VII. TIMEKEEPER

For international matches the use of a timekeeper shall be compulsory.

His duties shall be:

1. to ensure that the duration of the match complies with the provisions of Law VIII. To do so:
   1. he shall start his clock after kick-off and restart it after a kick-in, a goal clearance, a corner kick, a free kick, kicks from the first or second penalty mark, a time-out or a dropped ball;

   2. he shall halt the chronometer when the ball is out of play;

2. to keep a check on the 2-minute punishment period after a player has been sent off;

3. to indicate the end of the first half, the end of the match and the end of the periods of extra time with a whistle or some other acoustic signal distinct from the ones used by the referees.

4. to keep a record of all time-outs left to each team and to keep the referees and teams aware of these facts and to indicate permission for time-outs when requested by the coach of one of the teams (LAW VIII, 4).

5. to keep a record of the first five fouls committed by each team in each half which have been registered by the referees.

6. to keep a record of stoppages in the game and reasons for stopping; to take note of the numbers of the players who score goals, who are cautioned or expelled, to note time-outs and provide any other information relevant to the game.

The timekeeper shall be equipped with a suitable chronometer and the necessary gadgets to indicate accumulated fouls, to be supplied by the association or club on whose ground the match is being played.

For international games, the chronometer used shall incorporate all the necessary gadgets (precise chronometry, a device to time the two-minute expulsion period for four players simultaneously and monitor the accumulation of fouls by each team during each half).

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