OFFSIDE OR NOT? NOT!

May 27, 2009 by Jim Allen

Question:
Attacking player is past the second to last defender taking advantage of his team’s throw-in, so he does not start the play in an offside position. The second to last defender intercepts the throw in and has control of the ball at his feet. The attaching player now comes back to play the ball.

I was the AR and did not indicate offside as I felt the player did not come back from an offside position to play the ball since he started onside (throw-in). Another ref observing the game (and trying to be helpful) told me I missed the call that once the second to last defender had control of the ball a new play had started thus, the attacking player came back from an offside position to play the ball and should have been called off side.

What would the correct calling be?

USSF answer (May 27, 2009):
There is a throw-in by Team A. At the time, A5 is in an offside position based on the standard definition. A5 does not become actively involved in play (but, even if he had, he would have come under Law 11’s exemption of having received the ball directly from a throw-in). Instead, a defender gains possession of the ball.

At this point, all offside position evaluations have to be redone because there has been a “new” play of the ball. Regardless of where A5 is (or any of his teammates are), there is no danger of an offside violation at that time because the ball has now been last been controlled/played by someone other than a teammate.

In short, there wasn’t the slightest possibility at any time in this scenario of an offside violation.…

Advice to Referees

WHISTLE FROM ADJACENT FIELD (CORRECTED)

May 23, 2009May 24, 2009 by Jim Allen

Question:
When playing at a site where there are adjacent fields, could a whistle from a neighboring field be considered outside interference, especially if players on the field where it wasn’t blown react to it? If so, what criteria should be applied by the referee to determine whether it is outside interference? For example, a defender lets up on a play because he hears a whistle, thinking it is from his field, resulting in an attack and maybe a scoring chance for the other team.

USSF answer (May 23, 2009):
Follow the excellent guidelines given in the USSF publication “Advice to Referees on the Laws of the Game”:

9.2 PLAY THE REFEREE’S WHISTLE
If a whistle is heard as a result of spectator action or of activity on a nearby field and if a player, thinking that play had been stopped by the referee, then illegally handles the ball, the referee should treat this as outside interference and restart with a dropped ball*. The referee must nonetheless be aware of the possibility that a player has committed unsporting behavior (pretending unawareness that it was not the referee’s whistle) and must be prepared to deal properly with this misconduct.

…

Advice to Referees

CORNER KICK AND THE FLAG

May 21, 2009 by Jim Allen

Question:
An attacking team is awarded a corner kick.
As the attacker approaches to take the kick ,she pushes the corner flag aside to give her ample room to strike the ball.
Should play immediately be stopped while the ball is still in play, give the player a yellow card for unsporting behavior and award a rekick of the corner kick?

USSF answer (May 21, 2009):
The following excerpt from the “Advice to Referees on the Laws of the Game” is applicable here:

1.6 NO PLAYER MODIFICATIONS TO THE FIELD
“Goalkeepers or other players may not make unauthorized marks on the field of play. The player who makes such marks or alterations on the field to gain an unfair advantage may be cautioned for unsporting behavior. Players may return bent or leaning corner flags to the upright position, but they may not bend or lean them away from the upright position to take a corner kick, nor may the corner flag be removed for any reason.

Accordingly, what the player did was, indeed, a violation of the Law. If you decide that the action warrants a caution for misconduct (unsporting behavior), then you would stop play, show the yellow card, and restart with the corner kick (because the misconduct occurred while the ball was not in play). However, you could also be proactive, if possible, by anticipating the player’s action and advising her not to move the flag before she actually commits the infraction. Finally, you could decide that the violation was trifling, allow the corner kick to be taken, and give her a formal warning not to move the flag in the future.…

Uniform-Ref

GOLD REFEREE JERSEYS (AGAIN)

May 19, 2009 by Jim Allen

Question:
Is there a requirement to wear the Gold jersey at all times EXCEPTING only when there is a color conflict with one of the teams?

Can the ref crew wear any of the socks from the OSI website. 3 stripes and the two versions of the “logo “ socks?? (Provide we all match)

Finally, MLS referees wear Adidas jerseys, can youth/amature referee’s purchase these and wear them? (providing the crew matches)
I know that addidas gives away these jersey at some of their sponsored tournaments and we get them for free and are allowed to wear them at Regionals.

Your thoughts???

USSF answer (May 19, 2009):
1. No.
2. Yes.
3. No.…

Law 18 - Common Sense

REFEREE EQUIPMENT CHECKLIST

May 18, 2009 by Jim Allen

Question:
what do you need to bring to a game exactly?

