LAW 4- THE PLAYERS EQUIPMENT

Boot Inspection essential

LAW 4 – THE PLAYERS’ EQUIPMENT

Safety A player must not use equipment or wear anything that is dangerous to himself or another player (including any kind of jewellery). Basic Equipment The basic compulsory equipment of a player comprises the following separate items:

• a jersey or shirt – if undergarments are worn, the colour of the sleeve should be the same main colour as the sleeve of the jersey or shirt.

• shorts – if undershorts are worn, they are of the same main colour as the shorts

• stockings

• shinguards

• footwear shinguards

• are covered entirely by the stockings

• are made of a suitable material (rubber, plastic, or similar substances)

• provide a reasonable degree of protection

Goalkeepers

• each goalkeeper wears colours that distinguish him from the other players, the referee and the assistant referees

Infringements/Sanctions

For any infringement of this Law:

• play need not be stopped

• the player at fault is instructed by the referee to leave the field of play to correct his equipment

• the player leaves the field of play when the ball next ceases to be in play, unless he has already corrected his equipment

• any player required to leave the fi eld of play to correct his equipment does not re-enter without the referee’s permission

• the referee checks that the player’s equipment is correct before allowing him to re-enter thefield of play

• the player is only allowed to re-enter the fi eld of play when the ball is out of play A player who has been required to leave the field of play because of an infringement of this Law and who enters (or re-enters) the fi eld of play without the referee’s permission is cautioned and shown the yellow card. Restart of Play If play is stopped by the referee to administer a caution:

• the match is restarted by an indirect free kick taken by a player of the opposing side, from the place where the ball was located when the referee stopped the match *

Decisions of the International F.A. Board Decision 1

• Players must not reveal undershirts that contain slogans or advertising. The basic compulsory equipment must not contain any political, religious or personal statements.

• A player removing his jersey to reveal slogans or advertising will be sanctioned by the competition organiser. The team of a player whose basic compulsory equipment contains political, religious or personal slogans or statements will be sanctioned by the competition organiser or by FIFA.

• Jerseys must have sleeves.