Question Number: 30506

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 6/13/2016

RE: Competitive Adult

Jeff of Morristown, TN USA asks...

I would like the panel's guidance on the following situation.

This is a competitive adult league which plays under the LOTG, though is not affiliated with USSF.

I was assistant on the match. Early in the second half, a substitution was requested and the procedure followed. The player being replaced was already in the referee's book for a reckless foul. On his way off the field, but still a long way from the touchline, he removed his shirt. The center referee issued a caution for this, then a red card for 2nd caution. Because of this, the CR did not allow the substitution, and the team played down for the rest of the match.

I feel like this was incorrect, as the player becomes a substituted player when he agrees to leave the field (I think I read that somewhere). I was not, however, confident in my interpretation so I did not offer any advice to the CR. At the next water break I ran to my bag to check the laws, but I couldn't find any clear answer to the question of this person's status as player vs. substituted player. After leaving the field, I reviewed the laws and USSF's Guide to Procedures. I am still unsure. What sayeth the panel?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Jeff
The key is the cross over between the player stepping over the touchline and the substitute stepping on to the field of play. The player remains a player until he makes that step over a touchline so until that time he is subject to the laws as a player. Once over the line he becomes a substituted player. To quote the Law ** The substitute only enters: # during a stoppage in play # at the halfway line # after the player being replaced has left #  after receiving a signal from the referee. The substitution is completed when a substitute enters the field of play; from that moment, the substitute becomes a player and the replaced player becomes a substituted player.**
Now the referee here I believe was rather harsh in a caution for removing the jersey. The law only makes reference to a caution here for a jersey being removed as a celebration. It makes no mention for any other time and this could have been ignored unless it is a competition rule or there is some unsporting motive.
Anyway the referee decided that it was a caution and while the player was still on the FOP it was a second caution for a player and that us a dismissal. Had it happened after he stepped over the line he could still be dismissed as a substituted player. The team though then does not play short. That is why the procedure as outlined above is so important and why it must be followed strictly.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Jeff,
The player does not become a substituted player until the substitute replacing him comes in, as part of a substitution with the referee's permission and in accordance with the laws.
This means that if the player left the field then, say, made a dissenting comment before the substitute came on, the team would still play down 1. It would also mean that if the substitute came on before the player left and a cautionable offence was committed, the team would still play down 1.
It's worth pointing out here that the LOTG do not state that removing a shirt in this scenario is not a mandatory caution; only removing the shirt to celebrate a goal is. Although some areas have a directive which may require a caution here. And a caution is permitted under the referee's discretion.

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

See Question: 30513