Question Number: 19546

Law 5 - The Referee 7/1/2008

RE: Comp Adult

phil wearmouth of Sydney, NSW Australia asks...

We were 3-0 up when the ref abandoned the game after copping some verbal from the sideline oppostion manager. Trouble is when he filled out the sheet at the end of the game he tried to put 0-0 game abandoned. Surely the score stays as it was if the leading team is the innocent party?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Phil,
if a referee abandons a match he MUST record ALL the circumstances up till that point. It should include any goals scored, cautions or send offs, the actual time played as well as the reasons for the abandonment. The LEAGUE decides if they will order a replay or not or go with a forfeit or choose to use the scoreline as is. Such things are in the competition bylaws when the need to have a match result must happen. Areferee does not DECIDE a winner or an outcome only the league does that!
Cheers

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Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

If the referee changed the score he was wrong to do so. His report should state why the match was abandoned and what the score was at that time. It is none of his business what is done after that as the matter is now in the hands of the local authorities. If he changed the score, an official from your team should notify your local authorities asap as that is something the referee simply is not allowed to do.

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