Question Number: 25006

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 5/24/2011

RE: rec Other

jack of morhead city, nc 28557 asks...

after playing a 4v4 coaches/parent game I got a yellow card about 8 minutes after the game while sitting under my tent (which is 30 feet away from the field) talking to a player on my team.

can a ref give a card after the game and can he give me a card while i am off the field of play???

Then I get a red card when he walks back by and i asked why he did that and told him he needed to read up on his rules!!

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Do I read this correctly, Jack? You received a yellow card in a 4 v 4 coaches/parent game for dissent (while 'discussing' the referee loudly enough for the referee to hear)? Then, after having received a yellow card for dissent, you decided to dissent again? By then, you already knew that the referee had no tolerance for any such talk. I'm surprised that either: (a) you did it again; or (b) you didn't think the referee would caution you again.

The answer to your question, however, is that the referee has authority to punish misconduct after the match is over and while the referee is in the area of the field of play. Cards are shown when players are exiting the field of play, but the misconduct is reported to the league even if cards are not shown. A second caution leads to a red.

The framers of the laws knew there would be days when the referee might be wrong, plain wrong, and awful. But, they did not provide any defense for dissent. In my experience, plenty of assistant coaches have been dismissed when they were in the right, but expressed it wrongly.



Note: referees would be wise to stay away from angry people when the match is over. They should take action only when necessary. (I once dealt with a player who returned 10 minutes after the match was over. He was holding a baseball bat and looking for the opponent who fouled him. )

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

That aside, 8 minutes after the game is over and you are 30 feet off the field, the referee has no authority over you unless you are instigating trouble, and he can show you all the cards he wants, they shouldn't mean a thing. Advice To Referees tells us when we may show cards after the match has ended:

f) the period of time immediately following the end of play during which the players and substitutes are physically on the field but in the process of exiting.
and
Postgame: Any misconduct committed by players or substitutes after the field has been cleared must be described in the game report and reported to the competition authority. Since such misconduct cannot result in a formal caution or send-off, no card may be displayed. Referees are advised to avoid remaining in the area of the field unnecessarily.

You have every right to be in your tent completely off the field of play after the field has been cleared a full 8 minutes after the game has ended.

What were you talking to your player about? I assume you were discussing the referee. Were you a player or the coach? Even at a 4 v 4 game, the referee has no business showing cards to a coach unless there is a local provision for showing cards to coaches and cards should not be issued to players off the field after this amount of time elapsed.

My fellow panelists have a different take on events I'd like to explore. They are absolutely correct that even 8 minutes after the match has ended and 30 feet from the field, you have no right to vent at the referee. Did you say something TO the referee as he approached your tent> If so, was it dissent or insulting? From what you describe, it would seem the referee went out of his way to create trouble which is something we usually try NOT to do. Maybe you could add some details.



I will be very interested in hearing what comes of this. Please keep us updated.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Moral of story: Don't piss off the referee!

As a player, or even a player coach, you are still subject to the authority of the referee before, during and after the game. Whether cards are shown or not depends on when and where the misconduct occurred. Perhaps the referee had a different opinion on how much time had elapsed since the final whistle and the distance of your tent from the field.

I'm sure the conduct went in the game report, and that will determine what happens with the cards.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Jack
Players and substitutes remain under the authority of the referee even off the field of play. Cards however are not shown off the field of play and the player/substitute/team official is informed of the caution/dismissal/misconduct.
Just because the game has ended does not allow anyone connected with a team to engage in misconduct such as dissent, using offensive, insulting or abusive language or gestures, violent conduct etc.

The following questions were asked as a follow up to the above question...

See Question: 25037