USSF answer (May 18, 2009):
As you were taught in your entry-level refereeing course, you should bring the following equipment to each game in which you will referee or act as assistant referee:
Two watches
Two flags
At least two different whistles
Two pencils or pens
A coin
A note pad (“game book”)
One red card
One yellow card
An air pump and pressure gauge
A badge for the current registration year
An alternate jersey (in accordance with the rules of your local association)…

"Only in America!"

PROTECTING THE GOALKEEPER; PITCH INVASION

May 14, 2009 by Jim Allen

Question:
hi, i have two question. The first questionis which rule protects the goalie. I know there is a rule that says that nobody should touch the goalie when he has possession of hte ball. The second question is about parents invading the field. Is there any rules that says anything about parents invading the field and insulting the players. IS because i had a problem on a game of boys from 7 and 8 graders, were one player from the opposite team would kick or use exesive force towards the goalie when he had the ball. After a play were one of the other team player was down, parents from the opposite team enter the field and yelled and insulted my player. I need the laws or rules that have to do with these two problems to be able to send a letter. Thank you.

USSF answer (May 14, 2009):
1. Protecting the goalkeeper:
There is no rule that “protects the goalie” from contact initiated by other players — as long as that contact is not against the requirements for a fair charge and does not happen when the goalkeeper is attempting to release the ball for others to play — in other words, to punt or throw the ball out of the penalty area.

2. Pitch invasion by parents:
No person may enter the field without the permission of the referee.

Law 3 tells us:
“Anyone not indicated on the team list as a player, substitute or team official is deemed to be an outside agent as is a player who has been sent off.

“If an outside agent enters the field of play:
– the referee must stop play (although not immediately if the outside agent does not interfere with play)
– the referee must have him removed from the field of play and its immediate surroundings
– if the referee stops the match, he must restart play with a dropped ball in the position where the ball was at the time when the match was stopped, unless the ball was stopped inside the goal area, in which case the referee drops the ball on the goal area line parallel to the goal line at the point nearest to where the ball was when play was stopped.”

However, please note that as a practical matter where rosters are not provided, anyone permitted to be in the technical area (other than substitutes, of course) is to be considered a team official.

Law 5 tells us:
The referee may stop, suspend or abandon the match for any infringements of the Laws or because of outside interference of any kind. The referee also provides the appropriate authorities with a match report, which includes information on any disciplinary action taken against players, and/or team officials and any other incidents that occurred before, during or after the match. This includes any other decision that the referee may take in accordance with the Laws of the Game or in conformity with his duties under the terms of FIFA, confederation, member association or league rules or regulations under which the match is played.

Also note that the actual entry of the outside agents (spectators) is not the only — or even the most — important issue — it is that the invaders are yelling at and berating players. In instances of this sort of behavior, the referee would not simply drop the ball for a restart, but would would terminate the match for “grave disorder.”…

Law 12 - Fouls & Misconduct

POSSIBLE OFFENSE OFF THE FIELD

May 14, 2009 by Jim Allen

Question:
A goalkeeper and an attacking player on a fifty /fifty ball collide and slide over the goalline some 10 feet into the area inside the netting between the goal posts. The ball is stopped on the goal line.The attacker attempts to reach his leg out, intending to draw the ball back over the goalline. The keeper scambles over top of the attacker in an attempt to grab the ball pinning the attacker’s legs preventing him from doing so. A defender then manages to clear the ball from the area.

USSF answer (May 14, 2009):
Both players left the field during the course of play and thus have the permission of the referee to be where they are. Working with your statement that the ball was still on the goal line and the goalkeeper and attacking player were fully off the field when the goalkeeper did what he did, we would suggest that the decision to be made (which only the referee on the spot can make) is whether the goalkeeper was holding the opponent back rather than merely trying to play the ball. Your description suggests a tussle in which either could be occurring. If both players were simply trying to disentangle themselves in a scramble to get to the ball, then what is happening is ordinary play and, although needing to be watched carefully, it should be allowed. If the referee decides that the goalkeeper is holding the opponent to prevent him from playing the ball, then the goalkeeper is guilty of misconduct. Since this is occurring off the field, the goalkeeper would be cautioned and play restarted with a dropped ball on the goal area line straight up from where the ball was when play was stopped (this is an example of the “special circumstances” involving restarts in the goal area).…

"Only in America!"

