4th Substitute in Extra Time
Experimental Study Protocol
06.07.2016, v2.0
TableofContents
I. Backgroundandhistory...................................................................................................................................3
II. ObjectiveandResearchQuestions..............................................................................................................3
III. Existingfindings................................................................................................................................................4
IV. Conditionsoftheexperimentandrequirementsforparticipation.................................................4
1. Substitutionprocedure(c.f.LawsofTheGame,Law3.3.)..........................................................................4
2. Requiredinformation..................................................................................................................................................5
3. Updatemeetings............................................................................................................................................................5
4. Timelineforexperiments..........................................................................................................................................6
AppendixA1................................................................................................................................................................8
AppendixA2................................................................................................................................................................9
AppendixB................................................................................................................................................................11
The IFAB: “4th Subs” Experiment
2
I.
Backgroundandhistory
Followinganumberofrequestsfromtheglobalfootballcommunity,TheIFABdecidedin2016to
analyse what impact the use of 4th substitutions in matches with extra time would have on the
matchanditsoutcome.Basedondiscussionswithitsvariousbodies,TheIFABdraftedtheterms
ofreferenceforthisexperimentsothatTheIFABcantakeadecisionatthe2018AGM.
At its AGM in March 2016, The IFAB agreed in principle that competitions interested in the
introductionof4thsubstitutionswouldbegivenpermissionbyTheIFABtotakepartinthetwoyear experiment, provided that they fulfil the requirements for participation. For more
informationonthedecisiontakenandtheexperimentsseewww.theifab.com.
This document serves as a guideline for the use of 4th Substitutions in extra time during the
experimentalphaseasapprovedbyTheIFABatits130thAnnualGeneralMeetingon5March2016
inCardiff.AnyamendmentstothisprotocolmustbesanctionedbytheBoardofDirectorsofThe
IFAB. Only findings from experiments which follow approved guidelines will be included in the
subsequent discussions by The IFAB during and after the various experimental phases. These
resultswillserveasabasisfordiscussionsandfinaldecisionsbyTheIFABontheimplementation
of4thSubstitutionsinfootball.
II. ObjectiveandResearchQuestions
Theoverallobjectiveofthisprojectistoestablishwhethertheimplementationof4thsubstitutes
in matches with extra time will benefit the game, and any other possible implications such as
creatingunwantedsportingadvantages.FollowingdeliberationswithallbodiesofTheIFAB,and
havingreceivedsubstantialfeedbackfromdifferentfootballstakeholders,TheIFABhasanalysed
the different views to identify this study’s main research questions. The research will therefore
analyse:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Whatistheimpactonthegameitself?i.e.doestheuseof4thsubsleadto
a. moregoalsinextratime
b. fewerkicksfromthepenaltymark
Isthereaplayerwelfarebenefitasaresultofa‘tired’playerbeginreplacedandthusbeing
lesssusceptibletoinjury?
Isthe4thsubstituteusedtacticallyorgenuinelyforplayerwelfare?
Doesthepotentialtouseallfoursubstitutesduringextratime(andthuschangemorethana
thirdoftheteam)haveanunfairimpactonthematch?
Howoftendoesasubstitute(andespeciallya4thsubstitute)scoreorbecomesignificantly
involvedinthescoringofagoal(s)inextratime?
Whatistheimpactontheemotionsofthegame?
The IFAB: “4th Subs” Experiment
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III. Existingfindings
As part of this consultation, The IFAB received the results from a limited pre-study survey by
FIFProwhichsuggestedthatallowing4thsubstitutionswouldbefavouredbyplayers,coachesand
footballadministrators.Nearly85%ofthepersonsconsultedwereinfavourof4thsubstitutions;
infact,almosthalfofthosewouldwelcome4thsubstitutions,alsoduringtheregularplayingtime.
(seeAppendixB)
Based on these results, the Advisory Panels of The IFAB supported the 4th substitution in
principle, but requested more data before making a final recommendation; this approach was
approvedatTheIFAB’sABMinJanuary2016andatthesubsequentAGM.
