Gareth, a U-13 – U19 player, asks:
What happens if a coach has been ejected and asked to leave the field of play but does not go far enough to be out of sight and sound? If the same person returns to the field after regulation time to instruct players, what is the next action to be taken?
Answer
First, if a team official (e.g., coach) has been dismissed from the field, the game should not be restarted until and unless the referee is satisfied that the dismissed team official is in fact “out of sight and sound.”
Second, if a dismissed team official reappears in “sight and sound” at any time prior to the end of the match, play should be stopped again, the team official removed again, and the match only then restarted. Although not a “rule” regarding team official dismissal, we would recommend terminating the match if the dismissed team official reappears a second time. The reappearance should be included in the match report.
Third, depending on the local rules, the formal dismissal lasts only until after the game is over. Once it is over, the referee’s authority over the dismissed person ends but, even after the match ends and while the referee is still in the area of the field, any further irresponsible behavior from the same person should be included in the game report.
