ONLY IN AMERICA!

January 27, 2009 by Jim Allen

Question:
Hello I am a new referee and was watching a game where a state referee and president of the soccer league that the teams play for when he red carded a coach when He was not the referee or a.r of the current game I did not know this is legal is it?

USSF answer (January 27, 2009):
No, this was not proper procedure. No person, whether a referee or administrator, is allowed to send off players or show red cards if he or she is not the referee on that game. What that referee did is abuse of his power, clear and simple. Worse, it is wrongful abuse of power and should be reported to the state referee administration and to the state soccer association. Please do so as soon as possible.…

Law 6 - Other Officials

AR POSITION AT CORNER KICK ON REF’S SIDE OF FIELD

January 19, 2009 by Jim Allen

Question:
Early on in my referee training in the mid 1980’s, I was instructed as an AR positioning for a corner kick from the oppositte side of the field, that I was to take 1 step inside of the corner flag, so that I would have a clear view and wouldn’t have a problem with my flag banging with the corner flag. I have had assessors advise me to stay off the field and behind the flag. What is the preferred positioning?

USSF answer (January 19, 2009):
Let us consult the oracle, the USSF publication “Guide to Procedures for Referees, Assistant Referees, and Fourth Officials” (2008-09), which tells us that for a corner kick from the referee’s side of the field:

Assistant Referee
• Provides confirming flag signal (45 degrees downward toward near corner) after referee indicates a corner kick when ball crosses referee’s side of goal
• If referee makes obvious eye contact to ask for assistance on correct restart, signals for corner kick and maintains the signal as referee indicates decision
• If the ball passes out of play and immediately returns to the field, signals with a vertical flag until acknowledged by the referee, then gives the corner kick flag signal
• Steps upfield from goal line to avoid pointing the flag off the field
• Moves to the near corner and takes position on the goal line behind the flag
• Following the kick, recovers to the offside position as quickly as possible

…

Law 11 - Offside

AR WAITING TO JUDGE OFFSIDE PARTICIPATION

January 7, 2009 by Jim Allen

Question:
I too am sometimes confused by the AR Procedure. Let’s find out.

Should the AR hold his/her position with flag lowered waiting to judge whether the OSP attacker becomes OS, while the ball advances, and then run to catch up to the ball or NTLD if the OS does not develop, or

Run to stay with the ball or NTLD letting play develop, and if then judging the OSP attacker to be OS due to delayed participation, flag it, get Refs attention and then run back to mark the OS position for the IFK?

My personal mechanic has been to hold the position and rush to catch up if the Offside does not develop. Reason being that 95% of the time I will be in the right position when the OSP attacker becomes OS. Or be pretty close and have more time if the Defense takes possession or the ball goes into touch. The other 5% ??? Of those few instances when I see the possibility of an on side attacker coming thru to play the ball, I try to stay with the ball and then only rush back to the original OSP if I judge the OSP attacker to be OS.

Can you provide any references on this.

USSF answer (January 7, 2009):
If your mechanic works for you, that is fine. However, we recommend REMEMBERING where the player was when the ball was played by his or her teammate — a few yards are not going to mean the world falls apart — and staying with play until it is clear that the offside has materialized.

The AR runs down the touch line, maintaining proper position with either the ball or second-last defender, and then raises the flag when the attacker has become actively involved and is thus offside (subject to the decision of the referee). When the referee sees the raised flag and blows the whistle, the AR makes eye contact with the referee and points the flag to the far, middle or near side, whichever is correct. The AR then moves back down the touch line to a point in line with the correct spot for the restart.

Note: There is no specific advice on the matter because it is left to the discretion of the referee to cover the issue in the pregame. The issue, simply put, is that the AR must continue to maintain proper position during the period of time between when an offside position is noted and when the offside violation is clear enough to be flagged. The AR’s position must be maintained in this scenario because of the possibility that an offside violation may not occur. The issue outcome hinges on identifying the correct location of the restart.…

"Inventive" Refs

YOU MUST CALL FOULS THE SAME EVERYWHERE ON THE FIELD!!

December 30, 2008 by Jim Allen

Question:
Do indirect free kicks in the penalty box still exist? So often penalties are awarded for fouls in the area that do not deny goal-scoring opportunities (players going away from goal etc), this leaves the ref in a catch 22 as if it is either/or as the punishment will not fit the crime. It seems that in taking subjective judgement away from the ref the laws tie the hands of the official, who sometimes even yellow-card an attacker for simulation when they were in truth fouled, but rather than give a soft pen the ref cards the striker for diving. Using the indirect free-kick in the box would empower refs to deal with the pushing etc from set-pieces, instead of forcing them to turn a blind eye on defensive cheating unless it is really flagrant and can justify a near-certain goal.

