Author: Jim Allen

Law 12 - Fouls & Misconduct

GOALKEEPER DRIBBLES, PICKS UP BALL

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Question:
I am a high school coach and last night we had a game were the opposing goalie dribbled the ball back into the box and then picked up the ball with her hands. The ref said that it was a free kick for us, but then changed his mind and gave the team a goal kick. Now I do not know if someone on her team passed the ball back to her or if we shot the ball, but does it matter? According to IHSA RULES, is she allowed to dribble the ball back into the box and pick it up?

USSF answer (April 30, 2009):
Coach, we don’t do high school rules here, but unless your state high school association has some special rule on this matter, the answer is pretty clear: NFHS rules on this are the same as the Laws of the Game.  If the ball came from a deliberate kick by a teammate, indirect free kick for the opposing team where the goalkeeper handled the ball (it is still directly following the kick by the teammate, despite the goalkeeper dribbling the ball before picking it up).  If it did not come from a teammate or if the teammate’s contact was not a deliberate kick, then there is no offense at all.  Under no circumstances or variations in the scenario could the referee correctly give a goal kick.…

"Inventive" Refs

“ILLEGAL” GOALKEEPER CHANGE

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Question:
there was keeper change during the game. he did sub in during a throw in but did not acknowledge me about the goalie change.

During the game the opposing team scores 2 goals on this goalie where the this goalie never touched the ball with his hands. finally this goalie touched the ball with his hands, I called a hand ball and penalty kick because he had not told me offically about the goalie change. What is the correct call? Or was I correct?

USSF answer (April 30, 2009):
Let us ponder this: You were fully aware of the change when it happened and did nothing about it. Now you want to punish the new goalkeeper for handling the ball. You allowed the new goalkeeper to play for much of the game and did nothing.

Would you have punished the goalkeeper if he had touched the ball on its way into the goal for the two scores that occurred before you took action? If so, that would have denied the opposing team whichever of those goals you took away.

What you should have done was to be proactive and ask the captain or the new goalkeeper if he wanted to tell you about a substitution. And you should have done that right away. We do not play power games with the players. It is their game, not ours. Help them play correctly.

The failure to notify the referee — if indeed there was a failure — is clearly a minor issue and you should only have reminded the new goalkeeper about the requirement.  But all referees need to understand that under NO circumstances can this goalkeeper be penalized for handling the ball illegally.  The strongest action the referee can take is to caution the ‘keeper at the next stoppage of play (but only the stoppage that occurs directly following the goalkeeper’s appearance on the field) — if the referee allows this opportunity to pass then he can’t even do that!

Our feeling is that this was a simple substitution during which someone forgot to say the magic words to you.  When you allowed the substitution and whistled for the restart of play with player X now wearing a distinctive goalkeeper jersey, due notice was given to and acknowledged by you.…

"Inventive" Refs

STRIKING/CHARGING OPPONENT

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Question:
Situation inside six yard box, forward driving towards goal was cut off by defense and attempted to turn out and back , a defender CHARGED into her from behind then in a continuous motion and gave a 2-handed shove,straight out with enough force to knock her down. She was struck from behind at shoulder blade height and with enough force to send her flying over the ball and to the ground! No foul was called and Ref said it was Legal.??? I say Law 12 was broke?

USSF answer (April 30, 2009):
Coach, provided that the situation was precisely as you describe it, the defender should have been sent off for violent conduct — or for serious foul play if the referee believed that the defender was challenging for the ball, which doesn’t sound likely in this case. Penalty kick restart.…

"Inventive" Refs

WHEN MAY A TEAM SUBSTITUTE?

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Question:
When are teams allowed to make make substitution?

I am a new referee at the Recreational level. I am confused as to when teams are permitted to make substitutions. Having heard conflicting responses from the referees I work with, I want to ask the question on here, because I am serving as central referee for the first time this weekend. I could not find a clear answer in the publications “Laws of the game,” or “Guide to Procedures.” However, a common pattern of answers where I work is that you can sub at most stoppages but not during corner kicks or opponent throw-ins. Yet other claims are that you can only make subs when the restart is in the advantage of your team. If you could clear this issue up for me, I would be very pleased and would educate refs and coaches alike in my league.

Thanks in advance for your help!

