Question Number: 25204

League Specific 7/13/2011

RE: Competive Adult

Charles of Virginia Beach, Virginia USA asks...

This is dealing with Futsal maybe just a little it is more a rules question or referee decision.

In the course of an indoor game in which no slide tackling is allowed per the league rules, a defender in fact did a slide tackle and this league has a 2 minute yellow card for a slide tackle. The team must play down for 2 minutes unless the opposing team scores a goal then the team is allowed to go back to full strength, just not the offending player; they must serve the full 2 minutes.

Now setup for the real question, like I had said the defending team player committed a slide tackle, the attacking team had a clear advantage in which I called the play on, noting the slide tackle, now the attacking team puts the ball in the back of the net - goal scored. So I now return to the defender and show the yellow card. The question is since I allowed play to continue and a goal was scored, noting that they must play down for 2 minutes unless a goal is scored, should I have let the defending team replace the yellow carded player or play down for the full 2 minutes? I am thinking afterwards that I should have allowed them to play at full strength being as how I had made the decision to card the player prior to the goal being scored. Hope this makes sense, just want to get it right in the future. By the way great stuff and great response to questions.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Charles
The reason the censure is there is to prevent the action from happening. Indoor recreation leagues do not want players slide tackling and this is a common enough rule to prevent injury.
In the example you cite there is no sanction if the player is allowed to remain on the field of play as if nothing happened. The fact is that play was not stopped and the sanction was issued after the goal was scored. I would sin bin the player for the 2 minutes or until another goal was scored. If someone complained I would simply say that it is two minutes from the caution being issued or a goal being scored. The goal was scored before the caution was issued and no more sliding tackles.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

Every indoor league has its own rules. The referee needs to know how the league wants to enforce this.
Many indoor leagues in my area provide for a blue card/2 minute penalty for sliding, but if allowing advantage results in an immediate goal, there is no punishment for either the infringer or the team. Their approach is that the punishment is only served until a goal is scored, so there is no need for a double punishment when the goal is scored on the advantage. Others may differ.

Note: FIFA's Futsal LOTG differ dramatically from most indoor league rules.