Law 5 (The Referee) states that it is the duty of the referee to stop the match, if in his opinion, a player is seriously injured and ensures that he is removed from the field of play and to ensure that any player bleeding from a wound leaves the field of play. The player may only return on receiving a signal from the referee, who must be satisfied that the bleeding has stopped. This point is also emphasized in the latest FIFA amendment to the Laws of the game – to stop play for serious injury.
Many referee being sympathetic stopped play unnecessary and frustrating to team by stopping play when one team is at the verge of attacking the opponent’s goal. What actually is serious injury? Although the referee may escape by saying that it is “in his opinion” but common sense tells that a cramp is not a serious injury. Neither is a slight knocked to the legs, head or body, or lying down to relax for a while after being tackled or simply tired. Stopping play at the wrong time can give the coaches and players ideas to be indulged in delaying or time-wasting tactics or to disturb an attacking move. In fact some of the coaches and players are practically practicing it with the help of the referee. A player after falling down and seeing that the opponent are still attacking his own goal, stays down hoping that a foolish (sorry!) referee would help by stopping play and then restarting it with a dropped ball.
“Ball sense” and common sense has to be taken into account when judging or deciding whether the injury is serious or not. The impact when two players collided or how bad was the tackle, head collision, ‘cracking sound’ when the foul was executed, player bleeding or two players lying down half incapacitated, are some common incidents that can be classified as serious injury. If a player is slightly injured even when he is holding his ankle or knee, he should be encouraged to move out of the field of play by himself during play or after a stoppage. Team who sincerely wants the referee to encourage ‘fair play’ should support the referee’s action to have play to continue when the player is slightly injured even though he is still on the ground and not to call out angrily, especially when his team is being attacked. That is the true FAIR PLAY!
Many referee being sympathetic stopped play unnecessary and frustrating to team by stopping play when one team is at the verge of attacking the opponent’s goal. What actually is serious injury? Although the referee may escape by saying that it is “in his opinion” but common sense tells that a cramp is not a serious injury. Neither is a slight knocked to the legs, head or body, or lying down to relax for a while after being tackled or simply tired. Stopping play at the wrong time can give the coaches and players ideas to be indulged in delaying or time-wasting tactics or to disturb an attacking move. In fact some of the coaches and players are practically practicing it with the help of the referee. A player after falling down and seeing that the opponent are still attacking his own goal, stays down hoping that a foolish (sorry!) referee would help by stopping play and then restarting it with a dropped ball.
“Ball sense” and common sense has to be taken into account when judging or deciding whether the injury is serious or not. The impact when two players collided or how bad was the tackle, head collision, ‘cracking sound’ when the foul was executed, player bleeding or two players lying down half incapacitated, are some common incidents that can be classified as serious injury. If a player is slightly injured even when he is holding his ankle or knee, he should be encouraged to move out of the field of play by himself during play or after a stoppage. Team who sincerely wants the referee to encourage ‘fair play’ should support the referee’s action to have play to continue when the player is slightly injured even though he is still on the ground and not to call out angrily, especially when his team is being attacked. That is the true FAIR PLAY!
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