IV. Conditionsoftheexperimentandrequirementsforparticipation
Itisimportantthatthetwounderlyingprinciplesoftheexperimentandtheconductandanalysis
oftheexperimentareclearlyandeffectivelycommunicatedtothefootballworld,namely:
• A4thsubstitutionisonlypermittedifamatchgoestoextratime
• The4thsubstitutecanbeusedwhetherornottheteamhasalreadyusedthemaximum
numberofsubstitutespermitted(usuallythreesubstitutes)
Additionally,thefollowingmustbetakenintoconsideration:
1.
Substitutionprocedure(c.f.LawsofTheGame,Law3.3.)
Forthe4thsubstitute,thesameprocedureappliesasforthe“normal”threesubstitutions,
asdescribedinLaw3.3.,i.e.:
“Thenamesofthesubstitutesmustbegiventotherefereebeforethestartofthematch.
Anysubstitutenotnamedbythistimemaynottakepartinthematch.
Toreplaceaplayerwithasubstitute,thefollowingmustbeobserved:
• therefereemustbeinformedbeforeanysubstitutionismade
• theplayerbeingsubstitutedreceivesthereferee’spermissiontoleavethefieldofplay,
unlessalreadyoffthefield
• thesubstitutedplayerisnotobligedtoleaveonthehalfwaylineandtakesnofurther
partinthematch,exceptwherereturnsubstitutionsarepermitted.
• ifaplayerwhoistobereplacedrefusestoleave,playcontinues
Thesubstituteonlyenters:
• duringastoppageinplay
• atthehalfwayline
• aftertheplayerbeingreplacedhasleft
• afterreceivingasignalfromthereferee
The IFAB: “4th Subs” Experiment
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Thesubstitutioniscompletedwhenasubstituteentersthefieldofplay;fromthat
moment,thesubstitutebecomesaplayerandthereplacedplayerbecomesasubstituted
player.
Substitutescantakeanyrestartprovidedtheyfirstenterthefieldofplay.
Ifasubstitutionismadeduringthehalf-timeintervalorbeforeextratime,theprocedure
mustbecompletedbeforethematchrestarts.
Allsubstitutedplayersandsubstitutesaresubjecttothereferee’sauthoritywhetherthey
playornot.”
2. Requiredinformation
Toenableascientificanalysisoftheimpactof4thsubstitutions,TheIFABwillrequirethe
followingdatafromexperimentparticipants:
(1) Detailedstatisticsfrompreviouscompetitionswithextratime(lastfouryears)
(2) Feedbackfromdirectlyinvolvedstakeholders(coaches,medicalstaffetc.)
SeeappendicesA1andA2fordetailsoftheexactdatarequired.
3. Updatemeetings
IFABAdvisoryPanelsFAP/TAP2016(II) Oct2016
IFABABM2016
Nov2016
IFABAGM2017
Mar2017
IFABAdvisoryPanelsFAP/TAP2017(I) Apr2017
IFABAdvisoryPanelsFAP/TAP2017(II) Oct2017
IFABABM2017
Nov2017
IFABAGM2018
Mar2018
Phase 1
Phase 2
TheIFAB’sTechnicalSubcommitteeandBoardofDirectorswillreceiveregularupdateson
theexperiments.
The IFAB: “4th Subs” Experiment
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4. Timelineforexperiments
a) Developmentofprotocol(Mar-Jun2016)
(1) Meetingswithstakeholders
(2) PresentationofthedevelopedprotocolattheTSC,ABMandAGM
b) Preparationofexperiments(May-July2016)
(1) Developmentofreportingproceduresanddocuments
(2) Educationofstakeholders(teams,referees,media)
(3) Implementationofreporting
c) ExperimentPhase1(competitionsin2016)
(1) Monitoringexperimentsandpotential‘finetuning’
(2) Monthlyfeedbackmeeting/callwithcompetitionorganisers
(3) Monthlyfeedbackfromdirectlyinvolvedstakeholders
(4) Regularupdates/feedbackfromindependentresearchbody
d) PreparationPhase2(Jan-Mar2017)
(1) Debriefwithallinvolvedpartiesandfinalisingreports
(2) ProvisionofallrequiredinformationforIFABmeetings
(3) ModificationsofexperimentsbasedonthedecisionbyTheIFAB
(4) Reviewoffeedbackfromindependentresearchbody–potentialmodificationof
protocols/practices
The IFAB: “4th Subs” Experiment
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e) ExperimentPhase2(competitionsin2017)
(1) Monitoringexperimentsandpotential‘finetuning’
(2) Monthlyfeedbackmeeting/callwithcompetitionorganisers
(3) Monthlyfeedbackfromdirectlyinvolvedstakeholders
(4) Regularupdates/feedbackfromindependentresearchbody
f)
PreparationoffinalreportsforAGM2018(Jan-Mar2018)oraSpecialMeetingafter
conclusionofphase2
(1) Debriefwithallinvolvedparties,includingindependentresearchbody
(2) ProvisionofallrequiredinformationforIFABmeetings
(3) Recommendationbasedonthefindingsoftheexperiments
The IFAB: “4th Subs” Experiment
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AppendixA1
Datarequiredfromlast4competitions
Thefollowinginformationshouldbeprovidedonaspreadsheetforeachrelevantmatchineach
competitionforthelast4years.