USSF answer (April 30, 2009):
Actually, you will find the procedure for substitutions in two separate places in the Laws: In Law 3 (The Players) itself and in the back of the book, under Interpretations and Guidelines for Referees. We include here only the latter, as it is more complete:
Substitution Procedure
– A substitution may be made only during a stoppage in play
– The assistant referee signals that a substitution has been requested
– The player being substituted receives the referee’s permission to leave the field of play, unless he is already off the field of play for reasons that comply with the Laws of the Game
– The referee gives the substitute permission to enter the field of play
– Before entering the field of play, the substitute waits for the player he is replacing to leave the field
– The player being substituted is not obliged to leave the field of play on the halfway line
– Permission to proceed with a substitution may be refused under certain circumstances, e. g., if the substitute is not ready to enter the field of play
– A substitute who has not completed the substitution process by setting foot onto the field of play cannot restart play by taking a throw-in or corner kick
– If a player who is about to be replaced refuses to leave the field of play, play continues
– If a substitution is made during the half-time interval or before extra time, the process is to be completed before the second half or extra time kicks off.

You will find, as you progress up the refereeing ladder, that many competitions (leagues or tournaments, etc.) make up their own rules for substitution, many of them not quite in agreement with the Laws of the Game — the Laws allow for different rules only for players below the age of 16, “veterans” (over 35), female players, and disabled players. If you accept a game in such a competition, you are bound to follow their rules.

Most of the local substitution rules are at least partly consistent with the Laws of the Game, but are valid ONLY if the players are below the age of 16, veteran (over 35) or female footballers, or disabled.…

"Inventive Coaches"

LEAVING THE FIELD OF PLAY

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Question:
On the occasion of a goal kick from Team A the coach is instructing his outside mid-fielders to step off the pitch about 1/3 of the way down, proceed in the direction of the kick while still outside the pitch then enter the pitch to make the play. It took me awhile to realize what was going on. After the game I asked the referee if this was leaving the field without permission and she agreed that they weren’t leaving the field to play the ball as allowed. Also note that the player was not reentering the field at the point at which they left. I also contend that this was done to deceive and thus would be considered unsporting behavior.

USSF answer (April 30, 2009):
Players are allowed to leave the field without permission only during the course of play — to avoid obstacles, such as an opponent, and to play the ball in the possession of an opponent on the line.

Players are not otherwise allowed to leave the field of play without specific permission of the referee. Doing so and then re-entering without permission is at least a cautionable offense.

This has nothing to do with trickery or deception. It is, plain and simple, the offense of leaving the field without permission, an act of misconduct in itself.…

Law 3 - Players

NOT SEEN? NOT AN INFRINGEMENT

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Question:
A team has 12 players on the field and scores a goal, the CR doesn’t recognize number of players is 12. The CR sets the ball at center field to restart the game when the opposing coach tells the referee there was 12 players on the field for the team that scored.

By this time the opposing team has taken the extra player off the field.

What should be done?

USSF answer (April 30, 2009):
If the referee and the assistant referee have not seen the incident, it did not happen and nothing can be done. The match officials need to be more observant of things beyond the play around the ball.

If there were a reliable witness to this incident — and that could only be a member of the officiating crew — the answer depends on whether the “extra” player belongs to the team that scored.  If it did, the goal is canceled and the restart would be a goal kick; otherwise proceed with the kick-off.  Furthermore, in either case, the “extra” player would be cautioned for USB and required to leave the field.…

Advice to Referees

DOGSO; SIGNAL TO DISALLOW GOAL

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Question:
1. Why are there two DOGO’s?
Handling is also punishable by a free kick or penalty kick so wouldn’t dogf be sufficient?

2. Signal by AR for goal to by disallowed is to stand at attention with flag straight down, but doesn’t say anything about the signal after eye contact with CR. Why doesn’t AR follow the same procedure as signaling a foul or offside as soon as he see’s it? Standing at attention with flag straight down to signal a person interfering looks the same as a foul, but the restart is IFK, not DFK. It seems like a conference is needed to get the correct restart, when giving the signal as soon as it becomes an offense gives all the necessary information. I see no reason to wait to give the flag a waggle or indicate offside. Can you explain the reasoning?

