Question Number: 35348

Law 5 - The Referee 2/10/2024

RE: Adult

Bob Siddle of Harrogate, England asks...

Team A moving forward and the striker is caught and injured in the penalty box. He needs treatment and the physio is on, in the meantime the ref. awards a penalty for the challenge.
The striker should go to the sideline for 30 seconds, ( counted by whom and from what stage of the injury)
Can that played enforce the ref to wait as he is the senior penalty taker, or does the kick have to be taken whilst he is off the pitch?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Bob
Thanks for the question
The Laws of the Game allow for the injured player to stay on and take the penalty provided there is no inordinate delay.

What you reference is a Premier League competition rule which requires a player who has his injury assessed to wait 30 seconds before returning. The time starts from the moment play restarts. As there is a 4th official there who is managing the player off the field it is the 4th that manages that process under pre match instruction from the referee.

The LotG trumps that competition rule so the injured players gets to stay on in my opinion.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Bob,
as my colleague indicated it must be a competition bylaw, I do not see that as a requirement within the LOTG? It might be to try and prevent a player from milking an injury? By forcing the team to play short for a bit so they do not try to pull a fast one? Anyway tactically I am not sold on the player getting racked being the best to take the PK but I suppose the thinking was ("Well he took the hit he deserves it!) Anyway it is a completion aberration it is not directly tied into the LOTG. Common sense and the player taking the PK should not be endangering a team's opportunity to score a goal by trying to grin and bear it. A short time. I believe there is talk the player who caused the injury should also be taken off until the injured player can continue or his replacement is on!
Cheers