Nose bleed

[Tealeaf]

A what would you do scenario.

A player develops a spontaneous nosebleed - that is not caused by any action by a teammate or opponent nor the ball - while the ball is in play.

They advise you of this. You acknowledge it and then…. What next?

1: Stop play for a “head injury” and restart with a dropped ball to the team in possession?

2: Advise the player to leave the field by the nearest route and get treatment, and check them and their kit for blood before they return to the field?

3: Something else.

I had this exact incident this Sunday. Before I go into what I did, I’m curious as to other opinions.

 

[RefereeX]

Hard to say without knowing the match circumstances. If it's just a routine nose bleed, then there shouldn't be any need to stop play if he isn't actively involved (as far as I'm aware) and he can just leave the field to receive treatment, but it may be the safer option in some circumstances.
I suppose what I'm saying is, if it's an easy stop the game situation (i.e. ball with goalkeeper and we can drop it back there) I'd probably stop it, but if it's a more tricky situation to stop it in, I'd probably be telling him to leave the field and carrying on.

 

[george.g]

Probably stop play if it’s a severe nose bleed, or pick it up at the next stoppage if it doesn’t appear to gushing with blood.

At which point, remove player for treatment, and check at a stoppage before re-entry.

 

[Tealeaf]

Hard to say without knowing the match circumstances. If it's just a routine nose bleed, then there shouldn't be any need to stop play if he isn't actively involved (as far as I'm aware) and he can just leave the field to receive treatment, but it may be the safer option in some circumstances.
I suppose what I'm saying is, if it's an easy stop the game situation (i.e. ball with goalkeeper and we can drop it back there) I'd probably stop it, but if it's a more tricky situation to stop it in, I'd probably be telling him to leave the field and carrying on.

This is almost verbatim what happened.

Ball being contested in the midfield and the right back developed the bleed. I told him to leave and get seen to. Not involved in play and not likely to be.

Finally stopped when exactly as you e side, the ball went to the goalkeeper. Then a full on tantrum from him and a coach that it was ahead injury and I was wrong to play on.

A head injury as we usually encounter it either sees a player on the floor bonding their head or comes from an action involving another player and/or the ball.

In this case none of those applied, and it was possibly triggered by the heat. I felt at the time the “head injury” claim was a cynical attempt to disrupt any possible attack (they were getting hammered).

I couldn’t see anything suggesting I was wrong in law nor guidance for treatment of injuries so threw it out there.

 

[RefereeX]

This is almost verbatim what happened.

Ball being contested in the midfield and the right back developed the bleed. I told him to leave and get seen to. Not involved in play and not likely to be.

Finally stopped when exactly as you e side, the ball went to the goalkeeper. Then a full on tantrum from him and a coach that it was ahead injury and I was wrong to play on.

A head injury as we usually encounter it either sees a player on the floor bonding their head or comes from an action involving another player and/or the ball.

In this case none of those applied, and it was possibly triggered by the heat. I felt at the time the “head injury” claim was a cynical attempt to disrupt any possible attack (they were getting hammered).

I couldn’t see anything suggesting I was wrong in law nor guidance for treatment of injuries so threw it out there.

Yeah for me, the purpose of stopping for a head injury is to ensure that if the player is seriously hurt or in danger then they get treatment immediately and a player with a serious head injury is not usually able to walk over and get the treatment themselves. This is just an injury that happens to be on the head, as opposed to a head injury. Does that make sense? It does to me

 

[Tealeaf]

Yeah for me, the purpose of stopping for a head injury is to ensure that if the player is seriously hurt or in danger then they get treatment immediately and a player with a serious head injury is not usually able to walk over and get the treatment themselves. This is just an injury that happens to be on the head, as opposed to a head injury. Does that make sense? It does to me

I am sane, or at least not alone in my thought processes!

 

[Gabriel]

possibly triggered by the heat.

In all likelihood, it was either the heat or hayfever - I get them myself a lot! Just glad it hasn't happened to me, I'm not a massive fan of dealing with nosebleeds, be it a player or myself.

 

[santa sangria]

Had a nose bleed at the weekend. Ball with own team. Player streaming in midfield. Easy to stop the game, physio on, treatment on the field, then off, proper check with AR before I gave signal to return.

He had two tampons sticking out of his nose for the next 20 mins.

I don’t need to look for reasons NOT to stop the game here. Ball in neutral, then let’s care for the player. No one wants blood all over the field!

When he was back on I had the chance to tell him quietly to just shout if he has another problem. No surprises, I’d like to know as soon as possible if he starts to bleed again. It’s got to be good for the whole game.

 

[OldNavyRef]

For me, the blood is a bit of a pain. You don't want him competing getting blood everywhere, or even hanging around getting it on himself and on someone else.

I'd be looking to stop play if there isn't a promising attack ongoing. If he got involved in the promising attack, I would stop play immediately, as if he was to compete, he might spray blood everywhere.

I probably wouldn't tell him to walk himself off during live play as he is a player in need of treatment.

But I do disagree with immediate stoppage for a head injury. But I can see why a manager would go down that route.

 

[Dan56]

I think it should be pointed out that the Laws say NOTHING about having to stop play for a head injury. The Laws say the ref stops play if a player is "seriously injured". If a player goes down with cramp (away from the play) you don't stop for this....his team need to play a man short until a good break. A nose bleed is probably not serious, so asking the player to leave is fully acceptable (we don't need blood getting on other players), his team play a man short till it gets treated.

 

[Josh the referee]

I think it should be pointed out that the Laws say NOTHING about having to stop play for a head injury. The Laws say the ref stops play if a player is "seriously injured". If a player goes down with cramp (away from the play) you don't stop for this....his team need to play a man short until a good break. A nose bleed is probably not serious, so asking the player to leave is fully acceptable (we don't need blood getting on other players), his team play a man short till it gets treated.

In the other advice section, which I would count as part of the LoTG to some extent: