Minor law amends to protect medical staff and add minimum perimeter areas

Match officials

The law book definitions of Match Officials and 'Additional persons' have not appropriately covered the Match Day Doctor (MDD), Time-keeper or Foul play Review Officer (FPRO). 

By making some minor amends, on-field sanctions and/or misconduct charges can now be applied, should it be deemed necessary.

This was supported by the World Rugby Immediate Pitch-side Care (IPSC) group who requested that added support and protections be made to ensure that the recruitment of MDD’s doesn’t become an issue in the future.

Therefore, the following changes have been made to the laws of the game:

Definition: Match officials
Those who control the game, usually consisting of a referee and two assistant referees or touch judges but may also include a television match official, a time-keeper, foul play review officer, and/or independent match day doctor, and, in sevens, two in-goal judges.

Law 6 - principle
Additional persons, as authorised by the match organisers, may include the match doctor, immediate care professionals, the team doctors, the non-playing members of the teams and the ball persons.

Law 6.30  “No additional persons should approach, address or aim comments at the match officials, except for medical staff in relation to the treatment of a their own player.”

Perimeter area 

A minor addition has also been made to Law 1.3e introducing minimum perimeter areas around the field of play. This gives clarity to stakeholders in this area.

Got a question?

If you have any questions on any laws matter, please email: [email protected]