By: Todd Abraham, Sr. Director of Instruction

Todd Abraham, NISOA Senior Director of Instruction

There was an erroneous posting on the NISOA Facebook page which I am correcting here.

If a player is injured by an opponent who receives a YC and that player is treated on the field for the injury, does that player have to leave the field?

The NCAA Rules (5.6.7.1 cited below) require all players who are attended to on the field to be removed from the game (except goalkeepers – A.R. 5.6.7.1.b. cited below.) They do not have to be substituted for and may reenter (from the halfway line on the bench side of the field – see 3.6.3.4 cited below) when they are beckoned by the referee, but they must be removed. When the opponent is sanctioned with a YC or RC for the foul causing the injury, the team may substitute for the injured player without it affecting the reentry restriction, however, the player MUST leave the field, if attended to. There is no exception provision in the NCAA rules allowing a player to be treated on the field (except the GK) and remain in the game. This is a rules difference from other codes.

References from the 2016-2017 NCAA Soccer Rules

5.6.7.1 General injuries: If the player is not the goalkeeper, and medical personnel are beckoned to attend to the player(s), the referee shall instruct the player(s) to leave or be removed from the field of play. Players leaving the game for illness or injury, provided they have not been replaced, may re-enter the game (after being beckoned by the referee) during the run of play or at any stoppage of play, including times for normal substitutions. If the referee signals the clock to be stopped to assess a player’s injuries and it is determined that medical personnel are not beckoned, the player(s) does not have to leave the field.

3.6.3.4 Field players who are not substituted for illness/injury (team plays short) may re-enter the game (after being beckoned by the referee) during the run of play or at any stoppage of play, including times for normal substitutions. The player shall re-enter from the halfway line on the bench side of the field.

A.R. 5.6.7.1.c. When a player is removed from the field as a result of an injury, shall the player be replaced by a substitute player? RULING: No. A team may continue play with fewer players. However, such action is unnecessary if the injury was caused by an opponent who was cautioned or ejected as a result of the injury, inasmuch as the injured player may re-enter the game in the same period. (See Rule 3.6.3.)

A.R. 5.6.7.1.b. If the injured player is the goalkeeper, may the player remain in the game and be treated on the field of play? RULING: Yes

3.6.3.3 Field players who are substituted for normal illness/injury shall not re-enter the game in that same period, unless the player causing the injury was issued a card. Exception: Players are permitted one re-entry in the second period only.