THROW-IN SIGNAL

July 22, 2009 by Jim Allen

Question:

I am wondering about center referee mechanics for throw-in. I am getting feedback from referees that they have heard instructors tell them center referees should signal a throw-in with a 90 degree arm signal, rather than the 45 degree arm signal. They are being told to watch the MLS referees. Is this a change to referee mechanics?

USSF answer (July 22, 2009):
When in doubt, follow the instructions in the Guide to Procedures. The referee “Points 45 degrees upward to indicate direction of throw-in.”…

Law 18 - Common Sense

KEEPING TIME

July 22, 2009 by Jim Allen

Question:

We had a situation this morning in a championship game of a tournament. The game was tied after regulation of this U-13 girls game and went to two-10 minute “sudden death” overtime periods.

At the end of the 2nd overtime period, one of our players broke away and was 5 yards ahead of the defender and entered the penalty box when the ref blew the whistle to end the overtime–and onto penalty kicks.

Who knows if she scores , or not.

I have observed three or four matches during the games of three of my kids over the years where the ref blows the whistle to end a half or a game immediately following a goal and I was always told that refs will allow an “advantage” situation to play out.

Which philosophy is right if there is no rule about this.

USSF answer (July 22, 2009):
Many referees realize that the Laws of the Game (the rules we all play by, except in college or high school) allow the referee to be the judge of when time must be added and when the proper amount of time has elapsed. Most referees will wait until the ball is in a “neutral” area before saying “time is up” and ending a period. Some, restricted rules of particular competition or by their lack of knowledge of the Laws, will not. However, when we say that time is up, that means that the referee has made all necessary allowances for time lost. The only exception one might make would be when the ball is in the air heading toward goal and only the laws of physics and the skill of the goalkeeper will determine if a goal is scored or not.

We must add that “sudden death” (also known as “golden goal”) is not a permitted method of deciding a game.…

"Inventive" Refs

COMPETENCE OF THE REFEREE

July 21, 2009 by Jim Allen

Question:

During a recent away game for a U-14 boys team, both teams arrived at the field in time, but the referees did not show up. Us being the visiting team, waited about half an hour for them to contact other referees. They showed up close to an hour later, after the coaches from both teams agreed to forfeit the game.
The referee that showed up told the teams that there was no special provision in the rules as to how long should a team wait before conceding the points, and therefore, the game had to take place of be rescheduled for a later day.
My question is: is there an specific amount of waiting time for this, and how the league should handle such a matter according to the rules?
Thank you.

USSF answer (July 21, 2009):
We wonder at the referee’s audaciousness in saying that the teams had only a choice between playing the game that day or rescheduling for another day. This is far outside the referee’s level of competence. Only the league (or other competition authority) can make specific decisions rules on situations like this.

What bothers us is the failure of the referees to turn up on time. No team can be forced to forfeit a game when the referee and assistant referees are late. This would appear to be a problem of communication between the league and the assignor or between the assignor and the referees.…

Law 18 - Common Sense

DURATION OF EACH HALF

July 21, 2009 by Jim Allen

Question:

I was the official of a game that started 10 minutes behind schedule.
Before the game, I advised the teams that the 1st half was going to be reduced 10 minutes but, the 2nd half was going to be the 45-minute half.
I was a little skeptical in my decision because I have seen other referees adjusting each half equally for the time that was behind schedule (ie, if 10 minutes behind, then 40 minutes halves). None of the teams made any comments nor did my assistant referees.
What is the procedure to do this?
Did I make the correct decision?

USSF answer (July 21, 2009):
Unless there is something in the rules of the competition in which you were refereeing that permits the referee to arbitrarily shorten periods of play, then you have to follow the Laws of the Game.

LAW 7 – THE DURATION OF THE MATCH
Periods of Play
The match lasts two equal periods of 45 minutes, unless otherwise mutually agreed between the referee and the two teams. Any agreement to alter the duration of the periods of play (for example, to reduce each half to 40 minutes because of insufficient light) must be made before the start of play and must comply with competition rules.

