Question Number: 26607

Law 5 - The Referee 8/7/2012

RE: High School

A MacKay of Baddeck, Nova Scotia Canada asks...

In regards to the US/Canada Olympic women's match, was this the most poorly reffed game you've ever seen? I am a dual (American/Canadian) citizen and love both nations, but the referee gave the US a chance with 10 minutes left by calling the ridiculous delay of game (IK which led to the pk) on the Canadian keeper. I feel the ref handed the game, unintentionally or not, to the US. A great game was marred by poor calls and non-calls which benefited the US time and again. My question is, didn't Canada deserve to play in the gold medal game?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi
One can debate all day about referee performances. Had the referee not made the IDFK call then I suspect little would have been said about the referee and her performance.
I suspect what happened here was that the Canadian GK tested the referee crew to the limit regarding the delay in putting the ball back into open play. I understand from media reports that the GK was already warned about this by the referee as was her captain and that some US players complained about delays with one actually counting the seconds!! Video evidence shows that the GK had the ball in her hands for up to 15 seconds on at least three separate occasions.
It was a courageous call and one that some referees would probably not make resorting maybe instead to a caution at an opportune time such at a goal kick for delaying the restart, coupled with a warning about holding the ball followed by a lengthy amount of added time.
I would also make the point that everyone has noted what a great game it was and that is in no small way attributable to the referee crew and handling of the game.
I recall watching last season's Australian Grand Final where referee Jarred Gillett awarded a last minute penalty for Brisbane Roar to win the game. Suddenly the losing side and supporters felt that he was the worst referee in the history of the game while the other side felt that he made the courageous correct call. The analogy is that when referees make decisions that effect the result of the game, which many times they have to, there will be those that disagree vehemently and objectivity goes out the window
Footnote
What has disappointed me is that some of the comments allegedly coming from the Canadian camp are plainly out of order and not an example of sportsmanship or the ethos of the Olympics. It is reported in a Canadian online paper Metronews.ca that a player suggested that the referee decided the result before it started. That is an outrageous comment unbecoming of a player representing her great country and there is no place for this in any game. It has prompted an investigation by FIFA the governing body.
The referee here did not care who won the game and she made two calls without fear or favour which is what one expects from a FIFA badged referee.
Yes emotions are high but there are boundaries that must be respected.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

As fans, we may be outraged at every foul called (or not called), card shown (or not shown) or penalty (given or withheld). Canadian fans probably think the team was robbed. US fans probably think the referee allowed Canada to get away with mayhem.

The referee had the experience to deserve the assignment. I'm sure she based her calls on what she saw, and not on which team won or lost. As referees, we know no one else may know what was said privately to players or how they responded. We know that what we see from our angle of view is not what the TV camera may display. We know that referees are going to make mistakes, and be criticized and have no opportunity to tell their side.

I wish the referees at major events would have the right to talk to the press. I think people would be impressed at their knowledge, experience, and professionalism. It is an exceptional person who wears the FIFA badge. They are worthy of admiration and express - - even when we still think they blew a call.

If the Olympics awarded medals for individual efforts, Ms. Sinclair would take gold and Ms. Morgan silver. The match was played by champions, regardless of the outcome. Lots of fans will be pulling for Canada to win bronze. Me too.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Canada played exceptionally well. The purpose of a semi-final match is to determine which of two teams playing will move into the final. That depends on the score. In this game, the last score was by the US, and that put them ahead of the Canadians.

Every call a referee makes has the potential to change the outcome of the game. Focusing only on one or two calls is a disservice to the players, the game or the referees, even though we all do it. While the call against the GK for exceeding the 6 seconds allowed once the ball is in her hands is unusual (that's not a delaying the game call), so was the continued flaunting of the requirement by the GK, using 10, 12 and more seconds over and over. Why the referee waited so long to deal with it is known only to the referee crew, but the call was correct under the LOTG.

As for the deliberate handling on the resulting IDFK which led to the PK, the referee was in the best position to see what happened. It appears on replays that it was not #20 who handled the ball, as first thought by the announcers, but #8, who rushed the ball and flung her elbow out to intercept it. That was a gutsy call by the referee.

Answer provided by Referee Keith Contarino

You ask was this the most poorly refereed game we've ever seen? Do you base this on the referee having the guts to make 2 controversial calls? Other than the comment made by a Canadian player, the only 'poor' decisions by this referee involve 2 calls.
I would remind you of a comment made years ago by a referee far brighter than I that referees don't influence the outcomes of games nearly as much as the players do.
A penalty is awarded near the end of a match and all of a sudden the referee was the
'cause' of the loss. How many shots on goal were missed? were there instances of defensive breakdowns? Did coaching strategy have any influence? Why were there players constantly putting themselves in offside position and then becoming involved in play? How many poor passes were there? I could continue but the point is that for every call the referee makes that effects an outcome, there are probably 10-20 player actions that also effect the outcome.
Soccer can be a funny game. In the last Women's World Cup Final the US had more closely missed shots on goal than I've ever seen in a high level game. Had but one of the 10-15 shots that usually go in went in, the game would have never gone into overtime.

2 calls do not a game make and unless you are basing your question on the overall performance of this referee I would have to say it's a question that shouldn't enter my mind.

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

See Question: 26630