Question Number: 18609

Law 15 - Throw In 3/24/2008

RE: Rec Adult

Robert Lame of Brick, nj usa asks...

This happened at one of our games last weekend. We are over 40 years of age. My teamate was taking a throwin. Evidently it wasn't quick enough for the referee's liking. He awarded the throw to the other team. When questioned, his reply was, "would you rather that I gave him a yellow card for delaying a restart and made him sit?".
We are using modified FIFA rules. A yellow card in our league would requre a player to sit out for 10 minutes.
I thought a warning would have been applicable. Was this an appropriate ruling?
The real question is, what would the re-start have been if he had showed the caution, since the ball was out of play?
Thank you.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

I beg to differ with your league, but you are not using "modified" FIFA rules. You are using a rule which FIFA and USSF specifically says you cannot use - you cannot force a player to be substituted or sit out for any length of time when he receives a caution.

So now the referee has a dilemma - does he caution the player and have to deal with the illegal league rule, or does he make up a fake rule and turn the throw over to the other team?

If this had been a game following FIFA and USSF, you are correct, the throw-in cannot be changed simply because the player takes too long.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

The referee made a serious error. If the -player is wasting time the referee only has two options: 1. verbally tell him to get on with it or 2. Issue a caution. the referee CANNOT arbitrarily give the ball to the other team. he can only award a throw to the other team if your player made a foul throw which you do not indicate. If the referee had issued a caution, the restart still must be a throw-in. All this said, your League does NOT have permission from US Soccer to make up this 10 minute sit out rule. The Laws Of The Game allow modifications to some Laws but not Law 12.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

The caution for delay of the restart does not CHANGE the restart. The refere made up a rule to thwart the other made up rule.
I assume there is some sort of made up rider policy that states in theory any player cautioned sits for ten minutes or so to CALM them down . You are using a great deal more than modified FIFA rules if there are sin bin additions and the referee can change the laws to suit his idea of fairness.
Here an unnecessary change where with unlimited subs a coach could CHOOSE to sub to achieve the same effect get a player out who maybe ill tempered and rash. Part of the procedure in cautioning taking the name, writing the number time info in the book, telling them of the offence, showing the card is a referee interacting to CALM things.
In a recent match I awarded a free kick to the Portuguese team from about 35 yards out right middle of the pitch in their opponents half. The opposition had all withdrawn appropriately and as single official I went wide left looking across at the destination where I expected the ball to be kicked into. The kicker was engaged in his native tongue conversation with his bench. Some time passed I whistled and said get to it he continued to talk to his bench heated in some conversation about what to do with the kick. I said again lets go, finally fed up, I ran over and cautioned him for delaying the restart even though it was his free kick. He was pointing at his own bench saying they were bothering him. He took the kick and scored a wonderful powerful bending kick into the top corner of the goal. I guess being cautioned made him so mad at his team he hit the ball with all his might rather than pass it as they wanted. Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

Wow! The referee can caution for delaying the restart of play, but cannot change the restart. This referee made an error within the Laws of the Game.