Question Number: 29244

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 3/14/2015

RE: Under 18

Austin of Renton, Washington United States asks...

This may sound strange, but I have a question about impeding.

I've only heard of impeding the play or vision of the goalkeeper or any other player. However, I've seen no language about impeding the sight of a referee (intentionally, of course). I don't know if this has happened before, but can the referee award a free kick for intentionally blocking the referee's view of the play or shielding him from advancing to a better viewing angle?

I know most other sports have this terminology in their rule books, and I only thought of this because I was watching film from my High School American Football season where this happened (while I was coincidentally watching a Seattle Sounders game).

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Austin,
the only strange or foolish question is the one unasked lol

I suppose it could be remotely possible a player intervene in the face of a referee to obscure a team mates' misdeeds. It might be difficult to prove but If a referee was certain, such an action could be considered USB and cautionable?
Admittedly in over 50 years of soccer never seen it where I could identify it? You say you did watching a film, care to elaborate? link to the site of the video??

Impeding in soccer is generally a player versus an opposing player situation as you so noted
.
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Austin
Sometimes as an assistant referee I have had to deal with a player right out on the wing in front of me on the offside line making it difficult to see across the line. Even if it was intentional to block my view it would extremely difficult to prove. In those situations I move to deal with it.
If the referee was deliberately interfered with he would be entitled to take action which could be a caution for unsporting behaviour and the restart is an IDFK from where the ball was when play was stopped.
If he was unsure he can always stop play and restart with a dropped ball from where the ball was when play was stopped although that option is rarely if ever used. In a three man crew this is where ARs prove their worth in spotting unsighted incidents by the referee.
In most if not all incidents where the referee misses something by not having a clear view then that is part of the game.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Austin,

The offence is 'impedes the progress of an opponent'. So blocking the keeper's vision can't be impeding.

If a player was to be deliberately blocking the view of the referee then this would be a caution for Unsporting Behaviour - USB is broad enough that the referee can potentially apply it to many things which aren't explicitly covered in the Laws.

Fortunately I've never heard of a player doing anything like this - though if he did and the referee was certain, I'm sure it would be so blatant that nobody would be to argue with a caution.

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

See Question: 29249