REQUIREMENTS FOR INJURED PLAYERS 2011 USSF Position Paper January, 2012

BASIC PRINCIPLES: Play stopped solely for serious injury or Referee waves medical assistance onto the field Player is not treated on the field Player is REQUIRED to leave the field Player may not return to the field except With the referee’s permission and Only after play has been restarted 2011

EXCEPTIONS: Goalkeeper Injury is severe Field player injured in collision with goalkeeper

2011 NEW EXCEPTION (added 2010): Any two or more players from the same team injured in a collision

2011 Exceptions involving collisions assume: All players involved are seriously injured

2011 PLAYERS INVOLVED INJURY STATUS CORRECT ACTION Goalkeeper & Field Player Both, Seriously Both permitted to receive treatment on the field and to remain on the field Goalkeeper & Field Player Only Goalkeeper Seriously Goalkeeper permitted to receive treatment on the field and to remain on the field Field player remains on the field Goalkeeper & Field Player Only Field Player Seriously Field player required to leave the field to receive treatment and cannot return until after play resumes and only with the permission of the referee

2011 PLAYERS INVOLVED INJURY STATUS CORRECT ACTION Two Field Players, Same Team Both, Seriously Both permitted to receive treatment on the field and to remain on the field Two Field Players, Same Team Only One, Seriously The seriously injured field player is required to leave the field to receive treatment, cannot return until after play resumes and only with the permission of the referee

2011 NOTE 1: Field player or goalkeeper who is not required to leave May still leave the field if permission is given BUT Allowed to return (with permission) prior to the restart

2011 NOTE 2: “Severe” injuries are presumed to be serious enough that the player, after receiving emergency treatment, will be taken off the field and not be able to return

2011 NOTE 3 (continued): Bleeding or bloodied players are REQUIRED to leave the field Goalkeeper is the only exception (can stay on the field and be treated for both serious injury and blood/bleeding) Even if an exception applies (e.g., collision with goalkeeper)

2011 NOTE 3 (continued): Bleeding or bloodied players are REQUIRED to leave the field HOWEVER: If bleeding/blood is the result of an injury and player is NOT required to leave the field based on the injury, the player may return to the field prior to the restart (with permission) after the blood/bleeding problem is corrected

2011 Example 1 Situation: Blue #13 collides with Blue #5 Both players seriously injured Blue #5 requests permission to leave field to replace torn uniform Solution: Both can be treated on the field Neither required to leave Blue #5 can return prior to the restart

2011 Example 2 Situation: Red goalkeeper collides with Blue #11 Goalkeeper is seriously injured Goalkeeper is bleeding from injury Solution: Goalkeeper can stay on field and receive treatment for injury Goalkeeper also permitted to correct bleeding/blood problem while on field Blue #11 not required to leave

2011 Example 3 Situation: Red #44 and Red #51 collide Red #44 is seriously injured Solution: Red #44 cannot be treated on the field Red #44 required to leave, cannot return until play restarts and received referee permission Red #51remains on the field

2011 Example 4 Situation: Red #44 and Red #51 collide Red #44 is seriously injured After stopping play, Red #51 is also determined to be seriously injured Referee beckons trainer onto the field Solution: Both players may be treated on the field Neither required to leave (Beckoning trainer turned situation into two- teammate exception)

2011 Example 5 Situation: Red #55 collides with Blue goalkeeper Red #55 is seriously injured Solution: Red #55 required to leave May not return except by permission after restart

2011 Example 6 Situation: Blue #34, Blue #51, and Red #17 collide Blue #51 and Red #17 are seriously injured Solution: Blue #51 and Red #17 are required to leave Neither may return except with referee permission and only after the restart

2011 Example 7 Situation: Blue goalkeeper collides with Blue #46 Both are seriously injured Additionally, Blue #46 bleeding at the forehead from the contact Solution: Both players may be treated for their injuries on the field Blue goalkeeper not required to leave Blue #46 required to leave for blood/bleeding (and may also be treated off field) but may return prior to the restart of play (with permission)

2011 Example 8 Situation: Red #15 and Blue #39 collide Both are seriously injured After stopping play, Blue #39 is determined to be severely injured Solution: Red #15 is required to leave Blue #39 may stay on the field to receive emergency first aid before being removed by ambulance Red #15 must wait until after play resumes to request permission to re-enter

2011 REMINDER Actions to take are set by Law and Guidance Not dependent on age/competitive levels Determination of what is “serious” or “severe” critically dependent on age/competitive level

2011 However, If in doubt about “serious” or “severe” Decide in favor of protecting the safety of the player