Question Number: 23858

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 8/30/2010

RE: Adult

Steve from of Brisbane, Qld Australia asks...

This question is a follow up to question 23836

I agree the content of the video, and the original question doesnt help framing the circumstance he wants an answer for. At the very end of the video, it shows a light-skinned player with shaven head wearing yellow shirt No 77, standing immediately in front of a dark-skinned opposition player wearing a blue shirt. This Yellow 77 reaches behind with his right hand, and his hand is at a level of the blue players groin, and this blue player starts to drop down (before the video ends). It appears the yellow player has squeezed the genitals of the blue player.

At the very start of the video and until 0.06 seconds a dark skinned player wearing a blue shirt is on the ground at the six yard line, and gets up to his feet at the 0.06 section, and doesnt move. At the very start of the video in front of him was a light-skinned player with a shaven head wearing a yellow shirt. This player moves away but if you follow him after the goal is scored he runs towards the camera, and looks likely to be the No 77 player. The inference I make is the broadcast has replayed the earlier vision from another camera angle of the attacking teams No 77, squeezing the genitals of the blue player, in an off the ball incident. In fact as the video starts from the taking of a corner kick, and the blue player is already on the ground, the squeeze would have occurred when the ball was not in play. If that is what has occurred then I think it appropriate for a red card to yellow No 77 for violent conduct, and re-start with the corner kick retaken.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Steve
If that indeed was the case the AR should have flagged the VC immediately it happened and used his buzzer flag to alert the referee to the offence. That does not appear to have happened and if the AR intervened it would have prevented the corner from being taken. The Laws allow for the perpretrator of violent conduct to be sent off after play has restarted on the basis that it was seen by an AR and brought to the referee's attention at the earliest opportunity.
I suspect though that the flag at frame 9 is the incident and I suspect that the AR and Ref were unsure if it happened before or after the goal. In that case I think that the benefit has to be given to the scorer who was not involved in the incident and it does not seem to have had a bearing on play. Certainly the reaction of the team that conceded does not point to any 'unhappiness' with the outcome such as complaining to the Ref or AR about VC in the lead up to the goal?
It could also be the case that the correct decision to dismiss was achieved but may not have been arrived at in a technically correct manner.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

The USSF received a similar question and noted that the match referee had concluded that violent conduct occurred after the goal was scored.