USSF answer (April 30, 2009):
1. The International Board wanted to make it clear that these were two different situations in several important respects.  First, DG-H has a goalkeeper exception, DG-F does not.  Second, they use a different standard — DG-H = but for the handling, the ball would have gone into the net;; DG-F = in the opinion of the referee, the opportunity was disrupted.  Third, DG-H does not involve any of the “4 Ds” (they are applicable only to DH-F).  Fourth, DG-H applies to a substitute who has illegally entered the field, DG-F does not.

2. Yes. But we assume you want more than this clear and simple answer.

It is presumed that the referee will have seen enough of the events occurring just in front of the goal to differentiate among the three different possibilities for canceling a goal even though the ball is in the net (offside offense by the scorer, offside offense by a teammate of the scorer, foul by an attacker) and that the AR’s signal is primarily a further confirmation.  To that end, the procedure for the first is to signal the offside offense in the usual way but to simply stand still (“at attention”) for the other two.  The referee, seeing the latter signal, therefore knows that there are only two possibilities — offside offense by a teammate of the scorer or a foul by an attacker.  This is usually sufficient for most experienced referees.  If it is not for some reason, then the referee and AR can confer briefly.  As for differentiating between an indirect free kick versus a direct free kick restart for the two offenses indicated by the AR standing still, most experienced referees would again recognize that, so close to the defending team’s goal, it rarely matters which will occur.…

Advice to Referees

RESTART WHEN PLAYER INTERFERES WITH THROW-IN

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Question:
This question has come up three times in the last 5 weeks of our adult amateur soccer league play. Each time, there has been controversy over the re-start, so we are submitting this to the “experts” for final adjudication in writing.

Red Team player #1 is taking a throw-in in accordance with Law 15.

Blue Team player #2 decides to move to a position where he is standing in front of the thrower, clearly less than 2 yards away.

Before the Referee can warn Blue player #2 to move back, the ball is thrown in by Red player #1, and the Referee blows his whistle to caution Blue player #2 for Failure to Respect the 2 yard Distance on the throw-in.

In reading the new FIFA Laws of the Game (on page 125), we believe that play is restarted with a throw-in for the Red Team. This appeared to the correct restart and was the restart employed in each of the three games. This past weekend, two Assessors and an Instructor (along with many other referees) proclaimed that the correct restart should be an Indirect Free Kick. The logic given was that the ball had already crossed the plane of the Touch Line so it should be deemed to be “in play”.

It appears to me that the restart for this “Failure to Respect the Distance” violation should be treated the same as any other. If there were a “FRD” violation on a corner kick, we would re-take the corner kick. If there were a “FRD” violation on a direct free kick, we would re-take the direct free kick.

What is the correct restart for a “FRD” violation, for which a yellow card is shown, on a Throw-in?

USSF answer (April 28, 2009):
The correct restart in this case is a retake of the throw-in. The ball was not in play when the infringement occurred. The Advice to Referees makes it very clear that failure to withdraw the required distance on a throw-in (or a corner kick) is to be handled the same way as would be the case on a free kick.…

Law 5 - Referee

CHARLES W. FLEISCHER, JR., MAJOR USMC (RET.)

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This is a departure from our normal format of questions and answers, but all referees in the United States need to know of and mourn the loss of our colleague, Charles W. Fleischer II, Major USMC, Ret., who lost his final battle with cancer on 25 April 2009. Chuck was a valued friend, close associate, and a true believer in The Beautiful Game. He was also an heroic helicopter pilot (callsign Chatterbox 16) in Vietnam, where he completed many missions under heavy enemy fire.

Chuck may not have pleased all his audiences, but he believed in telling the truth, telling it straight, and taking no prisoners in his battle to raise the level of skill and professionalism in refereeing. He remained a steadfast warrior in this fight to the very end.

I, for one, will miss him greatly.

Jim Allen

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Law 11 - Offside

OFFSIDE IN U8 GAMES?

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Question:
I am going to be reffing my first game on Saturday. It is a u8 game. Is it true that u8s don’t play with offsides? Thanks for the help.

USSF answer (April 23, 2009):
According to the USYS rules for U8 small-sided soccer, there is no offside at the U8 level.

You will have to check the local rules of competition — what the league your are refereeing in wants to have called (or not) — to know for sure what to do in the game you will be working.…