As you can see, the Law calls for “two equal periods,” not one of 35 and one of 45. If you are going to shorten the periods, you must get the agreement of BOTH teams and make the decision that is fairest to all concerned. This must be done before the game begins. (And, if you were being assessed, the game would not count because the full amount of time was not played.)…

Guide to Procedures

STARTING THE WATCH

July 17, 2009July 17, 2009 by Jim Allen

Question:

As an AYSO Intermediate Ref, currently working on my Advanced Badge, I was reviewing your Guide to Proceedures. Under the kick off section, on page 9, you indicate “…starts watch and signals for the kickoff to be taken”. Is this really correct? Law 8 states, and a prior instructor had taught me, that the game starts only once the kick off has been taken. I was originally instructed that you don’t start your watch until the ball moves, as this indicates the start of the game. Should the USSF Guide To Proceedures actually state “Signal for the kickoff to be taken; once taken, start watch”, or is your current Guide correct to indicate start the watch first?

Please advise,

USSF answer (July 17, 2009):
While we formerly taught that the referee should wait to start the watch until the ball had actually been put in play, we have found that this distracts the referee from watching all that goes on at the actual first kick in the kick-off process. Therefore, we recommend that referees start their watch and then blow the whistle. The referee is thus more assured of seeing everything that occurs as the ball is put into play.

If you are worried about the proper amount of time, you can always add that particular second to the time to be added at the end of the period. Although many referees are encouraged NOT to add time by the rules of competition or by their own mistaken ideas, no game in the world has ever finished without the need for some amount of added time. Time is lost for numerous reasons throughout each period of play.…

Law 1 - The Field

DIGGING HOLES AND MAKING KICKING TEES

July 15, 2009 by Jim Allen

Question:
game u13g a player is desinated to kick all free and goal kicks. in doing so she constanly would use her heel of her boot to dig a hole so she would place the ball next to the hole so she would get a good lift on the ball
I could not find any thing on the FIFA rule book that is ok, or not.

USSF answer (July 15, 2009):
Creating a hole either behind the ball or to mound up dirt to create a “tee” is illegal. While you will find nothing specific to this particular situation in the Laws of the Game, it must not be permitted, and there a number of reasons for that.

The first is the established principle that players may not make unauthorized marks on the field. Although this is aimed mostly at goalkeepers who scuff lines around their area to assist them in “locating” themselves, there is no functional difference between scuffing lines and digging holes. Second, digging a hole is potentially dangerous, unless one assumes that the player becomes responsible for immediately “replacing the divot” after the kick is taken. So for safety reasons this is not allowed. Third, creating such a hole and tee is a form of “artificial aid” to assist play — and that is considered misconduct (using a teammate’s shoulders, hanging on the crossbar to make the save, trapping the ball with the shirt, etc.). Fourth, though a bit more of a stretch of logic, if a player cannot move or remove a corner flag for the taking of a corner kick, why would we allow the digging of a hole (or stubbing the toe into the dirt to create a “tee”) for the taking of a free kick? Fifth, would we allow this for the taking of a penalty kick? If not, then why would it be allowed for other kicking restarts?…

"Inventive" Refs

THROW-IN AND HANDLING

July 14, 2009 by Jim Allen

Question:

During an over 40’s mens’ recreational league match this weekend, there were 2 issues that another referee who is an assessor, told me I did incorrectly that surprised me.

1. During a throw-in, the player raised the ball just above his head and threw it in. Since law 15 states that the thrower delivers the ball from behind the head, I awarded a throw-in to the other team. After some discussion, it does raise the question, how far behind the head does the ball need to go before being a legal throw in?

2. During play near mid-field, a blue team player kicks a hard ball at close range (about 2 yards) from the white player who is running toward the ball. The white team’s player, in a flinch reaction, puts his hand up to protect his face and the ball hits his hand. He does not direct the ball after the contact. At the time, I did not consider it deliberate, and let play continue. This “no call” decision was based on the Advice to Referees as well as the 2009 Referee Program Directive on Handling the Ball, Part 4, where it talks about a purely instinctive reaction to protect sensitive areas of the body. This is consistent with the Advice to Referees. The other referee told me that not only should I have called handling, I should have given a yellow card because he considered it a tactical foul. I believe that it was neither a foul nor a misconduct.

USSF answer (July 14, 2009):
1. Referees need to remember that, in addition to the Letter of the Law, they need to be in tune with the Spirit of the Laws. A throw-in is simply a way of restarting the game. The decision on how far behind the head the thrower must bring the ball is a matter for the referee to decide. While the requirements of Law 15 are pretty specific, not bringing the ball fully “behind” the head is a relatively trivial infringement of those requirements.

