Question Number: 29892

League Specific 11/5/2015

RE: Adult

anthony of Brooklyn, NY USA asks...

in soccer game with one referee, referee gets injured and game cannot continue. One team is leading 1 to 0. What decision can be made, according to FIFA? Does the game has to be played over or can it be CONTINUED at a next time to play out the remaining minutes.

Thanks,
Anthony

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Anthony
The decision rests on the rules of competition and with the competition organisers. The competition rules can taken into account factors such as the time of the abandonment, the reason for the abandonment, what caused it etc
The organisers can also have a number of options in the ROCs which can include accepting the result at the time of abandonment, ordering a full replay, playing out the remaining minutes of the game or awarding the game to one team.

Now if the competition rules do not provide otherwise the Laws of the Game require a full replay.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Anthony ,
under FIFA abandon games are replayed UNLESS the ROC (rules f the competition) dictate otherwise. The circumstances and time played, the need to have a outcome before a certain date, all factor into the decisions a league or association might write into their bylaws to deal with such matters. The options are to start where you left off, replay from beginning or if sufficient time was played award the match to whomever was leading.
A bit different is a match protested where referee error might factor into forcing it to be replayed or at least continue from were the mistake occurred.
Cheers