Injured players and equipment

A player injured during the course of a match can be cautioned by the referee for unsporting behaviour if he does not leave the field of play, either on a stretcher or on foot, after the medical staff have been authorised to enter the field to look at the injury. This is just one of the guidelines to be followed in the case of an injured player.

It may seem an easy task for a referee to take decisions on injured players but he must follow a set of instructions which are appropriately called 'Dealing with injured Players'.

The immediate decision a referee must take is to assess whether the injury is slight or serious. This is because it is only then that he should decide whether to stop play. It is true that in this age, it has become a familiar sight to see players kicking the ball out of play whenever a player is injured.

This, in reality, is taking the decision away from the referee. It is sometimes happening even when there is the slightest of injuries but the referee can do nothing about it.

There are times when the referee does not call any medical staff to attend to an injured player. This is because, and very few know this, that before authorisation is given, the player must be questioned as to whether he needs treatment. If the player answers in the affirmative the referee will then call for the doctors and stretcher bearers at the same time as the player must be removed as quickly as possible to enable the restart of the match.

The question of blood also comes into it. Any player bleeding from a wound must be instructed to go off. He/she cannot return until the referee is satisfied that the bleeding has stopped and that there is no blood on clothing.

Notice here that it is the responsibility of the referee in this case and not the fourth official who calls the player back to continue to take part in the match after the necessary checks have taken place.

These guidelines also clearly state that an injured player may only re-enter the field from the touchline when the ball is in play but when it is out of play, he may re-enter from any part of the boundary lines.

As with every law or guideline, exceptions exist but they are only applied when there is an injury to a goalkeeper, when a goalkeeper and another player have collided and need immediate attention and when a severe injury - broken leg, concussion or a swallowed tongue - has occurred.

The Laws of the Game list what a player's equipment consists of but there is also a question of non-basic equipment.

Guidelines state that modern protective equipment such as headgear, facemasks, knee and arm protectors made of soft, lightweight, padded material are not considered to be dangerous and so are permitted.

It is also possible for players to wear modern sports spectacles as new technology has made them much safer, both for the players themselves and for other players. Naturally, all this excludes the wearing of jewellery.

These five short articles have shown that the match officials must not only follow the Laws of the Game but must also be compliant with all the guidelines issued from time to time by FIFA.

It is no easy task and therefore spectators are asked to appreciate the referee's efforts.