Question Number: 23879

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 9/6/2010

RE: Select Under 17

Mark of Sacramento, CA USA asks...

In a recent tournament with only 5 minutes remaining in the final match, our keeper was knocked to the ground, stomped on and kicked while she was on the ground by an attacker.

The referee gave the player a yellow card. This was serious foul play. I was shocked by the lack of a red card.

I was in the ref tent at another tournament between games the following weekend and asked my collegues why a red card was not given.

The response from a couple was that since so little time was left in the game, the center did not want deal with the reporting and suspension since so little time was left.

Given SFP such as this, I would issue red for this at anytime in a game.

Am I off base?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Mark
Very disappointing and the referee has done the game a great dis- service by his action. If the dismissal was not given on the basis that in the opinion of the referee it only merited a caution then so be it but on the basis that the referee did not want to do deal with the reporting is totally unacceptable.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

I disagree that it was SFP - sounds more like Violent Conduct. The Laws, I&G page 118 says, 'A player is guilty of serious foul play if he uses excessive force or brutality
against an opponent when challenging for the ball when it is in play.' Stomping and kicking a player while she is down is not a part of challenging for the ball.

The referee should be reported to the powers that be - the assignor for the tournament - who should be told that he has hired a referee who is reluctant to do the job just because he doesn't like writing up reports.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Not SFP. It's Violent Conduct if things transpired as you say (remember we only have your version of the story). And if this referee really did not punish this blatant violence because he didn't want to do the paperwork, he shouldn't be allowed back on the field. Ever.