Question Number: 20935

League Specific 3/5/2009

RE: Competative Adult

Ritchie of Toronto, Ontario Canada asks...

A ticketed referee gets injured in the second half and can't continue...the game has club linesmen...the coach of the home team agrees to take the referee's spot...in our league it is the responsibility of the home team to provide a referee if one doesn't show up or cannot ref...there is a disputed call...a player on one team swears at the new referee...the official referee (now on the sidelines tending to his injury) comes back on to the field and issues a red card to the offending player...is this red card deemed official?

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

If the referee is injured and can't continue, I don't see how he then has any authority to continue to issue cards. I should think the entire game should be protested, because if the referee can't continue, then the game should be abandoned.

Depending on what the league/association rules say regarding abandoned games, it could either stand as played or be replayed.

Answer provided by Referee Chuck Fleischer

If the referee excuses himself from the match he gives up the powers and duties afforded him by Law 5. What he has done has no basis in Law.

Regards,

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

How could it be? The person on the sidelines is no longer the referee at that game.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

While the injured and departed referee has no further authority in that game, the new replacement referee would seem to be given full authority by your league rules which allow the home team to appoint a referee. The new referee should have sent off the player.

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

I have a problem with the league allowing team officials from teams playing to become referees. But what I think doesn't really matter, the league has to live with their decisions though.

The panel is spot on here, however. If the referee recuses himself from the match due to injury but allows it to continue under the authority of another, the former referee is no longer empowered to take action.

Funny thing, the home team coach takes over for the ref, and a player uses foul language with him... small wonder. Even better if the foul language was said by a visiting team player and only heard by the new referee who deems a send-off appropriate. Now THAT is some juicy controversy.