wickham.
Now there will be times when it does not happen such as the referee forgets or is distracted in a heated / caution / sending off situation to ask the 'injured' player to leave.
I have also seen situations at underage where the referee takes a 'lenient' view of the Law and he does not enforce the requirement strictly due to the fact that 'treatment' has already taken place and he feels that it is fastidious to ask a player to then leave and to then return instantly. Many only do it because it place the fitness to continue decision with the team officials.

So what should happen is that the referee asks the physio / trainer on to the FOP to assess the injury. The player is removed for treatment and when treatment has been completed the player requests to return to the FOP.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Also, treatment is allowed on the field if it would be dangerous to move the player without first treating him. Head and neck injuries may fall under this category.