Question Number: 28120

Law 6 - Assistant Referee 1/19/2014

RE: rec Adult

Alex of richmond hill, Ontario Canada asks...

This question is a follow up to question 28068

Although it is unusual, I might want to add a situation I experienced when this happened. The CR during the pregame told the ARs (which I am one of): 'Leave the foul in the penalty area to me. Leave the foul in other areas to me. If you see an offside offense, leave the call to me first.'

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Alex
The first two instructions by the referee are okay. Many referees like to have full control of penal fouls.
However I fail to understand his instruction on offside. The referee is generally poorly positioned to make offside calls which is why it is normally an AR decision. If the CR disagrees with the flag he can always wave it down. Personally I would challenge the CR on such an instruction and his thinking behind this.

Answer provided by Referee Dennis Wickham

The assistant referee must follow these instructions.

But, IMO, it is the sign of a very poor referee. The trained assistant referee is not a club line (where these instructions are proper). The assistant knows the laws and has the experience to assist the referee in spotting fouls that the referee does not see. The assistant is in a far better position to make determinations for offside position. Demanding that the assistants provide no information should make for a number of wrong decisions, and in the case of both offside and a penalty-no penalty decision, game altering errors by the referee.