Question:
What is the right way to continue a game after it was suspended by the referee at minute 22 of the first half? one team was playing with 9 players due to none sufficient players and to one player with red card at minute 15 of play. can the the team complete up to ten players and can the team have subtitute players on the benches if they didn’t have enough players in the first game?
USSF answer (June 17, 2010):
“Suspended” simply means stopped temporarily. If the referee then “terminated” or “abandoned” the game, the following might apply, but it would be up to the rules of the particular competition.
An official USSF question and answer of August 16, 1999, forbids a player sent off in a game that MUST BE REPLAYED to participate in the replay. That ruling is still valid.
“PLAYER SENT OFF IN ABANDONED GAME THAT MUST BE REPLAYED IN FULL
“Q. A game has been abandoned because of severe weather conditions. During the game, a player was sent off and received a red card for serious foul play. The rules of the competition specify that the game must be replayed in full on the following day. In other words, it is not to be a continuation of the abandoned game. May the player who was sent off participate in this game? How many players may his team use?
“A. Because the game will be replayed in full at a later date, both teams may start with the maximum allowable number of players, plus the number of substitutes prescribed by the rules of the competition. The player who was sent off in the abandoned game may not participate in the game, nor may he be included in the roster of players and nominated substitutes for the game.”
