Question Number: 35830

Law 3 - The Players 12/7/2024

Petr of Prague, Czech Republic Czech Republic asks...

Hello

one more 're-enter' question please.

The ball is in play. The player voluntarily decides to leave the field of play (due to injury or equipment repair). This is allowed by the rules.

Does the player have to ask permission to return? When can he return?

I'm talking about a player leaving the field of play while the ball is in play, not after the whistle. I can't find it in the rules. (This part doesn't make sense then: '...may only re-enter after play has restarted...') :-)

Thank you very much!

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Petr,
Merry Christmas.
Basically it is a bad idea that might get overlooked/ ignored only if trifling! However it can not be a hidden jump out to surprise an opponent or win the ball from a concealed position off the FOP. Players are expected to remain on the FOP during play. You are aware you can exit and come in as part of the natural playing movement be it momentum or trying to avoid a collision. If a player exited to tie or put on a boot or fix a shin guard and came back quickly likely no one squawks. It gets a bit dicey if you actually leave the confines to grab a drink or get a dose of magic spray for a wonky knee or sore ankle as -injury- requires a referee's permission to reenter. It is not a big deal to just be at the touchlines and reach across quickly to get sprayed or a gulp of water! The issues that could arise are offside determinations and you are indeed supposed to receive permission to leave. Now a referee CAN de-facto give permission after the fact to not make a big deal of an unnecessary caution. But once off you require a signal to reenter!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Petr
It is not correct to say that a player can leave the field of play voluntarily without permission to correct equipment. The player must ask permission from the referee to do so.

In the rare occasion that a player gets injured off the field of play through momentum and cannot return immediately there is no offence there. The player must wait though for the referee’s permission to return which can be given during play with the exception of a blood injury which must be checked at a stoppage in play.

At the higher levels players will not cross the touchline for treatment or to correct equipment and you will see these player coming to a line but never over it. A player cannot return from over the goal line and must do so from a touchline.

At lower levels of the game it is less picky with a higher degree of latitude given yet it is still an offence to leave the field of play to correct equipment, to get treatment without the referees permission except where it is allowed in the law such as a playing movement, showing no offside involvement or as already mentioned where a player cannot return due to injury after momentum brings the player off the FOP.

In all instances of return a player must get the referee’s permission to do so which can be given during play. A referee should not allow a player to enter into the middle of active play yet wait until play goes away from that area.

Law 4 states ** A player who enters without permission must be cautioned, and if play is stopped to issue the caution, an indirect free kick is awarded from the position of the ball when play was stopped, unless there was interference, in which case a direct free kick (or penalty kick) is awarded from the position of the interference.**

Law 11 tells us ** An attacking player may step or stay off the field of play not to be involved in active play. If the player re-enters from the goal line and becomes involved in play before the next stoppage in play or the defending team has played the ball towards the halfway line and it is outside its penalty area, the player will be considered to be positioned on the goal line for the purposes of offside. A player who deliberately leaves the field of play and re-enters without the referee’s permission and is not penalised for offside and gains an advantage must be cautioned..**

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

See Question: 35831