Question Number: 19235

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 5/30/2008

RE: all Adult

R Valenti of Lancaster, Ca USA asks...

This question is a follow up to question 19092

Re: question 19092

I am dismayed at the lack of understanding of law 12 with this question;
Your answers suggest that a referee can take a discipinary action [RED CARD} against a player without showing the player the red card. In the instance above, both the player and ref were still on the pitch after a match.
Law 12 provides that the player is SHOWN the card...imagine what chaos would insue if ref's issue ghost disp reports without the coach or player being notified that an offense was logged against them. Are you suggesting that player and coaches be clairvoyant and read what a referee mind, since the ref is NOT indicating discipine by not displaying the correct colour card?

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

I understood question 19092 to to ask:

Quote

Must A REF "show" a RED card: Player, after the game, still on Field while the REF was walking off and noting on the Game Card, player used abusive/offensive language to the REF

End Quote.

You'll note the original query asked if it is necessary to display a card after he leaves the field, at least that's what four of us understood when we all read "walking off".

Paragraph 5.17 of US Soccer's Advice to Referees ends with this advice:

Any misconduct committed by players or substitutes after the field has been cleared must be described in the game report and reported to the competition authority. Since such misconduct cannot result in a formal caution or send-off, no card may be displayed. Referees are advised to avoid remaining in the area of the field unnecessarily.

You'll please note, understanding the referee had left the field we, at least according to Law 12 and the stated policy of US Soccer, are quite correct.

Imagine the lack of chaos if your player had chosen not to let his alligator mouth override his humming bird brain.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

You can be no more dismayed than I at reading how you managed to find the answer you sought as different then what was said. If you reread my answer I included the fact one could show a card for misconduct at the conclusion of the match if they were on the field it is not MANDITORY to do so however. Failure to display a card does not make after match misconduct disappear. Nor does a player walking away without looking back to see if it was make it go away. As for informing the coach or referee of actions where a send off is not possible since a match is ended and they need not play down a man surely the fact the players pass was taken was a clue something was not right?

Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

I went back and re-read the original question. As my colleagues note, it was not apparent in the wording as to whether the ref and player had already left the field, or were in the process of doing so. It was indicated that the ref was filling out the paperwork - I always do that off the field.

What I hadn't noticed before in 19092 is that is says the ref neither showed the card nor told the player of the misconduct. Players should not be surprised by finding their names in a report. This is the reason that cards were invented in the first place - a player read in the news the next day that he had been cautioned, and didn't know it because of communication issues. Presuming both player and ref in 19092 spoke the same language, the player should have been told he had been sent off. Although I wonder just what the player was thinking when his pass was not returned ...

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Just curious: are YOU an expert on Law 12? Advice To Referees which ALL USSF certified referees must follow clearly states that if the players have left the field showing a card is forbidden.

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 19243