Under the FIBA Official Basketball Rules 2024 (V10A), referees must finish any required instant replay review before a player substitution is applied, before a period begins, or before play resumes, Level Up Basketball reported. The rule sequence is designed so that a substitution made in the middle of a review can be undone.
If the crew determines a review is needed after a substitution has already been made, that substitution is cancelled until the final decision is announced. Once the decision is communicated, either player involved may then request a substitution. The same principle applies to timeouts: if referees spot a review need after a timeout has started, the timeout is cancelled until the ruling is delivered, after which either head coach may request a timeout or withdraw one.
When a Substitution Can Be Cancelled
The key trigger is timing. A substitution is only vulnerable to cancellation when the referees identify the need for a review after the substitution has already been made. In that scenario, the change does not stand while the play is being checked. The rule does not cancel substitutions made through ordinary channels; it targets only the specific window in which a review is pending.
After the final decision is announced, both players regain the right to request a substitution. That means a player who was substituted out during the review window can be brought back, and a player who was substituted in can be replaced, depending on what the review concluded and what the teams want.
Timeouts Follow the Same Sequence
The V10A planning summary extends the same logic to breaks in play. An instant replay review must occur before timeouts are applied, before a period break starts, or before the game restarts. If a timeout begins and the crew then decides a review is necessary, the timeout is cancelled until the decision is announced, and both head coaches may then request a timeout or pull back one already called.
What Officials and Coaches Should Do During a Review
The practical instruction for game management is to hold off. During an instant replay review, a substitution request should wait until the final decision is in, because a substitution made before the review is handled can be cancelled. Coaches and table officials should treat the review window as a pause on both substitutions and timeouts, then act once the ruling is official.
Questions Readers Ask About FIBA Substitution Reviews
Can a player enter the game while an instant replay review is underway? No. Under FIBA Official Basketball Rules 2024 V10A, the review must be completed before a substitution is applied, before a period starts, or before play resumes.
What happens if a substitution was already made when referees call for a review? The substitution is cancelled until the final decision is announced. After the decision, either player may request a substitution.
Does the same rule apply to timeouts? Yes. If a review is needed after a timeout starts, the timeout is cancelled until the ruling is delivered, and either head coach may then request a timeout or withdraw one.
Does this cover normal substitution opportunities? No. The sequence described here governs only substitutions connected to an instant replay review; it does not change the ordinary substitution process or the notification procedure to the table officials.
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