In this article you will...

• How to manage the treatment of injured players.
• Understand where you should monitor treatment taking place.

Managing stoppages are a key aspect to our role as Referees and one of the most frequent stoppages we must manage is that of injured players.

The Laws of the Game state that any player requiring treatment must be given off the field of play.

The following guidance should be followed when dealing with injured players:

• Play is allowed to continue until the ball is out of play if in your opinion a player is only slightly injured.
• Play is stopped, if in your opinion a player is seriously injured, or the injury sustained is to the head.
• Once the play has been stopped for a serious injury you should indicate to the technical areas that medical support is required to assess the injury of the player.
• If the player is not seriously injured you should ask the player if they require treatment.
• If a stretcher is required, you should indicate accordingly in the direction of the technical area.
• Once the initial assessment has been complete the player must leave the field of play.
• Exceptions to the requirement to leave the field of play are only when:
  • a goalkeeper is injured.
  • a goalkeeper and an outfield player have collided and need attention.
  • players from the same team have collided and need attention.
  • a player is injured as the result of a physical offence for which the opponent is cautioned or sent off (e.g. reckless or serious foul challenge), if the assessment/treatment is completed quickly.
  • a penalty kick has been awarded and the injured player will be the kicker.
• A player may only re-enter the field of play once play has been restarted.
• If the ball is in play, re-entry must be from the touchline.
• If the ball is out of play, re-entry can be from any boundary line.

Blood Injuries

Any player bleeding from a wound must leave the field of play. They may not return until one of the match officials is satisfied that the bleeding has stopped and has been checked by a match official.

Where a player has blood on their shirt, shorts or socks the player will be required to change the clothing.

Monitoring Treatment

It’s important as match officials we let the experts assess the injured player without interruptions and distraction.

Generally you should adopt a position behind the treatment of the player to maximise the number of players we have in view.