Question Number: 18792

Character, Attitude and Control 4/14/2008

RE: competive Under 16

Ken of Bakersfield, CA USA asks...

Defensive player goes to sideline to get water with play in offensive end. Quick counter attack ensues and the player runs back to his position with the water bottle. He notices that I the ref. notices and throws the bottle 30 meters to the sideline ?
What to do?
I stoped play, discussed the issue with the player and restarted with an IFK for dangerous play to the opposite team.
Was this the best answer?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Ken ,
the taking of water is not prohibited during the match but running around with a water bottle in the middle of the field is outright dumb. As an act of USB it is thin on substance, while certainly stupid, was it actually dangerous? How was an OPPONET affected? It will affect your restart location if the misconduct is player originated or ball location.

An indirect free kick is also awarded to the opposing team if a player,
in the opinion of the referee:
? plays in a dangerous manner
? commits any other offence, not previously mentioned in Law 12,
for which play is stopped to caution or dismiss a player
The indirect free kick is taken from where the offence occurred. * (see
page 3)

Cautions for unsporting behaviour
There are different circumstances when a player is cautioned for
unsporting behaviour e.g. if a player
? acts in a manner which shows a lack of respect for the game

Delaying the restart of play to issue a card
Once the referee has decided to issue a card, whether to caution or
send off a player, play shall not be restarted until the sanction has
been administered.

Offences where an object is thrown
If while the ball is in play, a player, substitute or substituted player
throws an object at an opponent or other person in a reckless manner, the referee shall stop play and caution player, substitute or substituted player.

Restart of play:
? If a player standing inside the field of play throws an object at any
person standing outside the field of play, the referee restarts play
with an indirect free kick taken from the position in which the ball
was located when play was stopped * (see page 3) subject to law 8 special circumstances in the goal area

In a hot steamy match with a lower threshold of professionalisim I might advise, "That was dumb do not do it again! at the next stoppage perhaps rather than an actual stoppage with a caution and indfk as required!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

USSF's publication Advice to Referees has this to say:

[quote]
19.4 WATER
Players who wish to drink water while play continues may do so only from the touchline and without leaving the field. Players may also drink water during stoppages at any of the boundary lines. If water containers are left along boundary lines outside the field, they must not interfere with the movement of the assistant referee or block his or her view of the length of the touchline. Under no circumstances may water containers of any sort be thrown onto the field, either during play or at stoppages (including the halftime break), nor may they be thrown from the field after a player has finished drinking.
[end quote]

This doesn't say what to do about a player that takes a water bottle onto the field, or throws one. Playing in a dangerous manner was a clever thing to come up with. I think I'd prefer to stop play (when convenient for the opponents) or wait for the ball to go out, and give him a public tongue-lashing. Anyone else tries it after that warning, then it's a caution for Unsporting Behavior. Since I had stopped play only to talk with the player, the restart would be a dropped ball.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

I can't see this as playing in a dangerous manner. How did it disadvantage an opponent? PIADM is a foul and since there was no impact on an opponent how can there be a foul here? The player realized what he did and threw the bottle off the field. I wouldn't stop play for this but would give the player a talking to at the next stoppage.

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

You should have let play go on, so long as the bottle didn't impact an opponent, or strike someone or the ball or something like this.

Just talk to the guy later.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

Good thing he got rid of the bottle, good that it didn't hit anyone, good you noticed. Not good to stop play unless there was actually something to all this. Mentioning not to do it again at the next stoppage is a good thing. Making the request public is also a good thing.

Having a drink of water on a hot day is a good thing, passing out from lack of water is not.

Regards,