Question Number: 20031

Character, Attitude and Control 9/22/2008

RE: rec Adult

alex of richmond hill, ontario canada asks...

This question is a follow up to question 20003

Thanks for the reply. Sorry that my initial question looks like an offside question but it is supposed to be a more general question on what an AR should do when the center ref makes a wrong interpretation of the law (or at least what the AR thinks it is wrong).

It can be any offences. For example, the referee say 'no foul' when the defender flips the ball up with the foot and heads the ball back to the goalkeeper to handle the ball.

Michelle's advise points to the fact that the center ref is always right. That is fine with me for that particular incident. But what should an AR do for the rest of the game? There are only a few options for the AR.

1. Stick with the center referee opinion and keep on making wrong calls when similar incidences re-occur in that game.
2. Stick with the correct application of the law and expect to get over-ruled.
3. Argue with the CR privately at the first incident (as quiet as possible but that does not guarantee it will not be overheard by others).

Thanks again

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi, Alex
you ensure NO restart until you relay the pertinent information as you KNOW it to be true. If the referee decides to continue and not accept the truth for whatever reason you as AR have completed your task that could include informing the referee if it is a misapplication of law that a protest could be lodged. In the pregame you need to question the referee if he fails to address situations of controversy to your satisfaction. On a few occasions you could hand the flag back to the referee with the comment you obviously have no need of me here so I will go home now. A referee who does things incorrectly sets his match his decisions his reputation.

You can do the raised eyebrow thing and ignore it when you see the DFK event turned ito an INDFK because he doesn't want to have a PK and change the game outcome or have your offside flag waved down because he thinks a deflection is ok control and possession. Bite your tongue and get to the end. Record and report the conduct of a poor referee or have things explained to an inexperienced one and if the referee was obtuse disrespectful and nasty never accept another assignment with them and be sure the assignor knows why.

You raise the flag for offside when in your opinion the offside occurs, you call the foul in behind the play when you see it you try point out the proper direction of play in corner, goal or throw in situations, support the referee when and where you can and offer the correct solutions when you must.

You do the best you can and the referee makes his own choices! If a referee does not want to award advantage then do not. In the pregame if the referee tells you in your quadrant its yours then do it as such, if he says watch me, watch what I do ,watch and learn baby its likely to be a long game!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

The AR is to be an Assistant Referee, not an Insistent Referee.

You present two separate problems. First, what to do if the ref simply is making crappy decisions? Using poor judgement of whether incidents are fouls or not? You do the best you can. You would not make a call in your area, even though the ref in his judgement would. But neither would you attempt to openly argue the ref out of a call he has just made. Referee judgement is not protestable by the players, and neither should it be protested by the AR. A quiet talk at halftime or after the game might set the ref on the way to enlightenment - or maybe not.

Second, what if the ref is really going to make a trash of things by misapplying the Laws? In that case, you must insist long enough to let the ref know he is incorrect. For example, if the ref was going to restart with a penalty kick for impeding, you'd let him know it was supposed to be an indirect free kick. If the ref insists it should be a PK, well, you've told him, you've done your duty.