USSF answer (December 30, 2008):
Wherever did you get the idea that the award of a penalty kick is limited to situations in which an obvious goalscoring opportunity is involved?!?!?! That is completely wrong!

The Laws of the Game have not changed in this regard for over one hundred years. There is no such thing as a “soft penalty.” If a direct free kick foul, in other words a “penal” foul, is committed on the field, it should be treated exactly the same in the penalty area as it would be at midfield. There is no “either / or,” there is only the correct call.

You will find a similar question and answer on the website now, dated December 17. The answer states:

“We always encourage referees to use their discretion in making any call, based on the factors that went into making the decision in the first place. However, too many referees blur the lines between the various fouls, particularly the clear difference between playing dangerously and committing a direct-free-kick foul. In most cases this is done because the referee doesn’t want to appear too harsh or, much worse, because the referee is afraid to call a foul a foul. How many referees have you seen who say that the same foul they would have called a direct-free-kick foul at midfield is not a penalty-kick-foul when committed in the penalty area? They then chicken out and call it dangerous play, depriving the offended team of a fully justified penalty kick.

“You have to make the decision and stick with it. The offense in this case is not simply against the Laws of the Game, but against the whole tradition and spirit of the game.”

Why is it so difficult for referees to understand that a penalty kick does not have to be “earned”? it is sufficient that a penal foul is committed in the penalty area against the attacking team.…

Law 12 - Fouls & Misconduct

WHAT TO DO?

December 11, 2008December 12, 2008 by Jim Allen

Question:
[I and a friend] were discussing testing questions and the famous ‘opponent entangled in the net’ scenario came up.

==
” opponent enters the goal during dynamic play and becomes entangled in the net …. keeper then steps into the goal and punches opponent ” ….

The question is whether, after the well-deserved Send-Off, the correct restart is a Dropped Ball due to action off the field …. or an Indirect Free Kick due to the fact that the player [ GK ] left the field to commit the misconduct -as indicated by note 5 under 12.35 in current versions of ATR.

At some point in time, we were taught that the restart was a dropped ball. We are guessing that under the current interpretation, the correct restart is now IFK …. this would make sense to keep things consistent.

If there are any exceptions, please explain.

USSF answer (December 11, 2008):
In cases like this, the restart is governed by what occurred first. As we all know, players are permitted to leave the field during the course of play to avoid obstacles or to show that they are not involved in a possible offside situation, so the player who left the field has done nothing wrong — unless there is some evidence that he or she was taunting or using inappropriate language against the goalkeeper. The new supplemental memorandum (commenting on this year’s Interpretations section of the Lawbook) makes it clear that leaving the field for the purpose of committing misconduct is by definition NOT “leaving the field in the normal course of play” and therefore the goalkeeper’s act of leaving the field without permission to attack the player in the net governs the restart, an indirect free kick from the place where the ball was when that occurred (keeping in mind the requirements of Law 13). The restart cannot take place until the goalkeeper has been shown the red card and dismissed for violent conduct (and the other player has been punished, if that is warranted by what went on).…

"Inventive Assessors"

RUNNING TO THE GOAL LINE

December 2, 2008 by Jim Allen

Question:
In a tournament this weekend I was told by the assessor that as AR I should be running all the way to the corner flag before signalling the goal kick. Stopping at the six and pointing toward the goal area was not enough. He called it just being lazy. On shots taken outside the eighteen, from midfield, even if 2LD was at midfield, he still wanted us to run to the corner flag before signalling. I understood this to be proper proceedure for a corner kick but had never heard of it for goal kicks.
The games I centered were confusing. The AR delaying signal until he got to the corner flag made me question whether he was calling goal kick or corner kick. Is this a new proceedure or just more creative refereeing?
All I could find in Guide to Procedures was to point toward goal area and nothing about running to corner flag. I want to use the correct procedure. Please advise.

USSF answer (December 2, 2008):
Lazy is as lazy does. The assessor’s advice is well intentioned but not entirely accurate or necessary. Of course the assistant referee should run all questionable balls the entire distance to the goal line. “Questionable balls” are those that are contested by players from both teams and could result in either a goal kick or a corner kick. However, when there is no question as to what the restart will be, and for whom, there is no need to continue all the way to the goal line. The top of the goal area is fine in most cases.…

Law 15 - Throw In

SPIKE THROW-IN

December 1, 2008 by Jim Allen

Question:
Worked a match recently in which a throw-in was made nearly straight down and then rebounded to strike an opponent in the face.

As far as I understand the Laws do not address the throw-in which is executed as a spike throw (nearly straight down and which rebounds directly back up) but there is a mention in the ATR although it is not any more clearly defined.

What is the current perspective as to this type of throw? Also what if this throw rebounds and impacts a player – opponent or team mate in the face or chest area?

