Question:
Here is something that happened yesterday.
u-16 game I check everyone in..cards and ID all in order… Teams walk onto the field..for the 2PM start time. I check to my left and the see keeper has a unique uniform and count his teammates in front and there are only 9. I look on the opponents side and see that the keeper is dressed correctly and there are 10 in front. I call over to the manager as a courtesy to say you can add one more. and he did… at the half I went over to the manager who had one light…and said as a referee I was under no obligation to advise you that you were accidentally one light… the referee is just concerned about at least 7, but not more than 11 one of which must be a keeper… This youth league is not operating under FIFA rules…
However, — got an interesting question.. if this was a match under FIFA rules, say England vs. South Africa.. 2010..WC. Law 3 indicates..a list of the subs must be given to the Ref… — also- does -the ref gets a list of the starting 11…? I assume the Ref checks passports and player credentials in the locker room before the games….
Now, if during the warm ups.. a starting player pulls a hamstring.. may the coach amend the list, by placing this starter on the sub list..and moving the sub to the starting list? Or, does FIFA say…tough luck… at the start of the game.. you need to use a sub since your starter got injured… May the list be amended at the last second for this contingency?
USSF answer (October 5, 2009):
In brief, yes. The Interpretations of the Laws of the Game and Guidelines for Referees (2009/2010) tell us:
“Players and Substitutes Sent Off A player who has been sent off before the kick-off may be replaced only by one of the named substitutes.
“A named substitute who has been sent off, either before the kick-off or after play has started, may not be replaced.”
This also applies to injured players.
A full answer depends on what the rules of the competition specify as a time limit for submitting the roster to the referee before the kick-off and whether there is any allowance in the rules for changes after that time.
