Question Number: 24070

Law 5 - The Referee 10/3/2010

RE: Select Under 15

Doug Crawford of Oakland, CA USA asks...

Hello Refs - Should time be added only when it seems to help the team that is the victim of the delay?
When adding extra time, I usually only do this when the team that is ahead is wasting time. This can include substituting frequently, taking a long time for subs, and taking a long time for restarts.
Sometimes, when I add extra time, it just works to the advantage of the better team that is ahead anyway, giving the better team a chance to extend their lead (controlling the ball in their opponents half, and taking shots).
Should I be limiting the added time when team A is ahead, team A has caused the delays, but team A is benefiting from the added time?
Thanks much /Doug

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Sometimes you wonder at teams. They've just been scored upon, now they're down by a goal and there's only minutes left. And they take their time getting the ball from the net to the center circle.

While you're tempted to say it's their own fault, you should add all time needed to compensate for ectraordinary delays.

Now of course sometimes the game situation means it doesn't matter. When the game is 8-2 in cold rain, you hardly need to add any time. No one cares. And maybe you can help keep the field on schedule if you ignore that unnecessary added time. That's the discretion that referees have in lower level games - the games where this kind of time wasting happens.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Ah, the horns of a dilemma. Strictly speaking, the referee adds enough time according to Law 7 to compensate for assessment of injury, removal of injured players, (unnecessary or excessive delay with) substitutions, for time wasting and for any other reason the referee deems necessary. The amount of time to be added is at the discretion of the referee.

Common sense should prevail in bad weather, extreme heat, or with darkness and tight schedules, but keep in mind that the time belongs to the teams. Arbitrarily deciding not to add time when that time is warranted steals a chance for the trailing team to do something positive, either a great effort at goal, or perhaps even a goal.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Doug
Act impartially in the matter of added time. If there are delays then add on the time irrespective of who causes the delay.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

Doug, you shouldn't be placing value judgements on what you add time for. You should be impartial. If it's obvious a coach is using the substitution process to increase the likelihood of a win you should say loudly enough for all to hear that you will simply be adding time for every substitution