A full-fledged winter has begun in Russia: Moscow and the regions are covered with snow, the temperature drops lower every day. Last Saturday “Spartak” and “Baltika” played their first match under the snow this season: there was so much precipitation that the game was interrupted for several minutes and the start of the second half was delayed to clear the central circle and the markings. the snow that had accumulated during the break.
One of the problems of the match in Kaliningrad was the ball: in the broadcast it was almost invisible on the snowy grass due to its white color (although with orange stripes). The RPL press service explained the absence of the brightly colored ball as follows: “The RPL clubs voted in favor of playing with Nike balls, which were acquired through parallel imports. Nike does not produce red balls for free sale and only makes them to order for football leagues with official associations. The actual ball has a contrasting color, which the participants in the match notice more than in the television image. At the same time, the ball used by RPL teams must comply with FIFA Quality and is set in the regulations for the entire football season.”
Spartak was not affected by bad weather
Spartak won in anti-football conditions. How timely Sobolev returned to the team!
What do the regulations say about balls?
In the RPL regulations for this season (and also in previous editions) there is no clause regarding the color of the ball and markings during snow matches. The fact is that in this case the referee is guided by the IFAB “Laws of the Game”, according to which he makes the decision on the suitability of the field equipment and balls for the match. It is the referee who can ask to paint the orange markings or replace the ball.
This happened: in the 2018/2019 season, before the Dynamo – Ural match, a day before it was decided that orange markings would be used due to the imminent snowfall.
When the league had an official partnership with Nike, we didn’t have red balls either, only yellow. Five years ago, in the spring of 2018, there was already a scandal on this basis: Spartak and Lokomotiv played in the snow with a ball that simply dissolved on the snow-covered grass.
Spartak and Lokomotiv played in the snow in 2018
Photo: Sergey Savostyanov/TASS
“The ball that was used today is specifically intended for winter,” RPL president Sergei Pryadkin said at the time. – It is yellow and comes in orange. I saw the moments on television, in principle it is distinguished and everything is clear. “We have reached a preliminary agreement with party inspector Sergei Zuev: if the field is covered, we will make a technical stop to clear it.”
In the 2020/2021 season it was decided that in all matches, starting on matchday 13, “winter” balls will be used, that is, yellow ones. The league returned to using standard white balls in the spring of the next year.
Nike does not sell yellow and red balls; In reality, they are only made to order. Before the start of this season, given the difficult situation with brands and logistics, clubs and the league found themselves in a difficult situation: they could buy Demix or Nike balls through parallel imports. The first ones were not tested, so it was decided to opt for Nike, familiar to football players. The clubs still had balls, so taking into account the timing (the discussion took place in the spring), they decided to buy exactly the same ones, so that if delivery was not made on time, there would be something to play with. for some time.
The issue of balls for next season will be decided in December, so that there is time to take into account the requests of the public, the clubs, as well as logistical issues, the league informed the Championship.
We remember games with snow, rain, mud and heat:
Classification
Iconic football matches in Russia in extreme weather conditions. Which was the best?
Is it possible to replace the ball with another before the start of the game?
If it has the same characteristics, yes. But the thing is, you can’t train in Nike and then wear Adidas or Demix onto the field five minutes before the game. Each ball is different: they have a different weight, degree of inflation, trajectory of movement; It takes time to get used to all this. Broadly speaking, the ball must be the same model. The color may vary, but, as we remember, the RPL currently does not have red balls.
Match “Baltika” – “Spartak”
Photo: vk.com/fcbaltika
Another point is the form of the teams. In Spartak he was white, which also affected the outlook. Is it possible to change the uniform before the start of the match?
Let’s look at the regulation: “The RPL independently selects the color of the teams’ game uniforms, no later than seven calendar days before the match date, from among the agreed game uniforms.” That is, everything is agreed in advance, so the guests bring with them an outfit that has been confirmed to participate in the match.
There is nothing in the regulations about changing uniforms immediately before the start of a match due to an unpleasant image on a television broadcast.
Match “Baltika” – “Spartak”
Photo: vk.com/fcbaltika
Under what conditions can a match be canceled or postponed?
The delegate and the main match referee take temperature measurements one hour before the start of the match; To do this, they use thermometers that are placed at a height of 1 m from the soccer field. The recommended values for playing are -15 to +35°C.
If the temperature is below -15°C, the delegate goes to the clubs: he must obtain written consent from both parties to hold the match and reflect it in his report, as well as inform the referee about the teams’ decision. The final decision is made by the main referee. If at least one of the clubs refuses to play, the match is postponed to a reserved date.
If there is heavy snow or rain, the teams and the referee can discuss rescheduling the game, but the decision to suspend/delay or postpone the game is made by the head referee; This rule is recorded in the IFAB Laws of the Game.
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