Question Number: 28869

Mechanics 10/20/2014

RE: select

Darin of coeurdalene, id usa asks...

Score is tied. only minutes left in the U-14 girls game. (I only mention this to illustrate the urgency the teams are moving at) Ball goes out of bounds off of the blue team. Blue team backs up, white team prepares for the throw. The ref blows his whistle to stop play, and says it is the blue teams throw in. While white team is trying to get a clarification (Lets be honest here, argue) the blue team does a quick throw and catches white team off guard and scores.

Should/can the ref hold up the throw in to clarify his decision i.e. the ball was tipped. Then allow the teams to set up?

A cross between his action and both teams reaction changed the outcome of the game game.

Obviously the players have a responsibility to just move on and play but does the ref need to take some responsibility in his actions?

I was just watching this game, and as a ref I understand how difficult it can be to see who kicked it out. I like to use the wait a second and see method. If both teams agree its whites ball why would I want to slow the pace.

Any thoughts? Thanks!

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Dan,
It appears the ball is already out of play as white is preparing for the throw-in!
The referee must be blowing the whistle to stop white from taking what he KNOWS is a blue throw in.

Not sure of the circumstances here but we must assume the referee saw a touch off white or his AR signaled it as a blue throw in.

The AR signals ball in or out and direction on throw ins unless it is obvious who did what and the ball is in the stands. In these cases, we all assume, what everyone already knows.

Your wait and see approach is not without merit in situations where your view or AR view might have been obstructed. As you point out if you are unsure or your AR is unsure we can use the players' own reactions to make a decision one way or another. To do as this referee did means he is not in the least unsure!
I would ONLY intervene if I knew the wrong team had the ball in its hands!

As a referee you ONLY call what you KNOW to be true. Integrity and the LOTG demand it! I tend to point out a throw in location and signal a direction with a verbal shout out as to which colour team is awarded the throw -in ONLY if I KNOW and it might be clear, they, meaning the players, do not.

A quicker reaction by the referee to make his decision known would be less likely to create confusion rather then let it get to the teams trying to wrestle the ball out of one another's hands. Still, if we disagree with the call, this clearly shows it does not pay to argue and be distracted.

Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

Players should focus on playing, not on arguing. Blue has no duty to let White have their say, and the ref shouldn't take a quick kick away from Blue just because White wants to dissent. Unless of course the ref needs to caution someone for the dissent ...

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Darin
Referee mechanics are not part of the Laws of the Game nor is it the referees responsibility to deal with poor choices by teams. In the game between QPR and Liverpool the referee awarded a free kick to Liverpool. Many QPR players remonstrated with the referee about the decision and while this was happening Liverpool took a quick free kick and scored. Whatever about the merits of the foul it was certainly of no concern to the referee that QPR decided to switch off from the restart. The QPR manager described his teams defending as naïve.
Now in your example the referee makes what he believe is the correct decision. If he has a doubt then perhaps he can take signals from the players by going with their decision. If he is certain then he should go with the correct decision. There is no need to hold up anything once the decision is made. I also suspect that a White player handed the ball to Blue who simply got on with the game. Perhaps if White had take the throw quickly then the turn over of the TI would not have been as easy or as quick.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Darin,

I have no sympathy for a team that's caught out of position because they're more concerned about arguing. Unless the referee has to hold up play, a team has a right to a quick restart - and if the opponents are out of position because they want to argue, that's their problem. I've seen more than one goal scored from a quick free kick because the keeper ran out of goal to argue with me!

In a scenario where the players prepare for one team's throw and the referee awards it to the other team, this isn't one of those scenarios where the referee needs to hold up play. Realistically, it's a common scenario - one player grabs the ball and stands on the line, quick toot of the whistle, signal the other way. Happens every game. There's no need to explain 'why' - the referee can explain if he feels it will help his match control (and I'm always more likely to do so in a lower grade match), but this should be a very quick comment and nothing to hold play up for: 'It's a blue throw, came off a white shin'

The only time a referee should hold up the restart when giving it from one team to another is if the refereeing team has caused the problem; I once awarded a free kick to the blue team, players were running up field to prepare for the restart, and one player running past made a comment that made me realise that when I blew the whistle, I forgot which team was running which way - I blew the free kick the wrong way. Blew the whistle, awarded it the other way. One player attempted to take it quickly, but because my mistake pulled the players out of position, I couldn't allow the quick free kick. It would be completely unfair.

So, my concern is - why did it take the referee so long to make the right decision that the players had backed up to await the throw? It's possible that in writing it sounds like a longer period than it was, but decisions need to be made quickly. Having said that, a slow decision isn't a reason for the referee to hold up play - the players need to learn to just accept the decision and play the match.