Temporary Dismissals Protocol

A Temporary Dismissal will be issued by the Referee when an on-pitch player commits an offence of Dissent.

The referee will indicate a Temporary Dismissal by showing a Yellow Card and signalling with two hands towards the touchline.

The temporarily dismissed player must leave the pitch for a minimum of 10 minutes of playing time in a 90 minute match.

The temporary dismissal period begins when play restarts after the player has left the field of play.

The referee should extend the temporary dismissal period for any time ‘lost’ for stoppages.

Once the temporary dismissal period has been completed, the player is only eligible to return to the field of play when the ball is next out of play.

The player must wait for a signal from the referee and must return at the halfway line.

If a player who has already received a temporary dismissal receives another caution for any reason they will be shown a second yellow card and sent off from the game.

Temporary dismissals will accumulate towards suspensions and administrative charges in the same way as any other caution.

Players who are unused substitutes or have already been substituted will receive a caution for a Dissent offence but not a temporary dismissal. Members of technical staff such as Coaches cannot receive a temporary dismissal and will therefore receive a Caution (Yellow Card) if they commit a Dissent offence.