Question Number: 30143

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 2/25/2016

RE: Rec Under 17

Richard of Oxford, UK asks...

If a player is on the pitch prior to the start of the game, and hits another player, is then sent off for FC by the ref , can that player be replaced by a named sub prior to the start ? thus the team still starting with 11 players ?

See law 3 below ?

Players and substitutes sent off

A player who has been sent off before the kick-off may be replaced only by one of the named substitutes.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Richard,

If the match has not begun then the action is classified as violent misconduct, unless the competition bylaws prevents a CHANGE once the assigned roster players take the FOP, a named substitute should be able to take the sent off player's place with no loss of substitution opportunities during the match. If there is a change restriction in place then the change becomes a substitution and they lose one of the match allowable opportunities. You simply have one less person on the bench to come in. Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Yes, a player sent off before the game starts can be replaced by a substitute. You don't get to add another name to the list of named substitutes. In other words, you will now have one less in the pool to choose from when making a substitution in the game.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Richard
There has been a little debate about this recently based on comments made about the forthcoming rewrite of the Laws. The accepted wisdom is that the player is dismissed for violent conduct and the team replace the player with a named substitute. The Laws state that the substitute cannot be replaced so the team has a substitute less to chose from.
Some comments attributed to Mr David Elleray who is involved in the rewrite that the Law is unclear about this the timing of the offence and where it happens. The Laws state before the kick off and that could be open to interpretation if say it happened outside the changing rooms say as the teams are going back in after the warm up. Anyway as per the question the player is sent off and replaced with a substitute. Any doubt on timing and location will be clarified shortly for those that want to want definite clarity in the wording.