Question Number: 22349

League Specific 10/25/2009

RE: Amature Adult

steve chalko of Fishers , IN USA asks...

In a Soccer Tournament setting. A referee added stoppage time for subs and injury.

At the 30 minute mark of the second half the score was 2-2. In the 32 minute team A scores a goal.

Team B is protesting that at the 30 minute mark score was tied. Team B is protesting that the referee decision on the field should stand on stoppage time.

Who is right?

Please answere by 11 AM 10/25/2009 before the last flight of games for this division.

Thanks,

Steve

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Please send us several thousand dollars so we can have a full-time paid staff and we'll meet your timing needs.

Law 5 says the referee '? acts as timekeeper and keeps a record of the match'. Law 7 says:
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Allowance is made in either period for all time lost through:
? substitutions
? assessment of injury to players
? removal of injured players from the field of play for treatment
? wasting time
? any other cause
The allowance for time lost is at the discretion of the referee.
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You said there were subs and an injury. Obviously the referee's judgement of the amount of time to be added is correct.

I probably needn't even ask why this should be an issue in an adult game. 30 minutes should be only 2/3's of the way through the half.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi
Lots of factors to be taken into account here. In a normal game there is nothing wrong with adding on time for subs, injuries, time wasting etc. Happens in every single game. Where it becomes a problem is when a goal is scored to win or draw the game in added time and we have all been there. I had one last week with a team equalising in the 3rd added minute of 4. Team not very happy with the 4 minutes but if they had won it would not have been an issue.
The questions I would have are
1. Why was this a 30 minute game?
2. What is the competition rules on time in the tournament?
3. Is it a fixed 30 minutes no matter what?

The referee is always right in matters of timekeeping unless it can be proven that he made an error in say playing 30 minutes instead of 45 or that the game was not played/timed correctly in accordance with the competition rules.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Steve we have no definitive answer only the tournament or competition rules can be interpreted by those who organize and run the event. I can say this generally in weekend tournaments the referee decisions are final as it is impractical to deal with protests in such a time frame!
The ONLY way this protest might be upheld if it SPECIFICALLY stated in the tournament rules that there no time to be added section in their special rules. That is against FIFA policy but unless this is a sanctioned USSF tournament those in charge make the decisions!

Cheers

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