ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS - INJURED PLAYERS

The British Columbia Soccer Association would like to remind the registered Referees in British Columbia of the following FIFA Additional Instructions regarding Dealing with Injured Players.

FIFA Laws of the Game – Additional Instructions for Referees, Assistant Referees and Fourth Officials – Injured Players

• Play is allowed to continue until the ball is out of play if a player is, in the referee’s opinion, only slightly injured

• Play is stopped if, in the referee’s opinion, a player is seriously injured

• after questioning the injured player, the referee authorizes one, or at most two team officials, to enter the field to ascertain the type of injury and to arrange the player’s safe and swift removal from the field

• The stretcher-bearers should enter the field with a stretcher at the same time as the team officials to allow the player to be removed as soon as possible

• The referee ensures an injured player is safely removed from the field of play

• A player is not allowed to be treated on the field

• Any player bleeding from a wound must leave the field of play. He may not return until the referee is satisfied that the bleeding has stopped. A player cannot wear clothing with blood on it

• As soon as the referee has authorized the team officials to enter the field, the player must leave the field, either on the stretcher or on foot. If a player does not comply he is cautioned for unsporting behaviour

• An injured player may only return to the field of play after the match has restarted

• An injured player may only re-enter the field from the touch line when the ball is in play. When the ball is out of play, the injured player may re-enter from any of the boundary lines

• The referee alone is authorized to allow an injured player to reenter the field whether the ball is in play or not

• If play has not otherwise been stopped for another reason, or if an injury suffered by a player is not the result of a breach of the Laws of the Game, the referee restarts play with a dropped ball

• The referee allows for the full amount of time lost through injury to be played at the end of each period of play

 Last updated on November 28, 2005.