Background to this is that a couple of Sevilla fans at the Etihad were accused of racial abuse. I'm assuming it happened when City's 17-year-old Lewis was subbed late on, and although injured was told by the referee to take the long way round (he was nearer half way across the pitch than the touchline) and had to walk past the sparse Sevilla contingent.
Law says the player must leave by the nearest point on the boundary line unless the referee indicates that the player may leave directly and immediately at the halfway line or another point (e.g. for safety/security or injury).
I've no idea whether there's "secret guidance" on this but by the time it took the referee to stop Lewis and send him back, he'd have been halfway anyway.
It wasn't a volatile match but (think Cantona's reaction to abuse) "safety/security" could apply to any player waking past opposition fans. It was introduced to prevent time-wasting but (think GK and six seconds means 26) is it worth it for a few seconds?
(At the time I thought it was a bit pointless but it meant Lewis got applauded on the long walk round by City fans but the accusations came after.)
Law says the player must leave by the nearest point on the boundary line unless the referee indicates that the player may leave directly and immediately at the halfway line or another point (e.g. for safety/security or injury).
I've no idea whether there's "secret guidance" on this but by the time it took the referee to stop Lewis and send him back, he'd have been halfway anyway.
It wasn't a volatile match but (think Cantona's reaction to abuse) "safety/security" could apply to any player waking past opposition fans. It was introduced to prevent time-wasting but (think GK and six seconds means 26) is it worth it for a few seconds?
(At the time I thought it was a bit pointless but it meant Lewis got applauded on the long walk round by City fans but the accusations came after.)
