Question Number: 18993

Law 5 - The Referee 5/5/2008

RE: Competitive Under 14

Mark of Phoenix, AZ USA asks...

Attacking team shoots a ball that nicks the bottom of the crossbar and then drops down like a rock. The ball bounces once on the grass (exactly where I can't see) and the goalkeeper immediately grabs it and swings around so the ball is then clearly out of the goal.

CR is standing within the goal box and has a clear up-close view of the play, but at an angle. AR is lined up with the end line and has square-on view of the play, but from much farther away than the CR.

AR signals a kick-off restart and runs toward midfield. Attacking team begins to celebrate. CR, without looking at the AR, gives a "play on" gesture and yells out "NO GOAL" in a loud and authoritative voice. Much confusion ensues as the goalkeeper then punts while half the attacking team is still busy celebrating.

Attacking team's coach goes ballistic, screaming loud and long at the CR that he has to defer to the AR's call.

Does the attacking team have grounds for a protest of the match based on the CR's "no goal" call in that situation, given that the CR did not check with the AR?

Does the CR have grounds for carding the attacking team's coach for dissent? (Local league rules instruct referees to handle coach discipline using cards, same as for players.)

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

No player should react to what the AR does only what the referee thinks and whistles are the conditions to react too. You always play until the whistle goes. Even if it is OBVIOUS the ball is well into touch as a player you stay focused on the match as play is always ongoing even when things appear stopped.

I had an inexperienced AR raise a flag for an offside that simply was impossible and the defenders all stopped as I waved it down and shouted "Ball is in play! Continue! they were upset saying I have no choice if the AR raises the flag. I had to remind them with some itty bit of yellow plastic that any flag is for my information not theirs.

First off the AR signals NOTHING and SAYS nothing to those watching, he and the referee lock eyes and the AR begins the to go up the touchline to a kick off position indicating he thought the ball was in without saying anything.

The referee then has that information. If the referee chooses to disregard it, then he does not indicate a goal, he allows play to continue. The AR resumes his duties with the second last opponent and files this away for a post game review. The key here is any decent pregame should cover these things as well as understanding reading and following the guide to procedures

I do not like the term "play on" as it conveys advantage foul ideals, instead if the words "NO GOAL!" are shouted to limit the confusion then add the why "The ball did not completely cross the line!? and run with the play allowing no chance to argue or dissent face to face with unhappy players.

The coach has no right to scream at a referee no matter how foolish he thinks a referee?s choice is. He can record and report the inconsistencies as he perceives them and perhaps if they are monitored and a pattern emerges things could improve. A coach can be warned to desist or expelled depending on the actions he decides to undertake to vent his displeasure. I know this concept of showing cards to coaches is to fight the intimidation of young or inexperienced referees by coaches but under FIFA law it is not permitted as they are reserved for the team players only. While a referee could selective choose to allow some venting there are limits to any dispute. You either agree to disagree and move forward or you will likely be moved off the field and to the showers.

This choice by the referee was an opinion on a fact of play and whether a goal is scored is at the discretion of the referee and is undisputable. Only if the laws are misapplied could a protest be upheld, here it simply was a difference of opinion and right or wrong a referee always wins those arguments because as a neutral official it is why he is there, to DECIDE things.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Hmm, and just this weekend I had a coach ask me why I let my AR "overrule" me in making a decision. Seems to me the coaches in my game and in this question don't really want to know about R/AR heirarchy. Rather, they want the call to go in their favor.

Having said that, the referee who ignores information that the AR can give him, especially when the AR is in a position to better see the incident, is not taking advantage of team dynamics to have the game officiated as fairly as possible. In the late minutes of a tie game, the referee called a foul just outside the penalty area. As AR, I could clearly see it was outside. I immediately lined myself up 19 yards from the goal line and gave an unauthorized additional signal by pointing with my flag to the site of the foul. That didn't stop the coach from grumbling about a PK, and certainly as he pointed out, the kid ended up on the ground a couple yards inside the PA. After the game the ref told me he thought the trip happened outside the line, but was glad to see me pointing to the spot to confirm his judgement.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

The AR is there to assist the referee. Period. ALL decisions are made by the referee. For example, when the AR raises the flag for offside, the referee is free to accept or reject this. Same in your case. The referee was in position and decided the AR was incorrect. He did his job by yelling NO GOAL although he should NOT have given a play on gesture as there was no advantage here. the attacking coach should remind his players to play the whistle which is something that's started to be taught at U8 so U14 Select players should likewise know when to stop playing. There can be no protest. The referee simply did his job. Coaches are not to be shown cards but the referee would also have been within rights to dismiss the coach from the field for behaving in an irresponsible manner.

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