Question Number: 22242

Law 5 - The Referee 10/13/2009

RE: Travel Under 13

Rich of wilmington, Delaware USA asks...

When I do a pregame I instruct my AR's that if there is a play in the box that I need to have a little more control over the call. I feel that if I am going to take the heat for awarding a penalty kick or making a no call I need have that discretion. I say, 'everyone on the field has to feel it was a foul and I clearly need to be shielded from the play for you to signal a foul in the box'

In a U12 Tournament game that I was the center the score was 0-0 great play up and down the pitch by both teams. With about 4 minutes to play there was two opposing players making a play for the ball. Some initial contact by the defender occured right outside the box. Not foul worthy in my opinion, but the case could be made for a marginal foul. Then they both came together hard inside the box. I saw that while the defender did catch the player slightly on the ankle the attacking player was leaning over/on the defender and they both went down at the same time. The ball went out of touch on the end line.

You can guess what happened next. I did not blow my whistle as in my opinion the nature of the contact etc., did not warrant a foul on either player. The AR put up his flag and did the wiggle waggle indicating a foul.

I went over to him and asked him what did he see? He basically said he saw the contact on the ankle. I said I was 10 feet from it and looking right at it, I explained what I saw and the 'foul' did did not reach the level to warrant a PK. I said no matter what we do now someone is going to be upset so we are going to let the kids sort the game out on the pitch, not on awarding a suspect PK... so we are going to go to a DFK outside the box, and all hell is going to break loose. Let me handle what ever happens. I walked over to right outside the box and placed the ball right outside the box.

The Coach screamed and yelled, and I let him do it for a little while. I said, 'coach initial contact outside the box warrants a DFK, but what happened inside does not and that is where we are'. He continued not to be happy.

Was I wrong in not 'supporting' my AR's call when I had such a clear look at it? Is there another way I could have handled this situation? My position has always been that if we are going to award a PK it better be very clear it is a foul or at least the Referee crew should be on the same page. Also for right or wrong the nature of the play did come into my decision. It was a hard fought match, no cards, physical but clean play and I felt the players needed to determine the outcome of the match not the referee crew. Honestly, had it been 2-0 either team I probably would have went my AR's way to support his call. Is this a wrong approach?

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

My pregame is different. I ask the AR to look at my face before signaling for what would be a penalty kick. They will be able to tell from my face that I didn't see it. If they KNOW that I didn't see it, and they KNOW that I would have called it if I had seen it, they should signal.

I like this better than 'Give me the first shot,' which some referees use. Making them stop and look for me before making the call gives them a specific assignment, and increases the chance that they won't just quickly react and call something that digs a hole for me. And, if I see something in the penalty area that I believe is not a foul, I will be pretty vocal about it. It also means that if I saw it and am not 100% sure, they already are looking for me and can give me confirmation yes or no.


When your AR didn't follow the instructions and raised the flag, he dug a hole for you. You correctly needed to go over for a private chat. But, after you confirm that he saw nothing that you didn't see, you should not just award a penalty kick to save the AR's face. You were appointed the referee to make the judgment, and you have, that this was not a foul. You can be respectful of the AR, thank him for his information, but let him know that you are going with what you saw. The AR usually will say "ok." But, even if not, the AR knows what you have decided.

IMO, a bit of kabuki theatre is helpful. If the AR nods his head up and down while you continue to discuss, you can then appear to be in complete accord as to the just result.

You picked an option for which no one is happy. An uncalled foul outside the penalty area to avoid a penalty kick inside the area is something that players usually identify with lack of courage and without justice by the referee. In my experience, they'd rather have no call than that call. But, there was another option. In most cases of hard contact between the players, each player believes she was the one fouled. Would a DFK inside the penalty area for the defense solved your problem? The location of the restart is similar to a goal kick, and neither team is disadvantaged . If not, go with the goal kick, and take the heat that will come from your decision and the potential risk of hard feelings by your AR.

In all events, the referee has an additional job for the rest of the match. Encourage and support the AR with lots of eye contact, verbal and non-verbal support for calls. Keep the assistant in the game. With some referee teams, you need to buy the beer. With others, he does.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Referee Rich
The pregame instruction to ARs is vital. On penalties I tell my ARs that I will get 99.9% of offences in the PA so allow me to deal with them. (Most assistants are very happy to do that as it places the onus firmly on the referee ). If I need assistance I will look across at you and then flag if it is a foul. If not just continue. Do not flag if I am clearly in view of the incident and close to the action. The last thing that I need is a flag when I am looking at it and its not a penalty IMO (ie accidental handball) . When I award a penalty I need your confirmation by running to the AR penalty position. If its not stay where you are and I will come across and discuss.
As regards this situation a foul is a foul and there is a term called a 'soft' penalty but it is still a penalty. I would have to accept the call by my assistant and go with the penalty. To 'fudge' the decision is incorrect.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Word to the wise - judging whether something is a foul or not simply because it is in the penalty area is a very slippery slope, as you have now discovered. The Laws don't say the offense must be a reckless or excessive force offense or other heinous offense in order to be called in the PA, only that it must be a DFK offense. This is where the referee's judgment needs to be sound and based in fact.

If you felt the offense was trifling or doubtful, which is what it sounds like, then by all means wave down your AR, especially since you had an excellent view of the action. And given your pregame instructions, this was totally in line.

Since you did not blow the whistle, and the ball exited the field, it is possible to go over and make sure the AR didn't see a defender aggressively foul an attacker in the PA behind your back or something else out of your view. Be sure to face the field together when you talk, nod a few times, and then run back onto the field and signal the restart - either corner or goal kick, since you didn't say who last touched the ball.

By doing so, you have saved face for the AR, discovered whether he saw something else you didn't, and had an opportunity to remind him not to call fouls you can see clearly as per your pregame instructions. This way, you have demonstrated control of the game, an ability to seek the advice of your AR, but not be caught in the no man's land you ended up in here, as Ref Contarino noted.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Well, your AR did exactly what you told him NOT to do in your pregame. While I word my pregame instructions differently, yours were explicit: don't call anything inside the penalty area unless you are sure I did not see it. You were 10 feet from the play and the AR had to know it. You as the center referee have to make the decision based on what you saw. You saw no foul. The moment the AR raised his flag, I would have just waved him down. You saw the play, you saw no foul, wave the AR down and continue play.

When you went to talk to him he reiterated what you already knew. There was no foul in your mind. But for some reason now you feel the need to support the AR. Well, it doesn't appear the AR followed proper procedure. After making eye contact with you he should have put his flag horizontal at his waist indicating he wants you to award a penalty kick. This would have given you a second chance to wave him down. By going and having a conversation with him, you had to know that no matter what you did, all hell would break loose..

The AR wants a PK. For you to support him, you should award a PK. I think your choice of making it a DFK probably caused more problems for you as I can bet almost everyone there knew the AR had signaled for a foul inside the penalty area. Your awarding a DFK surely looked as indecision on your part and your explanation to the coach that you are calling fouls differently inside the penalty area than outside of it should never be done. My suggestion would be to stick by what you saw as it's your decision. No PK. No DFK. Award a Goal or Corner kick. The AR caused the problem by ignoring your pregame instructions. There's no reason for you to compound it