Question Number: 22838

Law 5 - The Referee 2/18/2010

RE: Pro Adult

Lerato of Johannesburg, Gauteng South Africa asks...

This question is a follow up to question 100

What happens if a game is called off after the flood lights(stadia Lights) fail due to heavy Rain in the first half?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Lerato
The referee will allow time for the lights to be repaired. If the lights cannot be repaired within a short period, the referee abandons the game.
What happens to the result of game is not a decision for the referee but for the League Administrators. The referee simply reports what happened.
Usually the match is replayed unless there is a local rule to say otherwise or that after a certain elapsed time in the game the result will stand.
You should check with your local League or seek a copy of its competition rules

Answer provided by Referee Steve Montanino

If a match is abandoned by the referee for the reasons stated, the league will decide how best to handle the situation. The referee files a report of course, and then s/he is out of the matter.

Typically, in a professional game, that would be a replay of the match, but not always. Every league has their own rules regarding the circumstances surrounding abandoned matches, and it's up to the league, not the referee to make that determination.

Answer provided by Referee Ben Mueller

The referee simply reports all facts in the game report. The league then makes a decision. Without knowing all facts, I cannot say exactly what would happen.