WP26 Accident, Injury & Illness
WP 26.1 A player shall only be allowed to leave the water, or sit or stand on the steps or side of the pool during play in the case of accident, injury, illness or with the permission of a referee. A player who has left the water legitimately may re-enter from the team’s exclusion re-entry area at an appropriate stoppage, with the permission of a referee.
WP 26.2 If a player is bleeding, the referee shall immediately order the player out of the water with the immediate entry of a substitute and the game shall continue without interruption. After the bleeding has stopped, the player is permitted to be a substitute in the ordinary course of the game.
WP 26.3 If accident, injury or illness, other than bleeding, occurs, a referee may at the referee’s discretion suspend the game for not more than three minutes, in which case the referee shall instruct the timekeeper as to when the stoppage period is to commence.
WP 26.4 Should the game be stopped through accident, injury, illness, bleeding or other unforeseen reason, the team in possession of the ball at the time of the stoppage shall put the ball into play at the place of stoppage when the play is resumed.
WP 26.5 Except in the circumstances of WP 26.2 (bleeding), the player shall not be allowed to take further part in the game if a substitute has entered.