Question Number: 22120

League Specific 10/1/2009

RE: Competetive Under 14

Ray Antorcha of Montoursville, Pa Lycoming asks...

Good morning,

I have seen several matches wher a referee uses hand signals...another when the referee blows his whistle every time the ball goes out of the boundaries..or when there is a score.

Where is the rule or decorum on the referee blowing the whislte>

i thank you and wish you a great day!

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi
Refs Voshol and Wright have provided comprehensive answers. Just to add to this.
In my opinion the referee should use the whistle as sparingly as possible. When it is used it's impact is greater. For instance where the ball is obviously out of play over a boundary line the whistle should not be used except only to stop play if it continues. Also the tone of the whistle should vary. A small insignificant foul might be signalled with a 'quiet' whistle whereas a dangerous foul should draw a sharp blast to signal the referee's displeasure. A sort of letting the whistle do the talking. Some refs give two long blasts for half time with three for full time.
Hand signals are also in the Laws and direction of throw ins and fouls would be signalled by the outstretched arm. On the throw in no need to whistle if play has already stopped, just point in the direction of the throw. On a foul the whistle is used to stop play and the referee then points in the direction of the free kick.
I hope that helps

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

The whistle is used, for the most part, to stop play.

If the ball is clearly out, then it's obvious to everybody that play has stopped - a whistle is unnecessary, and would generally indicate that the referee is inexperienced.

The referee should not draw any more attention to himself than what is required to uphold the laws of the game.

In terms of the ball crossing any of the boundary lines, the only time a whistle is needed to stop play is when the players seem willing to continue with play - as in, one of those situations where the ball only just crosses the line briefly before coming back onto the field.

Same with a goal - while you are not required to use the whistle to award a goal, if it's a situation where there is uncertainty then you need to use the whistle.

As Ref Voshol lists, there are also a number of other uses of the whistle.

Every time you award a free kick you must use the whistle, but you don't need to use the whistle on the restart unless you're delaying the restart - by having a word with a player or issuing a card, having an injured player attended to, or enforcing the 10 yards at the request of the attacking team, to name but a few. In these situations you would normally tell the kicking team to wait for your whistle. Similar reasons would dictate if you need to use the whistle to permit a restart when the ball has crossed the boundary line - though I prefer to limit my whistle use and simply instruct the players to 'play!' where possible.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

In the Interpretation and Guidelines section of the Laws of the Game we find
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The whistle is needed to:
? start play (1st, 2nd half), after a goal
? stop play:
? for a free kick or penalty kick
? if the match is suspended or abandoned
? when a period of play has ended due to the expiration of time
? restart play for:
? free kicks when the appropriate distance is required
? penalty kicks
? restart play after it has been stopped due to:
? the issue of a yellow or red card for misconduct
? injury
? substitution
The whistle is NOT needed to:
? stop play for:
? a goal kick, corner kick or throw-in
? a goal
? restart play from:
? a free kick, goal kick, corner kick, throw-in
A whistle which is used too frequently unnecessarily will have less impact when it is needed. When a discretionary whistle is needed to start play, the referee should clearly announce to the players that the restart may not occur until after that signal.
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This information is repeated in USSF's Advice to Referees section 5.4.