Question Number: 34505

Law 5 - The Referee 2/16/2022

RE: Adult

Malcolm Colledge of BLAYDON-ON-TYNE, United Kingdom asks...

if a player gets fouled and needs on pitch treatment and the player who does the foul gets a card shown ,does the injured player have to go to sidelines to wait refs permission to return to the field?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Malcolm
The Law was amended a number of years ago as it was considered to be unfair if a player was fouled in a reckless / serious foul play manner and the player had to leave the field of play for treatment while the cautioned player got to stay on, keeping his team at full strength.
So if treatment can be done *quickly* there is no requirement for the fouled player to leave the field of play for treatment.
As to complete the answer here is what the LotG says and I quote
** Exceptions to the requirement to leave the field of play are only when:
# a goalkeeper is injured
# a goalkeeper and an outfield player have collided and need attention
# players from the same team have collided and need attention
# a severe injury has occurred
# a player is injured as the result of a physical offence for which the opponent is cautioned or sent off (e.g. reckless or serious foul challenge), if the assessment/treatment is completed quickly
# a penalty kick has been awarded and the injured player will be the kicker. **

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Malcolm,
as my colleague addressed the LOTG do allow far more time as suggested if treatment can be done *quickly* then there is no requirement for the player to leave the field of play for treatment. If the injury was severe where a substitution was needed it likely would occur prior to the restart. That said quickly is a relative term and if the player STILL needs to be treated off the FOP the player who created the reason is not yet denied his place on the field!

There is or was a move afoot to permit an injury sub if indeed the tackle rendered the player unfit to continue when or if no other subs were left or allowed. Perhaps remove the culprit with the injured party is being considered. Sin bins and youth soccer have timeout for those who are cautioned on such tackles. Yet we need to remember players will act out to draw cards as well as some perfectly legal tackles can cause injury. At the moment the wait and see approach seems to be working ok!
Cheers