National Instructor Ray Olivier offers the following advice to referees

Footwear

Manufacturers have recently been experimenting with designs and some give cause for concern. The use
of blades on the sole of the boot is an example of such concern. The Football Association have offered
the following guidelines:

“When inspecting footwear officials are to be alert to the possibility of the edge of the blade developing
rough areas on either plastic or metal used in their construction. These burrs are very sharp and have
been the cause of lacerations on opponents. If Match Officials are concerned over the condition they
should refuse to sanction their use until they have been made safe.

If evidence emerges during the game e.g. torn stockings, lacerations, you may wish to follow up the
inspection with the player(s) concerned during a stoppage.

Vicks Vaporub on Shirts

Concern has been raised about the use of Vicks Vaporub and particularly the application of the medium
to the front of the football shirt. The concern is that the substance may enter the eye of an opponent
causing temporary blindness and the need for the player to leave the field of play.

Advice to Referees

Directions for use is to lightly apply Vaporub to the chest and back and wear leaving clothing loose for
easy inhalation. As most of you will be aware, players have large amounts of the medium applied to the
front of their shirts. Referees should ensure that players remove any excess Vaporub from their shirts in
order to prevent the above problems from occurring.

Lightweight Wrist Supports

These are made from a soft neoprene outer sleeve which allow full dexterity of the fingers and thumb,
whilst limiting wrist extension and flexion, thus providing freedom for total hand function. This wrist brace
will provide comfort, compression and support.

Advice to Referees

With the advances in medical sports supports protection, Referees should make every effort to ensure
that players, who are returning back from injury, should be encouraged to wear such supports. These
supports are very lightweight and comfortable to wear and not dangerous. However, if the referee
believes the support to be dangerous, then it must be rendered safe either by bandaging or removing the
support before allowing the player to play.

Wearing of Spectacles/Goggles

Flying footballs and close physical contact make football a moderate risk sport for eye injuries.
Spectacles/Goggles not only provide protection from injury, but can also be fit with those who need to
wear prescription lenses.Polycarbonate Lenses: This is the most important property of all protective goggles. Good polycarbonate
is virtually unbreakable, and will sustain the impact of a ball or finger.

Sports Band: an elasticised band and not temple pieces should secure the frame. Players must have
something that will be secured tight to the head so that it won't fall off. A frame with temples will not hold
tight enough, and a jab from a finger could lift the frame off, and make its way to the eye.

Advice to Referees

Although sports eyewear is intended to offer the best protection available, there is always
the possibility that the wearer may sustain an eye or facial injury due to severe impact or
because of the nature of the athletic activity. Referees should ensure that if a request has
been made to wear glasses/goggles, that they must not be a danger to himself or to any
other player.

Guidelines and Procedures to Treatment of Injuries

The Laws of Association Football and FIFA instructions indicate that any player requiring treatment must
be given such treatment off the field of play, with the least delay possible being made in the progress of
the match. The following concern have been raised by Match Officials and we have outlined the
procedure to be adopted:

Bleeding
Referees have quite rightly raised concern over the old traditional practice of the use of the “bucket &
sponge”. In a recent match, a "trainer" had treated a bleeding injury by dipping the sponge in and out of
the water in a bucket, with both the sponge and water both becoming contaminated with blood, and the
trainer was not wearing protective gloves. What should the referee do?

Advice to Referees
By using a sponge to treat a bleeding wound, and also the subsequent contamination of the bucket, the
trainer has rendered the sponge and bucket unusable for any other player from that point onwards.
Whilst many of us are not medically qualified to make an informed assessment, the practice of using
“bucket and sponge” to clean wounds is clearly not acceptable. Should you witness such events it would
be advisable to speak to the Club Secretary and inform of your concerns. The current advice from the FA
Medical Department is that protective gloves (latex) are worn and that the trainer should minimise the risk
of x-infection by covering any wounds he may have on his arms/ hands. Infection can also result through
ingestion and if the blood enters the trainer's eye (protective glasses are further consideration). A sterile
pad should be applied to the wound and the player should leave the field of play to receive the necessary
attention.
Remember, the instruction to referees regarding players bleeding is “any player bleeding from a wound
must leave the field of play. He may not return until the referee is satisfied that the bleeding has stopped”
The advice given above is to give guidance to referees in order to provide a consistent approach in
dealing with these concerns/issues in the future.