BAFA Rules Committee

SECTION 5. Medical Provision

Minimum Medical Requirements

ARTICLE 1. The minimum medical facilities during a game are:

a. A qualified medical practitioner, nurse, paramedic, physiotherapist or first aider must be available.

b. A first aid kit including a suitable (preferably inflatable) set of limb splints must be available.

c. A stretcher must be available.

d. An ambulance and crew must be available. An ambulance is defined to be a vehicle constructed and equipped for the purpose of carrying stretcher-bound patients to hospital. (A.R. 1-5-1:I-VIII)

e. A telephone capable of use to summon the emergency services should be available.

NOTE: Available means inside or immediately outside the stadium and fit for use (Exception: An ambulance and its crew are defined to be available at a game even though they may be absent from the stadium in the act of transporting someone to hospital.)

REPORT -

Minimum medical requirement not met. Under no circumstances may the game commence, nor proceed if suspended.

Approved Ruling 1-5-1

1. The sole ambulance is absent from the stadium in the act of transporting someone to hospital. A qualified medical practitioner, nurse, paramedic, physiotherapist or first aider, a first aid kit including a suitable (preferably inflatable) set of limb splints, and a stretcher are all available. RULING: The minimum medical requirement is met; the game shall proceed. [Cited by 1-5-1-d]
2. The game manager says that the ambulance is on its way and will be here 10 minutes after the appointed kickoff time. RULING: Delay the kickoff until the ambulance arrives. Until it does no one can be sure that it is "available". There will be no yardage penalty if the delay is beyond game management's control. [Cited by 1-5-1-d]
3. The ambulance leaves to take an injured player to hospital. RULING: The game carries on. [Cited by 1-5-1-d]
4. The ambulance leaves to take a spectator to hospital. RULING: The game carries on. The rule says that the ambulance is still available if it is in the act of transporting someone to hospital. [Cited by 1-5-1-d]
5. The ambulance leaves to take someone to hospital but does not leave behind at the stadium a first aid kit or stretcher. RULING: Suspend the game until a suitable first aid kit and stretcher can be obtained, or the ambulance returns. [Cited by 1-5-1-d]
6. The ambulance leaves and takes all the qualified first aiders with it. RULING: Suspend the game until the ambulance returns, or another qualified first aider can be found (game management's responsibility to decide whether they are suitable). [Cited by 1-5-1-d]
7. The ambulance crew phone the stadium to say that on their way back to the game their vehicle broke down and they can't make it. RULING: Suspend the game. The ambulance is no longer "available" to the game. [Cited by 1-5-1-d]
8. If the game is suspended because of lack of medical provision, how long do you wait before abandoning the game? RULING: Rule 13-4-8-c applies: "The referee shall wait for a reasonable time to permit the problem(s) to be rectified. However, if it becomes clear that the game cannot continue, the referee shall abandon the game and notify game management." A reasonable time would be at least 30 minutes but probably not longer than an hour unless there was a clear indication that a resumption was imminent. Of course don't wait 30 minutes if it is obvious that a restart is never going to be possible. [Cited by 1-5-1-d]

Medical Requirement Administration

ARTICLE 2. a. Game management is responsible for the provision of medical facilities that meet the requirements of Rule 1-5-1.

b. The senior game management representative shall certify to the referee prior to the game that the medical requirement has been met.

c. Game management shall inform the referee if at any stage during the game the medical requirement ceases to be met. The game will then be suspended (Rule 3-3-3-b).