Matches are abandoned for a number of reasons, the main ones being, floodlight failure/power cut, adverse weather (including fog), serious injury and public/player disorder. Prior to reaching a decision, the Referee must consider the following:
Power failure
Discuss with the Home Club to determine the extent of damage or downtime
Adverse weather
The possibility of an improvement, use of the local forecast/weather centre is advised
If possible, players should be taken off the field of play until such time a final decision is made as to whether to continue or abandon
The safety of players and spectators is paramount
Serious Injury or Incident
The extent and seriousness of the injury/incident
The feelings of both sets of players and management
The length of any delay
Public / Player disorder
The degree of disorder, either crowd or player
The safety of the players and/or spectators prior to any possible re-start
Under all these circumstances the Referee’s decision is final, therefore it is vital that he considers all factors prior to abandoning a match. Consultation and communication are key factors.
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