Question Number: 25425

League Specific 9/13/2011

RE: d3 College

AJ Wilks of Elgin, IL USA asks...

I have played soccer for 16 years of my life, not once have i heard of 'soft' or 'hard' red cards. I was watching my younger cousin's soccer game. A player had received his second yellow, both fouls were hard hits from behind. He was sent off and a sub came on for him. i was later told he got a 'soft' red.

My question is 'Why are there different types of reds?'

i think any red card deserves a send off with no substitution allowed. If you commit two hard fouls to get two yellows that shows that the player does not deserve to play on the field. His/Her team should pay the price to help prevent anyone else doing that.
If you commit a major foul and the ref thinks it deserves an automatic red, then that also deserves the player to sit out and the team to play a man down

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi AJ
What you refer to is a NFHS rule whereby a player who is cautioned twice is sent off but he is replaced by a substitute. However if the player receives a straight red card he cannot be replaced. The 'soft' red as it is referred to does not under any circumstances apply to FIFA/USSF games and a player that is dismissed cannot be replaced when he is dismissed. In addition to that the player must serve an automatic one match ban for being dismissed.
As NFHS soccer is not affiliated to USSF it manages its own laws which it calls 'Rules' and there are also other difference between the codes which includes for example a player must leave the field of play when cautioned.
I might add that the referee in an NFHS game has the discretion to dismiss the player for a challenge that is serious foul play and indeed that is what should happen. What is intended behind the soft red principle is that two minor cautionable offence say for example a shirt pull and dissent should not result in a team playing short and it increases participation. The balance between participation, player safety and match control has to be managed carefully though and that is a matter for the referee to decide.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

You must have been watching a High School game which was not played under FIFA rules. NFHS has their own rule book and a red card for receiving 2 yellows is a soft red and the team does not play short. There are other changes to FIFA .

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

The unique high school rule is intended to maximize participation by substitutes. The player who receives a second caution is disqualified from the match, but a teammate is given an opportunity to play. It reflects a different view of the role of sport in an educational environment.

When the second act of misconduct involves hard physical conduct, some state federations want the referee to consider whether the player should be sent off for serious foul play rather than for a second caution.