Question Number: 16072

Law 4 - Players Equipment 7/20/2007

RE: REC Under 17

Dan Prince of Ottawa, Ontario canada asks...

I played soccer for many years in my youth and never seen this before. We were playing a team and one of the player had a knee brace in fiberglace, you know the ones that football or wrestlers are wearing. When I questionned the referee about this he said that the league president said that it was OK. My question is that in my years of experience, you have to take all jewlery off, watches, you can't play with a cast even if it was for a finger and they let him play with this brace. I also understand that you can wear a brace made out of neoprene. I am kind of affraid for my players because of the possibility of a knee to knee colision which would probably result in a bad situation. Is this allowed?

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Generally speaking, all youth soccer organizations have some sort of rules regarding the type of equipment players are allowed to wear beyond the compulsory stuff (socks, shoes, shirt, shinguards, shorts). You would simply have to check what the rules are for your area, or the association against which you were playing. In South Texas (which is considered a separate state for soccer purposes, and has its own playing rules for youth), there is a general prohibition against hard casts of any type, padded or otherwise. There are also rules for what kinds of knee braces are allowed, etc.
In any case, it always comes back to the referee's decision under the Laws of the Game on what is considered safe equipment. If the referee's decision is the equipment is dangerous to other players or the player in question, the referee may refuse to allow the player to play with the equipment. There have been many televised matches where a player is wearing an arm cast or facial protection which indicate the referee has made an initial determination that the equipment is safe. The referee may always change this decision at any point in the game if he determines the equipment or apparel is in fact dangerous in use. The key is always the safety of the players.

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

Anytime the referee feels it is dangeorus, it cannot be worn. Plain and simple! Jewlrey is NOT allowed per FIFA Laws and regulations. Shame on any league that waives this. Bottom line - if in the opinion of the referee it is dangeorus, it is NOT to be worn.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Ref Maloney offers good advice in that you must check with the league in which you play, the referee should have as well. I have allowed casts during a match, but only when the league has no policy on the matter, braces too! But, the player before being given permission to enter the field is asked not to use the protective item as a weapon as it then becomes a danger, unsporting as well. If she agrees she plays and if she abuses the privilege, out comes my book. During the caution I remind her of her promise to me and say if it happens again off you go.

At that point she has the option to remove herself or play at a reduced level of intensity. Every time this has happened the player leaves the field on his own! When you see professional players or internationals on the park with a cast you can bet the referee has looked at and deemed the item not dangerous. There are notable exceptions in lower level professional matches in the USA and those are the result of the referee being too lazy to check player's equipment. For the most part professional players have doctors who prevent their playing with huge braces because the risk of re-injury is just too great. Youth players who desire to play in a brace still consider themselves immortal so the risk of re-injury is not considered.

One wonders how they were injured in the first place....

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Hi Dan. Of course, anything must be considered to be safe by the referee before it is allowed to be worn. That said, almost every organization or authority has their own regulations. For example, although The Laws of the Game say nothing about what type of shoes have to be worn my local Club requires shoes NOT have a toe cleat. The State of Georgia forbids all casts. In most instances casts can be made "safe" but many locales forbid them anyway. Braces here are not allowed to have metal or be hard like plexiglass but I'd worry more about the player wearing a knee brace then of injury to other players

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

Typically, I will allow a knee brace to be worn in order to protect the player with a hurt knee. However, if I notice the player is using the knee brace as a weapon of any kind I will, at the very least, ask them to remove it. If they refuse this request, I will not allow them to participate in the match any further.

The US high school rules state that any knee brace that you describe must be covered by the manufacturers "cover-slip" - this may provide some degree of protection to the opponents as well as a player wearing the brace.

If you feel the knee braces dangerous as the referee, then you may not allow them to participate. It is up to you to make that decision as the referee, the coach has no say in this matter. However the coach could ask the referee if he feels something is dangerous prior to the match beginning, in case the referee may have overlooked an item.

In the end it is up to the referee to make this decision.

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

See Question: 16754