2. Many referees have yet to learn that refereeing is not a case of “us” against “them,” but a matter of finding the best solution to a problem by balancing the Letter and the Spirit of the Law. As you describe the situation, and remembering the sources you have cited, we believe that you reached the correct decision in this case.…

Law 18 - Common Sense

ENDING A PERIOD OF PLAY

July 14, 2009 by Jim Allen

Question:

I am a fully qualified referee in [another country] and was recently spectating an U17 girl’s national championship match. At a guess, first-half time was almost expired. A player was hurt and had been receiving on-field medical attention for a couple of minutes while the ball was out of play (went out over the touchline). On resolving the player’s injury the referee blew her whistle for half-time. It was my understanding a referee can only blow their whistle for end of a half when the ball is in play? Am I right on this issue, or can a referee in fact signal the end of a half when the ball is out of play?
I’ve been researching this for a while because it would be helpful
to know the real ruling.

USSF answer (July 14, 2009):
While we cannot necessarily condone the referee’s allowing treatment on the field for a non-serious injury nor her not allowing additional time in the half (if there was still time left until the half truly ended), the whistle to signal the halftime break was probably okay. It is a practical way to let everyone involved in the game know that the half is indeed over.

Except for time running out before a penalty kick can be taken, there is no requirement in the Law that a period of play cannot be ended with the ball not in play. Although many referees will attempt to discover “added time” for such restarts as a corner kick, the fundamental point is that, when time is up (including allowances for time lost due to excessively delayed restarts), it’s up. End it.…

Interpretations/IFAB

RESTART ON IMPROPER THROW-IN

July 14, 2009July 14, 2009 by Jim Allen

Question:
Player A1 takes a throw in from the spot designated by the Referee/AR. A foul throw in is observed by the referee but the ball did not enter the field of play, that is, the ball did not break the plane of the touchline.

The throw in was not executed properly and the opponents (team B) argued they should be entitled to the throw in. But the ball never entered the field of play so the side originally entitled to the throw in (team A) argued they should still be entitled to the throw in because the ball did not enter the field.

What is the proper restart?

USSF answer (July 14, 2009):
The other team was correct; they get the throw-in.

This from the Interpretations of the Laws of the Game and Guide to Referees (2009/2010):
If the ball touches the ground before entering the field of play, the throw-in is retaken by the same team from the same position provided that it was taken in line with the correct procedure. If the throw-in is not taken in line with the correct procedure, it is retaken by the opposing team.…

"Inventive" Refs

SAFETY FIRST, PLEASE!

July 13, 2009July 13, 2009 by Jim Allen

Question:

On 6/16/06, you wrote the following:

“In those competitions that do not provide for water breaks, the spirit of the game requires the referee to ensure the safety of the players. Preventing injury from heat exhaustion would fall into that aspect of the referee’s duties. The answer may be summed up in two words: common sense.

“In fact, both the referee and the team officials share in the responsibility to protect player safety. The referee could, at a stoppage called for any reason, “suggest” the taking of water by any players interested in doing so. The timing of such a break and its length would be at the discretion of the referee. Obviously, the referee could decide to take this approach on his or her own initiative, with or without prior consultation with the coaches.

“However, either or both coaches could approach the referee prior to the match and suggest the need for extra hydration, in which case the intelligent referee would be well advised to listen and act accordingly.”

– – In the past few days, a referee has claimed that these instructions have now been superseded by the USSF and that a referee cannot suggest a water break or even allow a break when the ball is out of play – no matter how hot the day or how young the players – unless it is in the tournament rules. Is he correct that things have changed or is the opinion from June of 2006 still valid?

I hope that you can address this quickly with the hottest part of summer approaching. The health or even the lives of some young players might be at risk.

Thanks.

USSF answer (July 13, 2009):
The opinion of the United States Soccer Federation remains the same as it was in 2006: The safety of the players comes first and referees are expected to see to it that players are protected in every way possible.

Addendum: It is possible that you may have been distracted by some controversy over an incident in a professional game. Those are adults, playing other adults, all of them aware of what is going on. Referees are not to order water breaks at professional games and should apply common sense at other levels.…