Question Number: 16329

Mechanics 8/16/2007

RE: Competitive Under 19

Rick Czechowski of San Diego, CA USA asks...

Why do referees in some countries/league blow their whistles after a goal is scored and others do not? In the US, it is the custom NOT to use the whistle to signal a goal in conjunction with the arm signal, but I still see some experienced referees blowing it anyway.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Here is the latest guidance from FIFA regarding the whistle:

The whistle is needed to:

start play (1st, 2nd half), after a goal

stop play

for a free kick or penalty kick
if match is suspended or terminated
when a period of play has ended due to the expiration of time

restart play at free kicks when the wall is or ordered back the appropriate distance

penalty kicks

restart play after it has been stopped due to

the issue of a yellow or red card for misconduct

injury

substitution

The whistle is NOT needed

to stop play for:

a goal kick, corner kick or throw-in

a goal

to r restart play from

a free kick, goal kick, corner kick, throw-in

A whistle which is used too frequently unnecessarily will have less impact when it is needed. When a discretionary whistle is needed to start play, the referee should clearly announce to the players that the restart may not occur until after that signal.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Rick,
a whistle is not required as normally a goal is most often a singular event, well recognized and easily discernable! In other words it stops play because we all *know* what just happened.

It is when the event is not so OBVIOUS* that a whistle must halt play, often via a flag by the AR to indicate the ball (perhaps even barely) but did in fact go *COMPLETELY over the goal line under the crossbar between the posts as opposed to bulging the old onion skin in irrevocable fashion!

Personality and the idiosyncrasies of each referee that make up the character have as much to do as the training he or she receives in formulating habits.

No referee should award a goal until he has checked over with the AR to ensure law 10 was not violated in some manner or in close calls where the ball could or could not be over the line. A good AR keeps the referee from either digging his own hole to crawl out of or prevents sticking either foot in the butt or pulling it out of mouth. Too early a whistle or too late either can create MORE controversy than no whistle!

You could wind up whistling and signaling a goal for no real reason only to look over and see the AR standing still shaking his head telling you oh oh!.

When witnessing a goal simply confirm with the AR with thumbs up and if the thumb up is returned or head shake yes indicate good goal identify the scorer and time restart kick off!
Whistle is used to perhaps stop the keeper and goal scorer from contesting for the ball in a tug of war to restart quickly!
It is no different than if the ball is wracked out a mile into touch for a corner or throw in or goal kick. A whistle is simply not required to tell everyone you saw it too!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

When I first started refereeing, I blew the whistle when a goal was scored. After all, the team had just accomplished something great that should be recognized. Then I got my first blow-out game, and I felt kind of silly blowing that whistle for the 9th goal ...

Whistles should be used when they need to be used. Too much, and the players tune it out, much like the Boy Who Cried Wolf.

The whistle must be used when we need to stop play. If play has stopped all by itself - as when the ball is obviously out of bounds, including into the goal - then there's no need to whistle. You whistle to stop play when it isn't obvious that the ball went out, or for stoppages like fouls. And of course when time expires.

Whistles are also used certain times when play starts: kickoffs, penalty kicks, free kicks when they are ceremonial, after a substitution or misconduct. These are times when the referee has to make sure everything is in order before the restart. Ordinary restarts like goal kicks, throw-ins or quick free kicks don't have to be whistled.

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

Advicee to Referees clearly states that no whistle is needed after a goal is scored. Many referees simply do not know this. Other referees think that it sells the goal better. Who knows!