Question Number: 21653

Character, Attitude and Control 7/14/2009

RE: U16G Competitive Under 16

Rob Johnson of Folsom, CA United States asks...

This question is a follow up to question 21642

RE: Question 21642

Thank you, experts.

I have hours of video my kids' years of games (the camera necessarily keeps my mouth shut - appreciated by coaches, referees, and my daughters, alike).

The reason I sent this one segment is that the actual call was controversial at the time, and the result led to one team losing the game and ultimately the opportunity to be in the finals.

In this instance, the center referee awarded the White player a PK, which predictably resulted in a goal that was enough to win the game and displace the Blue team from a chance at winning the tournament.

I felt the call was way off mark. But, as one expert said, the Center was standing just feet away. Nonetheless, even at the time, the tangle seemed pretty even and innocuous, and if anything just let them play on. After all, White was in no position to shoot. There was no issue of DOGSO (learned that term here!) and the ball squirted out for anyone to play.

I only offer this example not as a complaint about the ref, but an example of how important the ref can be when - even if inadvertently - affecting the outcome of a game and, in this instance, the tournament. It seems that more often then not, Play on! is the best call of all.

As always, your tutelage is taken with great enthusiasm.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

We are not experts; in this case we are simply referees offering opinions on events we were not present at!

If we realize that the white player was not guilty of PIADM and the referee was AWARE the white player had every right to play that ball we can guess given the referee's proximity and angle he could have felt the blue player tripped the white player as she was rising up to turn and go! Given he awards a PK this is likely. Cameras do not always give us the full story as Esse's World Cup 98 PK decision in France pointedly reminds us!

It takes a brave referee to make such a call inside the penalty area boundary. Most referees sphincters tend to tighten inside the area and allow fouls to go unpunished.

It is a significant event in a goal results from the PK but the blue player did have ample time to clear the ball earlier. The white player was diligent in pursuit and rewarded for it. Surely blue had opportunities in the match to score?

To hold the referee as responsible for the outcome of a match is a condition that I perceive as grossly unfair. Why can we not lay it at the feet of the white player for obtaining victory by her dogged determination to win the ball or the blue player for failing to clear when she had the opportunity allowing this situation to develop where she had to stop the white player from **in the opinion of the referee** by playing unfairly!

Remember what we perceive from a single angle is not the opinion that counts no matter how good our credentials are perceived! A referee decision is but a single event as is an opportunity for a player to shoot. Some hit the mark, some do not it is in the nature of the game to play to the conditions, not hold each **perceived** hit or miss as the reason a match is won or lost!

Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Hi Rob. I don't think any of us consider ourselves experts. I basically don't like these 45 second you call it videos that are popping up on youtube and elsewhere These single camera angles even in slow motion do not show us what the referee sees.

I will comment on the video. The white player appears to make a clean play on the ball which ends up beneath her. She doesn't lie on the ball and appears to be making an attempt at getting up when the blue player, right in front of the referee, challenges for the ball and also kicks the white player in doing so or trips her. A PK would not be an unreasonable call.

But to blame the outcome of the game on one referee decision is silly. Blame the Blue player for interfering with the White player. How many shots on goal were missed? How many offside calls ruined planned attacks? How many defensive lapses resulted in a goal? Were offside traps being beaten and the coach foolishly continue them? For every call a referee makes that influences the game, there are 20 player actions that could likewise. Referees don't decide the outcome of games, players do