Question Number: 20322

League Specific 10/20/2008

RE: Competitive Adult

Jack of Sydney, NSW Australia asks...

I know you guys aren't a football association who makes these sorts of determination, but should a team be punished if they commit a mass walk-off after a misapplication of Law?

If a team witnesses a misapplication of Law, and can prove it has occurred, should they continue playing the match?

If a misapplication has occurred, and it can be proven, are the association obliged to have the match replayed?

Do you have reference to any FIFA statutes/regulations relevant to the topic of misapplication protests (that all national associations and their members must abide by)?

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Perhaps the most visible recent example of a misapplication of the Laws was the Uzbekistan-Bahrain playoff in the last cycle of World Cup qualifiers. The referee made an error in Law regarding the restart after encroachment at a penalty kick. UZB, despite having won the game, protested it asking that they be given a 3-0 forfeit (they wanted the goal differential going into the second leg). FIFA said Yup, mistakes were made - but no forfeit; replay it. BAH won on the replay.

There are several problems with protesting games for misapplication in local leagues. Is there anyone on the hearing panel with enough background to make a valid decision as to whether the Laws were misapplied, or will they be making a seat-of-the-pants, feels-good decision? When can the panel be convened - is the season already over? Since most games are not broadcast and video taped, how can the panel resolve the he-said-she-said differences? But if all those problems can be overcome and it is demonstrated that the referee misapplied the Laws, and that misapplication had a material effect on the outcome of the game, it should be replayed.

But why would the team wish to walk off the field in protest? The only reason to pull a team from the field is if the players (in adult leagues) or the coaches/parents (in youth) feel that the safety of the players is compromised. A team leaving the field is a very serious matter for leagues. Even if players are being injured by thugs, the league is likely to say that there is no compelling evidence from impartial sources to justify the abandonment. The team would have to make the decision to accept any consequences the league may decide upon. If the perceived safety of the team is at stake, that may be reason to walk. But not just because the referee got a restart wrong.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

What you are basically saying is 'We don't like what was called so we're going to take our ball and go home!'. This action sounds more like a petulant 9 year old than a team run by adults. If a mistake in Law has been made, you don't act like cry babies and pack up and leave. You continue the game and if you want AFTER the game has ended you file a formal protest with the proper authorities. As you say, we're not the 'proper authorities'. My OPINION is if the mistake in Law drastically affected the outcome of the game, I'd vote to have the entire game replayed. Likewise, if it were up to me, I'd hit a team that left the game early because of a dispute with the most severe sanctions available.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Fifa statutes provide convening bodies of judicial, legislative and disciplinary boards to cover issues raised by the perceived improper conduct of the competition league player team or officials.
There are procedures to be followed but given the matches are generally televised and monitored they often are aware of the impropriety even before a match is concluded. In grassroots league play often there is a time frame, paper work and fee that is required to officially protest an outcome or seek to have a match replayed. These bylaws are within the association or league structure as to how procedure is to be followed .
It is a very big deal to take the ball and go home . Usually the team and coach face disciplinary conditions of staggering consequences to do so. As a coach I have refused to play once on an icy pitch and was lucky there was the head refere of the league within a short distance away to rectify a potential career or competition ending event. The fact we might disagree with a referee assessment of safety is one thing but simple misapplication of law while I might as a coach risk unreasonable behavior to bring it to the referee's attention. I simply note the issue, time and details and if I lose the match because of it I might bring it up for review.

If the league upon hearing about something chooses to replay it must be stated in their policies that that is what is to be done. Given the match would be abandoned if you walked away FIFA laws state it is to be replayed unless competition rules provide another option.