Question Number: 20173

League Specific 10/6/2008

RE: Select Under 11

Mark of Philadelphia, PA USA asks...

Can a ref disallow an own goal.

The situation is within a league that has a mercy rule. I guess this is two questions. Can the ref disallow the goal, card player/coach for unsportmanship, or both.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

The referee has no authority to intervene in this situation. The league has made this mess by creating special rules; the league must deal with the unintended consequences of these rules.

Jim Allen has recently answered a very similar question to this. His answers carry the official approval of the USSF. It can be found here: http://www.askasoccerreferee.com/ Page down to the October 2 question.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

The competition authorities have most unwisely created an unsporting situation for which the referee who accepts the match must wonder why he did so since he is powerless to stop the insanity. Unless there is ADDITIONAL conduct such as jeering or intimidative outbursts of an unsporting nature, the referee records the particulars and continues. Not counting the goals as a statistic is one thing denying the kids the opportunity to score just because they are more skilled and some psychologist feels a drubbing will affect the oppositions self esteem to a fatal degree creates the madness of youth idealist soccer!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

This is what happens when leagues institute idiotic things like the mercy rule in the mistaken belief that getting your butt kicked in a soccer game is somehow detrimental to your well being. I can tell you for a fact that first and foremost, the kids want to play the game and that goes for the kids getting beat. To arbitrarily stop a game (or worse in my league they make the teams swap players!!) because one team is up by 5 or 7 or whatever number of goals only hurts the players who want to play. Besides, it's ridiculous to institute such 'feel good' things. All too often, kids are 'protected' from failing or feeling bad. Part of growing up used to be getting beat fairly and squarely and picking yourself up and trying again. Since the kids want to play, they find ways around stupid mercy rules by scoring own goals so the game can continue. I actually applaud this behavior as long as it's not done in a belittling manner. Let them play!