Question Number: 19515

Law 5 - The Referee 6/25/2008

RE: Adult

Nolan of Bancroft, Canada asks...

Couple questions around putting the ball out of play for an injured player on the opposing team.

Its obviously the sporting thing to do in the case of an injury. What happens if the team without the injured player plays on (and the injury or 'injury' doesn't merit the referee stopping the game)?

During a recent Euro game, the referee seemed to direct the player (by pointing) to kick the ball across the touch line for the stoppage. What would have happened if the player had continued what seemed like a decent attacking opportunity? Can the ref direct a player to do that? Shouldn't he just blow the whistle and restart with a drop ball?

Last, good sportsmanship also dictates if the non-injury team puts the ball out or the referee stops the match and there is a drop ball, the injury team basically concedes possession. Either by throwing to the opponent or not contesting the drop ball. What happens if they don't & choose to attack instead?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Actually IFAB and FIFA have said that players should stop kicking the ball out for injury, and the referee should handle it. If the injury is serious, the referee will stop play. If not, play continues. The definition of serious varies with players' ages and experience. A boo-boo at U8 is serious. Older players may experience intense pain, but not be considered to have a serious injury.

The traditions of fair play indicate that a game be restarted so that the situation is similar to how it was when stopped for an injury. Of course it's not even reasonable to think the exact situation will be restored - players will be in different positions, etc. If a team chooses to ignore the traditions, there is nothing a referee can do to force the issue. Any player is entitled to take part in a dropped ball. A throw-in can go in any direction to any other player, friend or foe. Teams that ignore such traditions do so at their own peril - they likely will not be shown consideration when the situation is reversed. But it is not a point of Law that the referee can control. The referee only gets the restart right.

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Answer provided by Referee Gene Nagy

Nolan, this whole kicking the ball out of play thing is the players' invention. It is not covered in the Laws. It is the referee's duty to stop the game when necessary to treat injuries. But often the players jump the gun and they kick the ball out of play. There is a growing trend to do this and FIFA is in fact trying to put the onus back on the referee by discouraging players to do that.

If everything went as FIFA intends it to go, no team would have to kick the ball out of bounds. But we are human and players will kick the ball out. Now you ask what happens as to sportsmanship. Obviously that depends on the players.

Let's say the referee stopped the play while City had possession. Good sportsmanship would make the United player kick the ball back to City. But the referee cannot demand it to be so.

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