*Dataisonlyrequiredforthoseroundsofthecompetitionwherethereistheprovisionforextratime
tobeplayed
Competition
Date
TeamA
TeamB
Halftime
Fulltime
ExtraTime(HT)
ExtraTime(FT)
Penalties(KFPM)
Year/Season
Round
Score
TeamA
(Timeandplayer
number)
TeamB
Goalsscoredbysubstitutes
(Timeandplayer
TeamA
number)
(Timeandplayer
number)
TeamB
Substitutions
(Timeandplayer
number)
1st
2nd
3rd
The IFAB: “4th Subs” Experiment
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AppendixA2
Datarequiredfromcurrentcompetitions
Thefollowinginformationshouldbeprovidedonaspreadsheetforeachrelevantmatch*.
*Dataisonlyrequiredforthoseroundsofthecompetitionwherethereistheprovisionforextratime
tobeplayed
Competition
Year/Season
Round
Date
TeamA
TeamB
Score
Half
time
(Timeandplayernumber)
(Timeandplayernumber)
Fulltime
Extratime
(FT)
TeamA
TeamB
Positionalimpactof4thsub
TeamA
4thsubstitution
TeamB
4thsubstitution
TeamA
TeamB
TeamA TeamB
Goalassistsby4thsub
4thsubstitutiongoalsassists
4thsubstitutiongoalsassists
TeamA
TeamB
1st
2nd
Positionofsubstitute
Goalscoredby4thsub
4thsubstitutiongoalsscored
4thsubstitutiongoalsscored
Goalsscoredbysubstitutes
(Timeandplayernumber)
(Timeandplayernumber)
Substitutions
Extratime(HT) Penalties
(KFPM)
3rd
4th
Positionofsubstituted
player
The IFAB: “4th Subs” Experiment
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Performanceby4thsubinkicksfrom
thepenaltymark
TeamA
Did4thsubkick(yes/no)
th
TeamB
Did4 subkick(yes/no)
th
TeamA
Did4 subscore(yes/no)
TeamB
Did4thsubscore(yes/no)
Impactof4thsubonthegameinextratime
TeamA
Coachrating(max10)
TeamB
Coachrating(max10)
Reasonforusingof4thsubstitute
1stround
2ndround
Tactical
Reasonfornotusingof4thsubstitute
TeamA 4thsubnotusedbecause
TeamB
4thsubnotusedbecause
Impactof4thsuboncoachtactics
none/limited/medium/strong TeamA
none/limited/medium/strong TeamB
Impactof4thsubonplayerwelfare
Overallassessmentofpotentialtouse4th
sub
TeamA
TeamB
5thround
TeamA TeamB
4thround
Coachreasonforusing4thsub TeamA
Coachreasonforusing4thsub TeamB
Opinionofmedicalstaff
Opinionofmedicalstaff
3rdround
Player
tiredor
injured
Combinati
onofboth
1sthalf
2ndhalf
extratime
penalties
none
limited
good
verygood
positive
negative
Additionalcommentsfromcoaches,medicalstaffetc.
neutral
The IFAB: “4th Subs” Experiment
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AppendixB
The IFAB: “4th Subs” Experiment
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