Question Number: 14937

Law 4 - Players Equipment 3/4/2007

RE: rec Adult

tim minelli of carmel, ca usa asks...

This question is a follow up to question 2985

A player at the restart of play, after the end of the first half,by mistake wears a different jersey's number.Was not given a yellow card up to that point and the score was 5-1 in his team's favor.After a couple of minutes into the game the ref realizes what happened and asks the player to put on the original jersey.(Final score 10-1)At the end of the game the other team coach wants to contest the game and files a complaint with the league disciplinary commitee.
Could my team lose the game for an honest mistake or only the player could be held accountable?
Thank you

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Well, if I was on that committee, the coach has just wasted his filing fee. That's an issue for the league to consider though, based on their league rules.

Certainly if a player was attempting deception by switching uniform numbers, the referee could caution him for unsporting behavior. For instance, if he had earned the notice of the referee in the first half, perhaps had been cautioned, he might want to try to hide behind a different number.

If there was something wrong with the player's original jersey, he should be able to ask to switch to another shirt, even if it has a different number. The referee should be notified, but players sometimes forget. The ref could do as this ref did, have the player correct an innocent mistake once it's noticed.

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

That depends on the league. As a referee I would ask player to leave field to correct equipment and allow player to return ASAP. I would also report to league what happend.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Where does it stipulate in the Laws of the Game a number is required. The only thing required is a list of players and substitutes. Leagues may require numbers and if that's the case the player leaves the park to correct his uniform, note: he is not replaced by a substitute because this is a violation of, if required to be a part of the uniform by the league, Law 4.

Regards,