Question Number: 26274

Law 5 - The Referee 5/1/2012

RE: Competitive Under 17

Nathanael of Calgary, Alberta Canada asks...

Hello my name's Nathanael and I have a question regarding if the Referee is entitled to change they're mind on a call after they have called it.

What happened yesterday; I was playing in a soccer game and I forced one at the net and it trickled in the net while it was airbourne, then swiped out by the goalie. It was surely a goal and he called it that way. But sure enough the other team raved and got very upset, so instead the ref changed his mind and directed that it was not a goal, clearly after calling that it was. Is this allowed?

Thanks.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

A referee is allowed to change a decision, provided that play has not restarted.

However, taking input from one of the teams to decide what happened is not the wisest course. The ref should only change her mind based on her own reflections, or input from a neutral party such as the assistant referees.

The only time a team's opinion should influence a referee is if the team correctly points out a misapplication of the Laws of the Game, and the ref remembers the correct interpretation.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Nathanael
The referee may change any decision made by him provided that play has not recommenced. So a goal can be awarded and then due to further information being taken into consideration, before the resultant kick off, the goal can be cancelled. Play is then restarted due to the reason for same ie offside, foul, etc. If the call was made in error by the referee the restart is a dropped ball from where play was stopped. Once play restarts which is the defining moment no decision can be reversed. You do not mention what the restart was in your scenario which can give a clue to the reason for the call. However the referee was entitled to do what he did under the Laws.
Now there are times when the referee fails to take into account information from an assistant referee such as an offside flag before awarding the goal. As the game has not restarted with a kick off the referee is entitled to cancel the goal and restart with the IDFK for offside.
Rarely what happens is that the referee through dissent by the opponents changes his mind without independent information. If the referee was informed about an error in Law not an error in judgment or an error in fact such as an extra player on the field of play for the scoring team or that there was a factor considered erroneously such as a field line from another sport the referee would be required to deal in Law with those situations.
On hair line goals at all levels there is always huge controversy as it is a matter of opinion. Was all of the ball clearly over all of the line. Referees know that if there is any doubt about the hair line goal then it should not be awarded.