8.3 Medical Assistance Protocols

This protocol is applied if a player gets injured or falls ill. Following this protocol ensures the regular procedure.

The explanation will be done using a fictional example. The proceeding in case of an injury or illness are identical.

At the moment of the injury/illness

Once a player gets injured or falls ill, it is the second referees duty to approach the player and request the nature of the injury or illness.
He should ask: ‘Can you continue playing or do you need medical assistance?’
In case medical assistance is requested, the next question has to be: ‘Do you need a medical doctor?’
If the player is able to continue play in foreseeable time (about 15 seconds), the play can continue without the necessity of any actions to be taken.
If the player requests medical assistance or wants to deal with the injury himself, a recovery time of five minutes is granted. If necessary, the medical team is being called to the court.
The first referee leaves his stand and the opponents move to their players’ bench.
The main referee or delegate has to be informed. In case a medical team is requested, the 5-minute-recovery time starts once the team arrives at the court. If not, the recovery time starts at the moment it is granted by the second referee.

With the permission of the first referee, the injured player might leave the court, accompanied by the second referee.
All relevant information has to be noted on the score sheet.
Once the treatment is finished or no further treatment is needed, the recovery time has to be stopped.

Once the injured player is ready to continue playing the second referee calls all players back to the field.
If the injured player cannot continue play at the end of the recovery time, the team has to be declared incomplete.
Every player is granted a maximum of one recovery time per match.'

Remarks on the score sheet

If a recovery time is granted, the following details have to be recorded on the score sheet: Name, number and country code of the player, time and score (set number and points).

In case the official medical team has to be called, the time of the arrival of the team has to be recorded as well. Once the recovery time has ended the time of the continuation of the match has to be recorded.

If the official medical team is called, the time of the request by the second referee and the time of the continuation of the match has to be recorded.

Example

10:40:15, 2nd set, 15:17 Team A serving, Player #1 of team B requests medical assistance

10:41:35, accredited medical staff arrived on the court

10:45:10, match resumed. Duration 04:55.

Blood injuries

Blood injuries have to be treated immediately due to hygienic reasons. If the bleeding can be stopped immediately, no recovery time has to be initiated, otherwise recovery time has to be applied.

In any case, all equipment, involving balls, shirts and shirts/bottoms, have to be checked for blood. If on one of these items blood is found, it has to be replaced.