Question Number: 22725

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 1/15/2010

RE: Select Under 14

David of Corona, CA USA asks...

The following question was recently asked in an AYSO email. While I agree with the basics of the answer, wouldn't the restart be whatever it was before the incident occurred? Thus a throw in, if that's why the ball is out of play rather than an IDFK? Here's the question:

January 14, 2010
What should the referee do, and how is play restarted if...

In a U-14 game, with the ball out of play, red player #5 is seen to be complaining to the referee about something. Red player #5 grows more animated while the referee tries to speak with him. The player is then heard using offensive language. The referee then reaches into his shirt pocket, pulls out his book and shows the player a card. The red team coach sees that the card is yellow but is surprised when the player leaves the field and the referee whistles for the restart. The coach challenges the referee and tells him that players are not sent off for a yellow card (caution). Several players complain to the referee and ask him why he is sending the player off when he only showed him a yellow card. The referee then realizes that he pulled both cards out, one in front of the other.

Answer:

It is the referee's decision that takes precedence, not the color of the card that is displayed. A player, substitute or substituted player should be sent off if he is guilty of using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures. So in this case, red player #5 should be sent off because, in the judgment of the referee, the language used was offensive. However, confusion remains because the referee accidentally showed both cards at the same time.

Recommendation: The referee should quickly explain that he pulled both cards by accident and mistakenly showed the yellow card, explain the reason for the send off to red player #5, show him the red card again so it is clear to all, ask him to leave the field of play, and then restart with an indirect free kick for the opposing team from the position where the offense occurred. A good technique to avoid pulling out both cards is to keep the red card in one of the back pockets on the shorts and the yellow card in one of the front pockets of the shirt.

(See pages 35 and 120 in the 2009-10 AYSO edition of the Laws of the Game.)

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

If the referee signaled to start play but play HAD not restarted in otherwords the throw in was not performed correctly then play has NOT restarted! I agree the indfk restart would be inconsistant with how you describe the situation.

If play was stopped AFTER the throw-in solely to explain to the coach the error then the restart is a drop ball as the player WAS shown the card earlier; (he saw the red if it was in front of the yellow card) and was already off the field, so play is not being held up just to show the card but as a referee decision to explain the situation properly. Although dissent is a form of misconduct for a referee to stop play for the dissenting misconduct by the coach clearly upset by the referee accidental showing of both cards as an outside agent this is not a foul and only a drop ball restart. The coach could be warned but here an apology is likely better suited to the situation!

Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi David
The correct restart in the scenario as described is a throw in. Indeed if the throw in has been taken and the referee stops play to deal with the furore of the incorrect card then the restart is a dropped ball from where the ball was when play was stopped.
It can only be a direct free kick or an indirect free kick restart if an offence has been committed while the ball is in play.
I would suspect that the AYSO answerer of the question was focused on the incorrect card element rather than the restart and the normal restart for a red card offence involving offensive, insulting and abusive language while the ball is in play is an indirect free kick from where the offence took place.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Good catch.

Assuming that a player's misconduct occurred after the ball went out of play, the restart would not change. The restart would be based on the reason the ball originally went out of play. Ref Dawson is correct that if play restarted and then was stopped again to deal with the confusion, an explanation and dropped ball is the best solution.