Question Number: 30033

Law 3 - Number of Players 1/20/2016

RE: corporate Adult

Reuben Chambers of Montreal, Qc Canada asks...

This question is a follow up to question 25855

Hi,
What is the procedure if the team has fallen to the minimum of 7 men then one gets hurt in a tackle... The ref waves on the physio...?
Normal guidelines is that once the physio has been allowed onto the pitch, the player must leave the field of play and be waved back onto the pitch by the ref once play had restarted.... However, leaving the pitch here would leave his team with less than the required number of players... So maybe play cannot be restarted without the minimum number.
What should I do? (What should I have done? As this happened to me and I was told I did the wrong thing...)

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Reuben
The advice is to get an understanding from the player / physio that the player is able to return. Play should be held up for a few moments to determine that from the sideline and restarted when he is able to return. The player by the way does not have to participate in play so even if he is just standing on the FOP that satisfies the Law.
This was a question in the firmer FIFA Questions and Answers
*A player, from a team with only seven players, leaves the field of play to receive medical attention. What action does the referee take? The match will stop until this player has received treatment and returns to the field of play. If he is unable to return, the match is abandoned, unless the member association has decided otherwise with regard to the minimum number of players. *
As a final point the referee if he ever gets to that situation has to weigh up many factors not just numbers. Factors such as safety of further play, seeking abandonment, time in the game etc. may have to very considered.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Reuben,
Down to 7 wow! Rough game or no one could make it? LOL

As long as the injury is not serious just wait a few moments until he can continue . If the referee beckons on the doctor the player must exit the FOP to be treated be he walks or is carried . The player would be cautioned if he does not!

Although the minimum number of players in a team required for a match to
continue is left to the discretion of the local member association it is likely they follow IFABs direction of 6.

The issue is an injured player may only return to the field of play after the match has restarted which requires the player to re-enter from the touchline only. You should wait a few moments to ensure the player is fit to return. Your assistant referee or the fourth official can verify that the player is
ready but only you can permit the restart and subsequent wave in.
Do I assume you restarted before you were aware the player could come back? Or did you not remove him to treat him?
What dastardly deed was so wrong?
Cheers

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 30036