Question Number: 14846

Mechanics 2/15/2007

RE: grade 8 12years of refereeing Adult

Carl Belletti of Pittsburgh, Pa USA asks...

I was taking the quize on the referee.com webpage and I came to the following question. The first half ends and the players are returing to their benchs player A3 pushes B9 hard to the groundsome six feet a way. I gave the answer send off player A3 and show the redcard. They gave the correct answer as showing the redcard to player A3 and the A team will have to play a man down in the second have. I was under the inpression that because this took place off the field and not during the playing time the teams would 11v11

Answer provided by Referee Debbie Hoelscher

The operative word here is "player." There's a huge difference between a substitute and a player. A player is one who actively participates in a match on the field of play and listed on the roster as one of the 11 players -- or a was a listed substitute and became a player of record when replacing a player listed on the roster (by entering the field of play after the player being replaced left the field of player AND received permission from the referee to enter the field of play). A substitute is a member of the team that has been listed on the team's roster as a "named substitute" and waits ever so patiently off the field of play in his team's bench/technical area for his opportunity to shine.
If after the match has started, but before the match has ended, a player is sent off and shown the red card, then the team plays down....if a substitute or a player that has been replaced (in other words they were listed on the roster as one of the starting 11 players and has subsequently been replace by a named substitute) is sent off and shown the red card, then the team remains at full strength, but the substitute cannot be replaced.

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

Nope. If its a field player their team plays down a man. Whether on or off the field even if at half time. If it would be before game, then they could play with full strength though.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

If the event occurred during an American High School soccer game the team would NOT play short.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Carl,
the second half is a continuation of play not the start of play as in the first half kick off. If the action occured before the 1st half kick off, VC misconduct on or off the field, only the player goes and the team can replace him from their substitutuion roster.

Once the game has begun even with unlimited subs if you are aware the player was in fact a player as red card misconduct that player is sent off at the half time interval and his team would play a man down except the USA highschool has an addendum that implies only the player is punished not his team. Remember although we can accept the players leaving as off the field the SUBSTITUTION process is NOT completed until the new players step onto the field at the start of the second half when the whistle sounds to resume play. PLAYERS are held accountable for their actions as a player until the substitution process is completed then as a subbed player he no longer forms part of the field playing 11 but can still be disciplined according to the nature of the misconduct he is involved in! Cheers