Society & Culture Family emergencies during games

[JuddsABlue]

Disclaimer: While this topic is AFL related, I feel it wouldnt get the desired discussion on the main board. There is an attitude of 'it probably wont happen so lets ignore it and troll' over there that this kind of thread generates. There is nothing wrong with talking about something very possible despite being rare.

2nd Disclaimer: Lets get all of the 'touch woods' out of the way. We all know we dont want anything like this to happen. Touch wood. Now onto the topic....

What would happen, in particular in the AFL, if a players wife/brother/mother/sister/child etc was involved in an extremely serious accident during a game, which left them either deceased or in an extreme life threatening situation?

Example is in a normal H&A game, first qtr, a players wife is killed/seriously injured in a car accident. Is that player notified during the game, and do they have the option to leave the game? Should they be notified during the game? (IMO yes they should and have the option of leaving)

Ive never seen anything like this happen though. Has a player ever had to leave the field midgame due to an emergency?

This scenario could have different outcomes for different scenarios. What happens if its a Grand Final? What happens if the payer has already been subbed off, do they have free will to leave, but a player who isnt subbed off doesnt? If its the partner is injured but not life threatening?

Someone may answer this with a simple copy and paste from the AFL Book of Everything, so lets also try and discuss opinions and possible solutions

If people can give examples of this happening in other sports, please do.

 

[syl]

:/ Didn't read properly.

 

[NAUGHT5]

I would say the player would be bought off the field immediately and he would leave the ground within 5 minutes.

The player would never consent to going back on and the club would be more than understanding.

 

[Caesar]

I remember Kevin Pietersen said during last year's World T20 that if his wife went into labour while he was in the middle of a match, he'd walk off the field. Team management were fully supportive of that. It didn't end up happening, but perhaps gives you an indicator of attitudes.

I'm sure this dilemma has probably happened during a professional soccer game at some stage.

Personally as a player I would not want to play for a club who put the good of the team above my personal welfare and that of my family.

 

[Andre]

This scenario could have different outcomes for different scenarios. What happens if its a Grand Final? What happens if the payer has already been subbed off, do they have free will to leave, but a player who isnt subbed off doesnt? If its the partner is injured but not life threatening?

Shouldn't be a point to discuss, with life threatening injuries tell the player, get them out of there ASAP. Football game or not, GF or not, it shouldn't take precedence for any player over family/partner in that situation. Frak if it did and the person recovered they should ditch the player or disown them!

Not life threatening injuries then players choice.

The AFL should be sensible enough to accommodate it and ignore any subbing in such cases, but as the loss of lights part way through a game, incorrect siren calls (Freo game) etc show, it'll take it happening (though hopefully not ever required) before the gate is shut after the horse has bolted.

 

[Smoooothy]

i've actually seen what is being described happen

young fella playing cricket for us had his girlfriend killed in a car crash, he was batting at the time. his parents arrived at the oval looking white, asked where their son was, walked onto the field, and broke it to him - he retired immediately and left.

we ended up forfeiting the game shortly after, as quite a few of us knew her too - was a very weird horrible day.

 

[Andre]

I remember Kevin Pietersen said during last year's World T20 that if his wife went into labour while he was in the middle of a match, he'd walk off the field. Team management were fully supportive of that. It didn't end up happening, but perhaps gives you an indicator of attitudes.

That's a bit different. I don't think in that situation a player should walk off mid-match. However if a player said if their wife/partner went into labour pre-match they'd pull out and one of the emergencies played instead, then that's perfectly fine.

 

[Smoooothy]

That's a bit different. I don't think in that situation a player should walk off mid-match. However if a player said if their wife/partner went into labour pre-match they'd pull out and one of the emergencies played instead, then that's perfectly fine.

depends on the situation i guess

most of us probably wouldn't play if a missus was close to childbirth etc, in fear of having to leave.

when my wife was pregnant, with both kids, i kept my phone on me while on the field for the last month of the pregnancy, just in case, but i didn't play once we got within a couple of days of the due date.

 

[Kyptastic]

The story of Bob Blair is an interesting one that matches the situation you describe, although he didn't really have the option of quickly heading back to New Zealand in those days.

Cricinfo article on the story

 

[DREAM TEAM BUFF]

A few years back one of our clubs A grade players retired from the match when his wife became ill and she was pregnant.

 

[Daytripper]

Craig Newitt was notified that his father had died in a car accident after he had ridden in the first race in a meeting at Caulfield.

No sport or job over-rides this sort of thing.

 

[Smoooothy]

where does it stop though

would you expect this if say a parent/grandparent/sibling had been killed?

 

[Power King]

where does it stop though

would you expect this if say a parent/grandparent/sibling had been killed?

Maybe it's a cultural thing but I'd say absolutely.

Parents are on equal footing to partners in my opinion.

 

[HolyRioli]

Sam Mitchell missed the Hawks game vs Richmond earlier this year because one of his twin daughters was very sick and hospitalised. Not quite the situation described, but it does show you a little where players loyalties lie.

 

[The King!]

Player x hears in the 3rd quarter of the grand final his wife's been critically injured he is told and rushes off the sub is already off, would you like to see the sub back in?

 

[Ochre]

Player x hears in the 3rd quarter of the grand final his wife's been critically injured he is told and rushes off the sub is already off, would you like to see the sub back in?

no

its a 1 in a billion situation, and a rule like that could easily be abused