Rules Analysis
Injury Stoppage
An injury stoppage, “Injury”, may be called by the injured player, or by any player on the injured player’s team.
If the injury was not caused by an opponent, the player must choose either to be substituted, or to charge their own team with a time-out.
The injured player must choose one of the two options provided; however if their team has no time-outs remaining, they must be substituted.To ‘charge their own team with a time-out’ means that a time-out is deducted from those allowed for that half, however the team does not get the opportunity to discuss tactics or have a break as per a standard 75 second time-out.If there is a dispute over who caused the injury, then the 19.1.3 is deemed to apply.If Player A is substituted for an injury, and then an additional injury substitution is required during the same point, Player A can return to play.If an injury time-out is called during a team time-out, the opposing team must be notified as soon as the injury is discovered.
If the injury was caused by an opponent the player may choose to stay or to be substituted.
If the injured player had established possession of the disc, and the player has dropped the disc due to the injury, that player retains possession of the disc.
The injury stoppage is considered to have been called at the time of the injury, unless the injured player chooses to continue play before the stoppage is called.
If the disc was in the air when the injury stoppage was called, play continues until either a player establishes possesion, or the disc hits the ground. If the injury is not the result of a foul by an opponent, the completion or turnover stands, and play restarts there after the stoppage.
If an injury is called while the disc is in the air, as a result of a serious injury, and players stop to care for the severely injured player, it is reasonable to treat this as a technical stoppage and allow the disc to be returned to the thrower.