USSF answer (December 1, 2008):
The reason it is not “more clearly defined” is that everyone should “know” what it is — a ball thrown straight down at the ground. There is, however, a caveat on this: The referee must be sure that this was done deliberately, rather than through an accident or pure lack of skill. If you use that criterion, then you are certain to make the correct decision with regard to a throw that rebounds and impacts a player. I. e., it can range from nothing through delay of the restart to dissent. Usually it is at worst only a simple mistake in not performing the throw-in restart in accordance with the Law.…

Law 11 - Offside

WHEN IS OFFSIDE?

December 1, 2008 by Jim Allen

Question:
Red team is defending an attack by blue team. A red player is clearly in an offside position in the center of the field about 10 yds inside the Blue team’s half, but not interfering in play. Suddenly the ball is cleared to the wing and the red team is now attacking. The ball is played to the offending red player who is now in an onside position on the edge of the PA. It is determined that the red player managed to get the ball as efficient as he did because of his original position and the speed at which the ball found him. Assuming the correct call is offside, where is the ball placed, at the edge of the PA or back up near the halfway line where he was offside? If at the edge of the PA, it seems although the red team is penalized, they have still gained an advantage because the ball is starting so much closer to the goal.

USSF answer (December 1, 2008):
The matter at the crux of the decision for or against offside is this: Where was the player at the moment the ball was last played by one of his teammates? It makes absolutely no difference where the player was before that moment.

Because the red player was in an onside position when the ball was played by one of his teammates and he than became actively involved in the play, a decision for offside would be incorrect and thus there is no reason for a restart. However, if the referee had stopped play and it is then found that the player was not offside, the restart would be a dropped ball at the place where the ball was when play was stopped.

This reasoning is reinforced by the fact that the player was in an offside position in the center of the field and not involved in play when the ball was played to the wing. It is perfectly legal to be in an offside position at any moment while the ball is in play and even at most restarts. What matters is the player’s subsequent involvement (or lack thereof) in play.…

Advice to Referees

MOVING AN ALREADY PLACED BALL AT A GOAL KICK

December 1, 2008 by Jim Allen

Question:
Situation: I am the CR for a U-12B recreational match. I have just awarded a goal kick and the keeper has placed the ball to take the kick. I then stop play for a substitution, as allowed by local rules (I wasn’t taking away a quick kick opportunity since the substitution was requested by the keeper’s coach). Upon signaling for play to resume, the keeper picks up the ball, and places it in a completely different area of the goal box (still legally placed, though), then takes the kick. After the match, one of my AR’s informs me that the ball cannot be re-placed like that and that I should have made the kicker take the kick from the spot where he originally placed it.

Question: I have read LOTG , GTP, and ATR and have been unable to locate anything on this. I have enjoyed working with this other referee many times and have respect for the advice, but I would still like to know where this is drawn from. Have I missed something? Where is there a reference to this?

Note: I do realize that, in some situations, this type of action may be considered as delaying a restart and, therefore, should be sanctioned as such. But, in this situation, I had already stopped the game for a legal substitution and did not see any harm in allowing this (the keeper did not take an excessive amount of time to re-place the ball).

Your wisdom would be appreciated.

USSF answer December 1, 2008):
At one time the ball had to be put into play at a goal kick from the side on which it left the field. This requirement was dropped some years ago in the interests of reducing time wasting, and play may now be restarted with the goal kick taken from any spot in the goal area. This was of some help in reducing the time wasting, but clearly not enough. The IFAB (the people who make the Laws of the Game) and FIFA (the people who administer the game worldwide) launched a campaign in 2000 that continued into 2002: Its theme was to eliminate excessive delay from the game. U. S. Soccer’s position can be found in the USSF publication “Advice to Referees on the Laws of the Game,” where it has been since 2001. Advice 12.28.4 indicates that one reason for cautioning a player for delaying the restart is the act of unnecessarily moving a ball which has already been properly placed on the ground for a goal kick. Clearly the referee will not caution where there is no measurable loss of playing time, such as in the situation you experienced.

Not sure what your local rules of competition say, but the Laws of the Game permit substitution at ANY stoppage of play.…

"Inventive Assessors"

ROLL UP YOUR SLEEVES AND GET TO WORK!

November 21, 2008 by Jim Allen

Question:
Just looking for clarification of the Jersey Sleeves Rule.

I read the published paper from Nov 4, 2002 suspending the previous provision regarding jersey sleeves.

The reason I ask is that I had an Assessor tell me that I need to make sure all players have sleeves on their jerseys and that they keep them rolled down. Just so that I’m consistent with USSF, has there been anything new on this subject? And what should be the proper stance for referees on this matter?

USSF answer (November 21, 2008):
We are sure you misunderstood the assessor, because there is no rule that players must keep their sleeves rolled up. No assessor would ever make up anything like that.

The Law requires that jerseys must have sleeves, but if players wear jerseys without sleeves the referee must allow them to play and then include full details in the match report.…