Question Number: 26041

Law 8 - Start and Restart of Play 3/7/2012

RE: Intermediate Under 12

Phil of Tarzana, CA United States asks...

This question is a follow up to question 26033

I'm confused about something. I thought that substituions were only allowed at stoppages when:
1. Your team had the restart.
2. The other team had the restart but was substituting a player.
3. The restart required a whistle to start.

In other words, a team couldn't delay a restart by the other team by asking for a substitution.

Perhaps I'm reading this question differently. The poster said the kicker was lining up the kick & that the defense was setting up a wall, but didn't say that the referee had intervened to give the attacking team 10 yards (which would have required a whistle to restart). In this case, wouldn't the attacking team be entitled to a quick free kick?

Thanks for all the advice.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Phil
What you quote can be competition rules. Without competition rules a substitution can happen at any stoppage in the game under the Laws of the Game.
As regards whether play can restart with a quick free kick that is a matter for the referee. The referee can simply ignore the request, allow play to restart with the QFK and then deal with the substitution at the next stoppage.
By its nature a QFK will be pretty instant, giving little time to consider other factors such as a substitution or for that matter communicating that request to the CR who is focused on the game.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Hi Phil. What you quote must be youth modifications of Law 3 for your area of California. Here subs are allowed:
1. Either team at a goal kick
2. Own throw-in
3. Injury
4. After a score
5. Start of second half
6. At a caution.

A keeper switch with a field player already in the game can occur at any stoppage whether it be a youth or adult game.

Substitutions when playing by LOTG rules, may take place at any stoppage.

In the original question, the team taking the free kick could have taken a quick kick as the referee had not told the kicking team to wait for his whistle. The time spent making the substitution or switch, should be added on to regulation time.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

You are correct that a team should not be allowed to waste time asking for substitutions only to run out time. It is impossible to know whether the referee in the game in the original question added a few seconds or a minute to compensate, and for all we know there were circumstances present of which the writer was unaware.