TEMPORARY EXPULSIONS

May 14, 2009 by Jim Allen

Question:
This might be a dumb question, but when a goalie is yellow-carded (in certain leagues and tournaments, yellow carded players have to go off), the goalie his or herself has to go off? Goalies have no special treatment, correct?

2nd question:
In CIF, if a player is “soft red-carded” it means the player is sent off for having two yellow cards, but the team can sub in another player. Is this the same in USSF, etc? Or a second yellow is just like a straight red and the players can’t sub in another person?

USSF answer (May 14, 2009):
We fervently hope that the practice of temporary expulsion, removing a player from the game for a period of time after he or she has been cautioned, Is not being used in any competition (league, tournament, cup) affiliated with the U. S. Soccer Federation. It has never been authorized by the International F. A. Board (the people who write the Laws of the Game) or FIFA (the people who administer the game for the world).

In fact, the competitions to which you refer would be operating in contravention of a FIFA directive forbidding such “temporary expulsion.” This could also put the competitions in contravention of the stated policies of the U. S. Soccer Federation. As we mention often, if the referee accepts an assignment in a competition that uses rules that contravene the Laws of the Game, he or she must follow those rules; however, we recommend against taking such assignments.

As this would appear to be high school soccer, we will not include full details on the IFAB and FIFA declarations on the use of temporary expulsion, repeated and reinforced by USSF publications.

As to the “soft red card,” that, too, is not permitted under competitions affiliated with the U. S. Soccer Federation (and thus with FIFA). Therefore, no, the substitution practice which is used in the CIF (California high school competition) is not permitted in competitions which run in accordance with the Laws of the Game.…

"Inventive" Refs

NEWISH UNIFORMS

May 13, 2009 by Jim Allen

Question:
Is this FAQ on the newer OSI still in effect? http://ussoccer.com/articles/viewArticle.jsp_4849668.html

Posts on BigSoccer.com indicate one of the youth regionals is requiring new-style shirts.

Also, is there any update on the mix-n-match policy of old and new? Many say it makes the crew look less professional if they’re not all wearing the same style. Others say only the refs themselves, and any assessor that might be there, are the only ones that notice.

USSF answer (May 13, 2009):
The Federation responds: “The FAQ as posted on the website that he refers to is still in place, no change and referees can still wear the old and new.”…

"Inventive" Refs

TIMEKEEPING (HIGH SCHOOL)

May 12, 2009 by Jim Allen

Question:
After many years of being a very involved parent with rec, select and high school soccer matches and a parent of certified referees I have never encountered what I witnessed on 5/11/2009 at a high school play-off match and I am seeking the law or rule which governs a center referees actions. During the match, the scoreboard clock was halted many times during the match, but predominatly during the 2nd half every time the ball was turned over due to out of bounds play and any other time the center would signal the clock/scorekeeper.

The half ended up being around 55 minutes ending with a tie, there was a 5 minute overtime and still tied, then there was another 5 minute overtime, of which only 4 minutes of play was allowed and the center halted the match and immediately went into a shoot-out. I am concerned that there was an injustice to the outcome of the game. I know there is a lot of discretion given to the center referee during a match regarding how to apply the different laws, but I also know there are parameters of a match that are not meant to be discretionary in nature. Is there any recourse or appeal that can be made to make things right? Looking forward to your response.

USSF answer (May 12, 2009):
We don’t do high school rules here, but we can give you some idea of how timekeeping is handled in that game. It differs considerably from the game of soccer as played throughout the rest of the world.

NFHS rules require that the clock be stopped after a goal (until the kick-off occurs), for an injury (but only if signaled by the referee), whenever a card is given, and at the taking of a penalty kick. We are not aware of any other clock stoppage events. The referee is supposed to signal (arms crossed at the wrist above the head) all such events, but the timekeeper is supposed to stop the clock automatically for after goals and for penalty kicks — only the referee knows if/when the injury requires time be stopped or if/when he will give a card, so the referee’s signal is needed in these cases. The timekeeper restarts the clock only when the ball is legally put back into play (though often an uneducated timekeeper restarts when the referee signals for the restart). The referee has the authority to order a clock readjusted if it is seriously out of synch with the referee’s time. A stadium clock MUST be used as the official time if (a) there is a stadium clock and (b) it works. It is common, however, for there to be some sort of announcement via the public address system (or for the state association to permit) at some point near the end of the half that “official time” is being kept on the field and the clock is stopped, say, with 5 minutes remaining.…