Question Number: 25352

Law 3 - Number of Players 8/23/2011

RE: rec Under 13

Wade Shimoda of Honolulu, HI USA asks...

My son and I have a question about a situation presented in the 'You are the ref' ipod app, which we're using as a fun training tool.

Scenario: ref. sent off a midfielder. Very angry midfielder refuses to leave the field. 5 min. passes, so the question was, 'what would you do?'

3 possible answers were provided:
1 - remove the player by force
2 - abandon the game
I forget what the third choice was.

My son suggested choosing #1, just for fun. To our surprise, it said that it was the correct answer! Unfortunately, it didn't give a description of what the ref. would actually do. It just stated that the player had to be removed in order for the game to continue.

So we're wondering if that really is correct (maybe it is for a 'professional'?), and if so what does 'by force' mean?

And, of course, would the answer differ for a youth match? (e.g., forfeit game)

Thank you!

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

The referee should never use force against a player.

If the player refuses to leave, the ref should tell the captain (adult game) or coach (youth game) that unless the player goes, the game will be abandoned. Most teams will then apply enough peer pressure to get the player to leave. But if not, abandon it and write it up. The league will not look kindly upon the player or team.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Wade
I am afraid this You are the Ref App is incorrect. Indeed I am aware that there are other wrong answers on the app as well. The correct answer is 2 which is the referee abandons the game.
In reality what happens is that when a player refuses to leave the field of play when dismissed the referee informs the captain and the team that unless the player leaves the field of play and surrounds the game will be abandoned with the matter reported to the competition authorities. What pressure the team exerts on the player to leave is matter for them and not for the referee. However no player or team official can use excessive physical force against the player as that is also a sending off offence and the referee must manage this situation very carefully.

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

See Question: 25364