Question Number: 22738

Other 1/20/2010

RE: Competitive Under 14

Joe of Louisville, KY 40205 asks...

Would like some clarification on misapplication of the laws with regards to protests and here are a couple of examples:

During a throw in, the girl had part of her foot on the line but the other part on the field. AR flagged her for an illegal throw and said her foot was across the line, even though the rule is on or behind.

On a PK, the girl scored the goal but the AR flagged one of her teammates for encroachment and the center gave the other team a direct kick; even though law 14 states otherwise.

Girl on a breakaway shoots but goalie stops with feet and then continues to dribble out of box, girl comes from behind and challenges before the keeper can pass and regains control but is flagged for offside since she was behind the keeper and the ball at the point of challenge(very odd one).

Which ones are misapplications and would warrant a possible protest? My oldest refs and as we were watching the above proceed (all occurred during her sister's games), and I asked her what she thinks.
Her resonse was first example is a nit, second is protestable due mainly to taking points away and the third was a head shaker.
Hopefully I explained the situations properly. Thanks.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

The first situation would be difficult to protest. The AR might claim that he saw the whole foot over the line, in which case it would have been the correct call. Or he may admit that only the toes were on the green, and the call shouldn't have been made. Either way, it would be unlikely that the call had a major impact on the game. Youth league protest committee members won't decide a protest just based on misapplications of the Laws, but also to the consequences of that misapplication. Can the team really argue that the game should be replayed because of a throw-in? That it clearly led to a change in the game score?

The second is clearly misapplication of the Laws and a protest should be upheld. That's just what happened to Uzbekistan when they played Bahrain in a WC qualifier a couple cycles ago. The referee misapplied a then-new change in Law 14, and UZB protested the game (which they had won! - they wanted an additional goal awarded). FIFA agreed with the protest, and ordered the game replayed - and UZB lost!

The third one is totally confusing. It should certainly be reported so the referee(s) can be instructed on when offside is determined. But because it's so weird I'm having difficulty in deciding whether this is misapplication which could be protested or misjudgement which cannot.

Answer provided by Referee Tom Stagliano

Referee Voshol is correct.

Here is the way protests are handled around my area in Massachusetts. It should be noted that a full protest is Rare. Referee judgement decisions can Not be protested. Only a clear mis-application of a rule or law may be protested.

A protest typically must be made before the referees leave the field area after the game. The referees and the opposing team's coach should be informed of the Protest and then the Coach (not a parent nor a player) must officially write the protest and submit the protest to the proper league authorities.

I prefer, that if a protest is expected to be filed, that the team inform me of the protest Before the Next restart in that game. That way, the protest can be heard and the referee could conceivably agree right then and change the call. However, in most soccer games, that is impractical, since the referee is not listening to the coaches for this.

That is why I am adamant that when I coach, my Captain be conversant with the rules and the Captain would approach the referee at the next stoppage and inform the referee (politely) that the game will be Protested.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Joe
Clearly as described all of the decisions are incorrect. However as I have written on other questions there can be other reasons for the decisions, which may not be obvious. It is also interesting to note that all three incidents involved an assistant referee.
1. If the player lifts part of the foot off the line say by going up on the toes then no part of the foot is touching the line and that is an incorrectly taken TI.
2. ARs rarely flag for encroachment as their main task is to watch the goal line. Having said that the correct decision is a retake of the penalty if the ball went directly into the goal from the penalty kick.
3. I don't believe that an AR would make this error on offside. Is there a possibility of the AR flagging for an infringement on the goalkeeper such as impeding?.
In my opinion the only protestable decision is #2 and as Referee Voshol states there is precedent for this. Even at the highest level a referee has made that mistake, resulting in a replay. That appeal was based on fact which the referee confirmed what actually happened. I have seen a situation where a forward was involved in misconduct at a penalty, the referee cautioned the attacker and then incorrectly went with a DFK rather than a retake. The team accepted the decision and just got on with play. Law 14 has its uniqueness which does cause problem for referees from time to time.
As regards a protest there will be a League specific rule which will state that the protest has to be made in writing, within x days of the end of the game usually by recorded post and with the payment of a fee.
I would certainly not like to get into situations where every incorrect opinion by a referee results in unpleasant threat of a protest by a coach or others during or after the game. Protests in my opinion are for exceptional matters where there is clearly an incident such as the mis-application of the law that can be confirmed independently by fact. An incorrectly taken TI or offside error, poor foul recognition are not going to succeed in a protest and IMO is a waste of time and effort. The recent protest by Ireland in the WC shows the futility of protests based on opinion.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Most youth leagues have specific rules and procedures for any protests, and most if not all of them require a substantial protest fee which is non-refundable if the protest is denied. An opinion of the referee on the facts of play cannot be protested. A misapplication of the Laws of the Game which directly affects the outcome of the game should be protested.

An example: in a local recreational league playoff, a referee decided a foul the red team committed at mid-field was so heinous that he felt the most reasonable punishment was a penalty kick, which he proceeded to administer. This just can't be, as a penalty kick award requires that the foul be committed inside the penalty area of the defense responsible for the foul. This was a misapplication of the Law and the protest was filed, upheld, and the game was ordered replayed.

As my colleagues have noted, the only scenario above which is even remotely worthy of a protest is the award of the DFK to the defense instead of a retake of the PK. And I concur that most of the time, a protest is a waste of time, money and good will.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

The first one is trifling and in now way protestable. In the second one, taking away the goal was correct. However, the kick should have been retaken. This is a misapplication of the Law and a protest probably would be upheld. That said, most youth leagues and/or their States have a sizable fee involved in any protest, so I'd weigh the benefits against the cost. The third scenario is just weird and I'm not sure what the AR saw or called. In any event, it's not protestable

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