PT wrote:Just one last thing on yesterday's game. Jordan Cook went off with a cut. The ref waited through several phases of play and until the ball went out of play before allowing him back on. I think this was a complete mis-interpretation of the laws of the game. Whilst it is at the refs discretion, the only reason for such a delay would be that the ref needed to ensure that the bleeding had stopped. I didn't see him examine Cook in any way, shape or form so must conclude that he felt the ball needed to go out before he he could wave him back on which is wrong.
The standard of officiating this season is probably worst I've ever seen, but if the refs don't know the rules then it is even worse than I thought.
Wondered if anyone would mention this as it was the most animated our fans got all afternoon! :lol:
The relevant rule (from the official FIFA guide for the 2015/6 season -
http://www.fifa.com/mm/Document/FootballDevelopment/Refereeing/02/36/01/11/LawsofthegamewebEN_Neutral.pdf) says that the referee:
"ensures 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"
No discretion as such - the ref had to be "satisfied" that the bleeding had stopped rather than just take Cook/Whitney's word for it BEFORE he could allow him back on the pitch. In late November there were also updated guidelines issued to refs by the FA regarding head injuries and concussions (
http://www.thefa.com/~/media/files/pdf/my-football/the-fa-concussion-guidelines-2015.ashx?la=en) so he might have been acting in accordance to how these more stringent instructions, brought in to protect players, are now being interpreted.
Play was still going on well away from where Cook was standing on the halfway line (as it was most of the time he was on the pitch!! :evil:), so neither the ref nor the linesmen had a chance to check him directly until the ball next went dead. If he'd been on the other side of the pitch then the 4th official could have checked and let the ref know he was OK to come on.
Don't know what you mean when you say he didn't examine Cook after he did hold up play - he only had to satisfy himself that there was no bleeding (i.e. no blood visible seeping through the white bandage) or excessive amount on his shirt/face. He would already have seen the scale of the injury before he went off for treatment and, after he ran over to them, he spent a couple of seconds talking to both Cook and Whitney before allowing him back on so had ample time to use his eyes to see everything now OK (and assure himself no grogginess) without making him lie down or get a stethoscope on him.
I'm not here to defend refs in general and agree that in this instance (and probably many others) it was a hit overkill but, as I say, the new interpretations are there to protect players better (from themselves in many cases) so can't really argue against a ref following proper procedure just because it seemingly worked against us on this one occasion.
BTW If it had been a boxing referee he'd have stopped the game due to us not being in a fit state to defend ourselves way before half time!!! :wink:
