Question Number: 33996

Law 3 - The Players 9/21/2020

RE: Pro Adult

Muhammad Rizwan Khan of Abbottabad, Abbottabad Pakistan asks...

Sir,

before start of the match / before kick off if any of players committed serious offence like fight with opponent and deserve red card. As we know still its before kick off when this offender sent off it can be substitute with any other player or team will play with 10 players? other question is if players of a similar team fight with each other and committed serious offence whats penalty for them?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Muhammad
When a player is sent off before kick off that player takes no part in tne game. His team though does not play short and he is replaced by a named substitute. That substitute is not replaced so if a team had seven substitutes to chose from they now have only six.
If two players from the same team are engaged in violent conduct such as fighting, both players are sent off. If it happens before kick off both are replaced with two named substitutes and the number of substitutes is reduced by two.
If it happens during the game after kick off the two players are dismissed for violent conduct and their team plays short by two.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Rizan,
Before the whistle to start the match ANY offending players of either team are removed from the FOP for VC , shown the red card but their team still starts with 11. Only the number of available substitutes are reduced During the match the teams would be reduced by the number of players sent off. Should it happen to be a couple of teammates on the FOP acting as players who decided to fight with one another the SAD fact is both are sent off for VC shown the red card and their team is reduced by 2. The expulsions applies to all personnel within the technical area who engage in VC. Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Muhammad,

As far as a player or players sent off before the match starts, the law says the following:

"A player who is sent off ... after being named on the team list and before kick-off may be replaced by a named substitute, who cannot be replaced "

When it comes to team mates fighting, both are dismissed. Ref McHugh has outlined how this is affects the issue of substitutions if it happens before kick-off, or during the match.