Question Number: 22153

Law 8 - Start and Restart of Play 10/4/2009

RE: Competitive Under 10

Alan Kuykendall of Kansas City, MO USA asks...

Situation:

There is an injury on the field, and the ball is kicked out of bounds to stop play.

The injured player's coach comes on to the field, the other players all take a knee, some go toward the bench area for a drink and coaching instruction.

Play resumes with the team that had the injured player taking a quick throw in while the other team is out of position, resulting in an easy goal.

No whistle is ever blown to stop or re-start the play.

Is it legal to start the play after the injured player is attend to without a whistle from the head referee?

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

While there is nothing in the laws of the game specifically addressing how to approach these incidents, convention (which dictates just as much of our behaviour as the laws - after all, the laws can't cover every possibility) and the spirit of the laws - and our sense of fair play - would indicate that the fairest way to manage these situations, and the typical way, is to ensure that all players are aware the game is about to start.

That's why we'll usually use the whistle to indicate that play is to resume, or call out 'play!' as a signal, though if it appears everybody is ready this becomes less necessary.

Considering the young age of the players, it may well have been a young, inexperienced referee who simply didn't know the best way to approach the situation.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Well it is not absolutely going to be a misapplication of law but it violates the spirit, the mechanics totally sucks and is just plain poor refereeing. At age ten it is likely the referee is about as skillful as the 9 year old playing the game. In this case perhaps less so! Well we all need to start somewhere to learn and hopefully get better. Please record and report the incident to the league authorities so what is broken can be fixed!

The referee should realize we do tend to expand the scope of serious at the wee ones age and accord even tears as a player being seriously injured. The coach should come on only at the request of the referee once play is stopped unless this is crackling bones and blood everywhere or unconsciousness of an apparent nature. If the ball was played out as a SPORTING gesture by the other team then the team with the injury could choose to return the ball as a historical precedent of fair play! It is a scummy tactic to take advantage of a good will gesture!

The game is ALWAYS on even if it is halted temporarily thus get ready to defend or attack! No one should be taking a knee or lying down or running off the field at a stoppage unless there is a policy for say taking water on a hot day. What if it is cold and rainy? An injury time out is a brief look and evaluation then we restart and continue once the safety issue is taken care off. The time can be added to make up for the delay but the restart needs to accommodate the player's obvious confusion the use of a whistle is needed for restarting after an injury. Says so in the FIFA Interpretation of the laws of the game and guidelines for referees page 76 referee signals use of the whistle!

Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Technically, the play stopped for a throw-in, but the wise referee will not allow play to restart in the situation you outline until all players are ready to play.

The injured player who was seen to on the field by the coach should have left the field, and been waved back on or subbed for. The throw-in should not have been taken until the referee was sure both teams were ready.

Please take up this situation with the referee assignor. He or she can visit with the referee about procedures here, and hopefully fix any issues.