Question Number: 33428

Law 3 - The Players 6/9/2019

Keith of Vancouver, British Columbia Canada asks...

This question is a follow up to question 33423

on this scenario what if the extra player that came on already had a yellow card this giving him a second yellow card and being shown a red card how would the team be penalized for the red card and would the team be at a disadvantage for the red card(ie. playing a man down)

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Keith
This should not happen? If a referee is cautioning an extra *player* then he should figure out that the *player* should not be there. He is either a substitute or a substituted player.
In the unlikely event that it is missed then the extra *player* is shown a second yellow card followed by a red card and the team does NOT play short. Neither does it change the number of substitutions available to the team just the number of available substitutes. So if it it 3 from 7 then it becomes 3 from 6. If it is an already substituted player it has no impact on the team just the card and the offence restart of a direct free kick which can be a penalty kick.
The matter must be reported to the competition organisers in the match report.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Kieth, If the extra person enters the FOP already with a caution to his name then receives a 2nd caution for the illegal entry. He would be shown the yellow card followed by the red card and sent off but his team numbers do not change because he was NOT one of the 11 players permitted to be on the FOP. A key point here is was he added in by accident or did he sneak on? Did you as referee call for subs allowed 3 on but only 2 left? Are we sure he IS the extra player or could we choose anyone of the 3? Its a big deal to single out a player to be sent off for a simple mistake. We can not always rearrange the facts but we MUST be sure of them before we deny them the right to play.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Keith,
In the situation under discussion, the extra person on the field of play is not actually a player - they are either a substitute or substituted player. When a substitute or substituted player is shown the red card, they of course have to leave the field but none of the actual players has been dismissed so none of them has to leave the field.