Question Number: 19931

League Specific 9/12/2008

RE: Rec/ HS /College Adult

Fulvia Paolella of Allentown, PA USA asks...

I have 3 sons involved with soccer. I recently saw a game from my son's former high school (district XI PIAA - Pennsylvania). The game was full of physical plays, lots of pushing on both sides, a few players got some yellow cards, there were 2 PKs awarded (1 questionable)... anyway... so you get the picture.
Two players go after a ball, they collide, noise from shiguards, ball, heads... both players fall - they get up both uninjured.
One player gets a red card almost immediately after they collide... actually to the one who got up first!!!
After all that was going on, the ref over-reacted and gave out this RED card , when it should have been MAYBE a yellow... this player (NOT MY SON BY THE WAY) will not be able to play the next match.
I saw the player devasted, he's a senior, good kid, not your typical trouble-maker, the point is -- it was too harsh of the ref to give him a RED --
My question is: IS THIS FINAl, meaning would at any time a REF reconsider and maybe give the kid a soft red - after all, he got kicked out of that game, and the team played with a man down. Punishment enough. Could the school/coach ask for a change to a soft red of a boys high school game? ARE the REF even allowed to change a call if the change their mind?
I appreciate the answers.
THANKS

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

High school soft reds are only for certain specified offenses. A second caution is one of them. Violent Conduct or Serious Foul Play (which would be the referee's reason for the disqualification in this incident) are not soft reds. The ref cannot elect whether the player can be replaced or not; the nature of the offense defines it.

A referee has up until play restarts to reconsider his actions. He may take the advice of assistant referees or a 4th official in a high-level USSF game. He does not take advice from the players, coaches or fans in coming to his decision.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

A referee with integrity sees what he sees. The fact he sees it different as a neutral official than those watching is a FACT of play. It is not that every call is perfect or correct but it is an opinion based on what he knows and to some extent what he does not.

Yes there will be misconduct and the acceptable boundries and tolerance levels will escalate or change depending on many factors. The referee is a match condition much like the weather or the pitch surface.
He is a part of the field same as a goal post or corner flag.
If the sun shines or the wind blows and the driving rain turns the pitch into a soggy uneven moor you adapt and play for to get mad at the weather or the the goal post or corner flag serves no useful purpose .

ONLY if the law itself was misapplied could a FACT of play be protestable.

This is a life lesson, things happen for a reason even if the reason does not always feel right. The referee made a decision based on an opinion of what he judged had occurred and restarted the match accordinly. The opportunity to change the decision passed once the match was restarted. As in any legal system many question the competancy of those endowed with such power to decide and render verdicts. One can only hope they are truthful and have moral value as much as they are corect or incorrect. While one can monitor and request those who assign referees to assess performances by the officials as part of ongoing training, here is a moment where you agree to disagree and move on!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

In my state, mistakes of any kind by a referee during a high school match are not protestable. Period.

The referee can always rectify a mistake, if in fact it was a mistake, if it can be done before the game is restarted. If not before then, the mistake/misapplication of the rules/law stands.

A spectator's perception of the game is often colored by their team affiliation, which is normal and natural. This is why neutral referees are employed to call the match.

While we do make mistakes, referees get more calls right than wrong - I'd hazard a guess at at least 95% right. The ones we do make that are 'wrong' sometimes aren't even noticed by the teams. Sometimes the right calls are perceived as wrong by the teams because they have an incomplete understanding of the rules/laws of competition and/or they did not have the same angle or view as the referee who is almost always closer and better able to judge an action than a spectator.

Regards,