Question Number: 26971

Law 5 - The Referee 11/3/2012

RE: Rec Under 15

Logan of Springdale, Arkansas United States asks...

So today with a tight 1-0 game my team was trying to score a goal in the last 2 minutes. The other team was setting up a goal kick when one of my teams forwards asked the ref (who was standing right infringe of her) to move. He yellow carded her, and then took his own sweet time. We ended up losing and when my coach confronted the ref on why he wouldn't move he said 'I didn't feel like it'. Is there a rule that says you can't ask a ref to move?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Logan
Your post does not indicate why the player required the referee to move. I have refereed for a very long time and I have never been asked by a player to move. Having said that I have always ensured that my positioning did not interfere with play so the need never arose.
I suspect here that the player's request may have been seen as dissent if the player's request was uncalled for or the manner in which it was requested.
These incidents don't happen in isolation and if I were to guess I would say that the referee's patience may have been fully tested prior to this.

Answer provided by Referee Michelle Maloney

Generally, the referee takes up a position that allows the best view of the impending action. In a case like this, the player has the entire half of their own field to choose from regarding a place to stand. So why choose to stand where the referee might unwittingly be in your way? Move a couple of steps.

I suspect the player was rude, or stepped on the referee's last nerve, causing the reaction and the caution for what had to be labeled as dissent.

It is possible there was a thin-skinned referee who had little clue of the requirements of the position, and in that case I would report your version to the assignor for the referee. The assignor is in a positon to discuss the incident with the referee in a neutral fashion and make any recommendations if that appears necessary.