Question Number: 29988

Law 4 - Players Equipment 12/10/2015

RE: Rec Other

George of Parangarecutirimicuaro, CA Sacratomato asks...

This past season i saw players get warned not to be caught wearing jewelry during pregame inspection. Once the game started, players were given a yellow card and sent out of the game to take jewelry off. As i sit here reading law 4, this method of warning and cautioning players does not seem appropriate based solely on law 4. So here i am wondering, is this proper referee procedure? Warn before game then caution during game?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi George
Law 11 states that the wearing of jewellery is forbidden. Now if a referee warns player not to wear jewellery or asks a player to remove same and during the game the player is found not to comply with the referees instructions then that can be deemed to be unsporting behaviour. The player has wilfully disobeyed an instruction. Now for me when I do a pre match inspection and if I miss something which comes to my attention then the player is asked to leave the field of play to correct that. No caution is required.
Prevention is better than cure. Do the inspection properly and it does not arise. Simply giving instructions that every player might not hear or be present for and then caution for jewellery is jobs worth. Deal with it by inspection before kick off and it does not arise or if it does ask the player to leave to deal with it.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi George.
I think it a stretch to consider a pregame warning as a need to caution given the LOTG address what to do IF it occurs, so the warning is implicit already.
I have done this just once, the team had 4 players with earrings necklaces etc.. They had been advised pre tournament but thought they could stick some tape over an ear or hide it further up the arm or inside the jersey . I started the match then ordered all 4 off to fix their equipment/as in remove the jewelry. They played 7 versus 11, never saw another team in the tournament show up in jewellery, no one was cautioned

You do NOT stop Play! You order the player off the field to correct the situation. He can not participate from that point on! If he does he is cautioned! If he fails to leave he is cautioned! Once off the field and having corrected the problem he is NOT allowed back into the field until granted permission by the referee who must be satisfied the offending article is removed, if he does, again he is cautioned! Seems to be the opposition get an advantage playing a man up for a bit while dumb dumb is off adjusting his or her earrings.
Cheers