Uniform-Ref

GOLD REFEREE JERSEYS (AGAIN)

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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)

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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.…

Law 12 - Fouls & Misconduct

MISCONDUCT AT A PENALTY KICK

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Question:
During a PK, 1-2 players from the defending team shout out loud just as the kicker kicks the ball. Ball does not go in(deflects off goalie and goes out of bounds)). Ref shows one player a yellow card and awards attacking team a corner kick. Would a retake of the PK be justified based on the rule that if a teammate of the goalkeeper infringes the Laws of the Game, and the ball does not enter the goal, the kick is to be retaken ?

USSF answer (May 12, 2009):
The two shouting opponents must be cautioned for unsporting behavior. If the ball did not enter the goal, the penalty kick must be retaken. If the ball did enter the goal, the goal is scored and the restart is a kick-off.…

Law 12 - Fouls & Misconduct

SPACE?

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Question:
I was recently the center referee for a mid-flight U14 boys game. One player on the white team had foot skills well beyond any other player. This player “fell” twice early in the game when pressured by a defender. I did not see any trip, so let play continue. His third “fall” was a very acrobat twisting fall over a defender’s leg which left me wondering if he was fouled or if he took a dive. I decided to watch this player’s feet closely any time he touched the ball during the remainder of the game.

In the second half, with white up 1-0, the same player had the ball in the opponents’ penalty box. There were two defenders between him and the goal. Both defenders were facing him and standing about 2 feet apart with their legs in a natural position at their sides and slightly out from their hips. The white player played the ball between the two defenders and ran into the gap. Before either defender could react, the white player feet clearly got entangled in one of the defender’s feet and he tripped / went down hard.

In my judgment, the skilled white player could have stepped over the defender’s leg and gotten through the gap without making contact, but chose to allow himself to be tripped to draw the foul and a PK.

My choice was to either caution the white player for diving or to give him the PK for being tripped. In favor of the PK – the white player had a right to the space between the defenders and he was tripped. In favor of a caution – the white player had the skill to jump over the legs and continue to the ball.

I ended up giving the player the PK since he did have a right to the space and did go over the defender’s leg and I felt I should not be judging his intent (did he allow himself to be tripped?), but rather the actions on the field (attacker splits the gap and trips over defenders leg).

Was this the proper call? Should a referee judge the intent of a player?

USSF answer (May 12, 2009):
The referee must judge the result of an action, not attempt to divine the intent of the player. The word “intent” was removed from the Law some years ago.

No player has a right to “space.” Each player owns the space he or she is currently occupying, unless he or she ran to a spot and suddenly stopped, effectively creating a blockade of an opponent. If all was as you describe it, the defenders were attempting to play the ball, rather than play the player, and they committed no offense.

Did the player actually dive, or did he fall over the opponent’s foot by running over it? That might be a foul by the attacking player. If the defending player was trying to play the ball, there might be a foul, but we cannot call either of those fouls from the comfort of our desks.…

"Inventive Coaches"

“MEDICAL PERSONNEL”

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Question:
The following happens in a boys U12 game. An attacker is fouled in the box, with a resulting whistle and penalty kick. The fouled attacker is shaken up and, after inspection, the referee signals his coach onto the field to treat him. (Note: there are no doctors or other medical personnel available.)

After a relatively short visit by the coach, the player is up and wants to continue in the game and take the PK. However, the referee tells him (and the coach) that he must temporarily leave the field since the injury required team personnel to be summoned onto the field.

The coach’s position is that the player does not have to leave the field for the following reasons:

1. ATR (Law 5.9) states that: “When the referee has stopped play due solely to the occurrence of a serious injury, the referee must ensure that the injured player is removed from the field….If play is stopped for any other reason, an injured player cannot be required to leave the field.”

The coach maintains that play was stopped for the foul, not for the injury, and that this wording says that the injured player cannot be required to leave the field.

2. The coach is also later directed to the following USSF wording: “A player for whom the referee has requested medical personnel to enter the field at a stoppage is required to leave the field and may return with the referee’s permission only after play has resumed even if the stoppage was not expressly for the injury.”

His position is that: (a) “medical personnel” was not summoned onto the field – only a coach; and (b) this is contradictory to the ATR advice in 5.9 that states “if play is stopped for any other reason, an injured player cannot be required to leave the field.”

It would be appreciated if you could respond to this coach’s position.

USSF answer (May 12, 2009):
Basic rule of soccer: Coaches will try in every possible way to divert your thinking from the true path. Do not let this happen!

There is no basis in what the coach says, as the player must leave the field in any event, no matter why the game was stopped. What Advice 5.9 says is this: “Players who are injured are required to leave the field under either of two conditions: The referee has stopped play due solely to the occurrence of a serious injury or the referee signals approval for anyone (team official, medical personnel, etc.) to enter the field to attend to an injury (regardless of whether that person enters to assist or not and regardless of why play was stopped).”

The USSF position paper on “Handling Injuries,” dated October 12, 2007, states: “‘Medical personnel’ for purposes of these guidelines includes any team official who has responsibility for the player in the absence of available trained medical staff.”

Basic answer: If there no “medical personnel” available at the game and someone, anyone, is called into the field to attend to an injury, the player must leave the field. It makes no difference if it is the coach, Mom or Dad, or a passing stranger: The player MUST leave the field.

And when play is restarted, after the player has left the field, the referee must blow the whistle.…