This is a take-off on a posting under another thread about how ponytails might be dangerous. I don't know about ponytails, but fingernails certainly could be dangerous. I recently had a player that I coach get scratched in a girl's travel game [not surprisingly, the ref missed it]. Fingernails are not something I check before the game as a referee. My questions are: 1. Does anyone ever check fingernails? 2. Assuming that you notice long fingernails before the game, what would you do about it? 3. If someone gets scratched in a game, what would you do? NJRef
You can't fault a player for having long hair or fingernails. Players are going to get scratches during the game, its a fact of life. However, if a player tells me "player x is going after us with her nails" then I'd have a word with player x. If I saw her deliberately attempt to scratch somebody that is unsporting behavior and she would be cautioned. You can deal with misconduct when it occurs, but you can't deem hair or fingernails to be inherently dangerous.
Fingernails Oh yes you can. Overlong finger nails are dangerous and would have to be trimmed before playing or artificial nails removed. AJ
Most players with long fingernails would freak out if you touched their nails. They typically do not want to risk breaking a nail, generally shying away from contact. Let 'em play. If you see it being used in an inappropraite manner, deal with it.
Re: Fingernails Sorry, but this is inaccurate. The ritual of trimming fingernails is a side product of overly officious youth recreational soccer and does not serve the good of the game. The players have done nothing wrong by having fingernails until they use them in a dangerous manner. When this occurs the referee has multiple tools available to deal with the misconduct. A fingernail in of itself is not inherently dangerous, and the Law does not extend the referee authority to require any altering of a player's body. I suggest you be careful about making blanket statements as fact in this forum as you may mislead a referee who is still learning. If you aren't sure, make your statement as an opinion or a question.
Re: Re: Fingernails Now wait a minute.... I seem to recall a memo... something about if a player was too heavy... weren't we supposed to start lopping off body parts until their weight matched the rest of the players... or was it the smallest player on the opposing team.... I can't recall whether this was for regulation or deciding a winner.... something about "Reduce to equate". Maybe I should go back and read it again.
Dangerous finger nails If the long 'nails' are artificial they clearly as dangerous equipwent and must be removed! Overly long natural nails, at least to some and for decidely technical reasons (they are not 'equipent') cannot be banned. Law 18 and the SOTG would expect players do so. AJ
Does this mean if a girl has "dangerous" breasts, we need to check if they are real or not and ban her if they are not real? Ahhh, the perks of a soccer referee!
Re: Dangerous finger nails Yes, those thin, frail, short pieces of cheap plastic are real dangerous...
Re: Re: Re: Fingernails I always thought that those tall, long-legged attackers that flew past me should have been "shortened" at the ankles.