Question:
An interesting thread has popped up on [a] UK board . . . :
The question is when the center referee has missed an incident of violent conduct, the AR sees it, but the center does not see the AR’s signal until after play has restarted.
Laws I&G page 90 says,
“Whenever the assistant referee signals for violent conduct and the signal is not seen immediately:
• if play has been stopped for disciplinary action to be taken, the restart must be in accordance with the Laws (free kick, penalty kick etc.)
• if play has already restarted, the referee may still take disciplinary action but not penalise the offence with a free kick of penalty kick”
Advice 5.17 says, “The referee may send off and show the red card for violent conduct to a player, substitute, or substituted player after the game has been restarted if the assistant referee had signaled the offense before the restart.”
Does the second bullet point in the Laws quote mean that the restart is a dropped ball? I would have thought the restart to be an indirect free kick, based on a stoppage solely for misconduct.
USSF answer (January 8, 2010):
Yes, the correct restart in this case is a dropped ball. See also Advice 5.13.
