Question Number: 26043

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

RE: Select/High School Under 17

Parent of Middle, Tn US asks...

This question is a follow up to question 26033

Sorry if I misread the question, but why would a substitution be allowed if there was no sub ready? I could understand if there was a stoppage anyway and a sub was already waiting, but it seems the attacking team was denied their right to a quick kick specifically for the sub.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

It is correct that a substitute must be ready and informed the fourth official/nearest assistant to make a substitution at the next appropriate opportunity (under TLOG, any stoppage in play/ youth leagues vary). But, if the substitute is ready, the referee may not deny the substitution request simply because the attacking team is ready to take a quick free kick.

Many youth leagues and tournaments in my area have added a provision to the local rules dealing with substitutions that provides discretion to the referee to defer a substitution to the next opportunity. This allows the referee to let play restart quickly if the referee believes holding things up for a substitution is a tactic to interrupt a quick restart or to waste time (particularly when tournaments do not allow added or injury time).

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi
The referee must take into account the circumstances he finds at that particular time. If a substitute is not ready, simply a time wasting ploy or the attacking team is ready to take a quick free kick the referee is entitled to allow the restart and then deal with the substitution at the next stoppage. It is not a must allow situation.
Most referees that I know do not take kindly to gamesmanship at the end of games that are efforts to run down the clock. Referees are also advised to take strong action at this time including cautions for delaying the restart of play. The referee also has full control over added time and he should add on time for deliberate time wasting, substitutions etc. He should also not prevent a genuine substitution that a team is entitled to make.