Question Number: 18048

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 12/2/2007

RE: Adult

Jed of Mid North Coast, New South Wales Australia asks...

In a recent mixed (men and women) game I played, with unlimited substitutions, I noticed a situation that I've never seen before. When a player was substituted, she entered the technical area, went to her bag and lit up a cigarette. In an effort to try to formulate an answer myself, I went to my trusty Q&A to LOTG and also read the additional instructions section. I was sure I had read something about smoking and mobile phones before, and found it under Law 5 of Q&A 2004. It stated that it a player uses a mobile phone or a cigarette they are to be cautioned for unsporting behaviour. This has since been removed from Q&A and there is no reference to it in Additional Instructions and Guidelines to referees.

While it is fairly obvious that I would caution a player who smoked whilst on the field, would the caution also apply to substitutes and substituted players? Is there anyway that a player/substitute can smoke without commiting unsporting behaviour and hence misconduct (ie. well away from the field of play and the technical area)? What about if players smoke during the half-time interval? What are your thoughts on this issue?

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

I would say if any player or sub or team official uses tobacco during the game, then they would need to be cautioned.

I would say if the player leaves the area of the field during half-time to go smoke, that is their business.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

I agree with Ref Montanino with a slight caveat. Using the cell in the technical area is not a good plan in any professional or semi-professional venue and your authority to deal with such a breach of soccer etiquette includes cautions to subs and substituted players and warnings to technical staff. However, on the Sunday afternoon games at the local park, getting hot and bothered about using a cell off of the field is going to create an unnecessarily hostile atmosphere. Using tobacco, particularly the kind that is puffed, should never be anywhere near a sporting venue if for no other reason than the dangers imposed by secondhand smoke, but it is unbecoming conduct according to FIFA, so that is your authority to deal with it, should you see fit. Again, I draw a slight distinction between the recreational adult soccer game and the professional or youth venues, although I would happily tell any adult smoking near any field I'm working to vamoose.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

As a former smoker I wonder about a substituted player having a fag on the substitutes bench. I mean there are times when it is a bloody necessity. I know in the locker room during the interval between the two periods of play or on the touchline after the first period having a fag and a couple slices of lime or lemon was something accompanying a cup of tea. Knowing that I might tend to accept such terrible behaviour.

This day and age in California smoking is akin to a crime and frowned upon. On a school ground or public ground it is prohibited by law so I must get in their knickers whether or not I want to.

What can you as referee do that's in accordance with written guidance? That isn't addressed unless it is a player on the park. In accordance with civil law, if applicable, you may deal with it appropriately. There is this one thing I sometimes do when I expect a difficult match, I eat an onion beforehand. Then when I speak with a player I make sure I'm up-wind. They usually listen and heed because they don't want me talking with them any more...

Regards,