Question Number: 28927

Law 4 - Players Equipment 10/31/2014

RE: high school

ramon janeiro of wilmington, de usa asks...

Does a referee have the responsibility to protect a player and ask him or her to leave the field of play on a rainy day for not having cleats? (the player was sliding all over the field) And if he does, what is the rule? Also, does a referee have the responsibility to ask a player to take off his glasses? (I was not the referee, but I was watching a game were a high school player went in with glasses. To my understanding the referee has responsibility to protect the player with the glasses first and the other players that could also get injured)

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Ramon
Shoes must be worn by all participants in a game. If the shoes do not have the proper cleats to take account of the ground conditions that is a matter for the player. For instance a player could be wearing turf shoes which may be adequate for a dry firm ground yet unsuitable for wet slippy conditions. The shoes are legal just that they do not take account of the condition which is a tactical playing matter and a disadvantage to the player and his team.
A player may wear prescription glasses and protective sport eyewear. Sport eyewear that is durable and lies flat to the face is legal. The game officials can declare any equipment illegal that is dangerous. I personally would not allow glasses to be worn due to the risk posed with the frames and I would consider them dangerous.

Answer provided by Referee Joe Manjone

Ramon,

Shoes must be worn by all participants (NFHS Rule 4-1-1i). Because shoes without cleats would normally not be considered dangerous to other players, it is doubtful that the referee would intervene. However, Rule 4-2-1 does give the referee the authority to declare equipment dangerous and require it to be changed; thus, if players were getting injured because of improper shoes, the referee could, and I emphasize could because it is unlikely that the referee would do that, require that only shoes with cleats be worn. Another possibility is that the referee could deem the field unsafe and suspend the game (Rule 1-7).


Prescription glasses are legal as long as they have no dangerous protrusions and are not considered dangerous by the referee. (See NFHS 4.2.1 Situation H and Rule 4-2-1)

However, some states (New Jersey is one) do regulate the type of eyewear that can be worn in all contact sport events, not just soccer. You may want to check with your high school office to learn if your state regulates the type of eyewear that can be worn in soccer games.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Ramon:

The players must wear shoes, but cleats are not mandatory. A wise referee IMO would not judge tennis shoes dangerous to the players or the opponents even in wet conditions. In many parts of the world, cleats are a luxury and the game is played safely without them.

Modern eyeglasses are safe and generally should be allowed in youth/high school play. The referee should not tell the player to remove them. However, a referee always has the power to determine that some particular type of glasses presented at the field are dangerous (jeweled/broken and taped/unusually shaped), and the player may not enter the field while wearing them..