Question Number: 29887

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 11/4/2015

RE: Competitive Adult

Luis Sanchez of Bothell, WA United States asks...

This question is a follow up to question 29882

First, thank you to all referees that responded to my question. I understand the rule now.

Second, referee Richard Dawson asked if I received the yellow card immediately or for dissent. I received it for dissent. The restart was a free kick from where I received the ball.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Luis
Thanks for the clarification
It clears up the fact that the caution was not connected with the re-entry situation. Technically there could not be a free kick here without a caution and there is no free kick offence in its own right for this.
It is somewhat like verbally distracting an opponent. There is no free kick restart without a caution for unsporting behaviour.
Simple solution would have been to stop play and say to the thrower we will have that throw again. If questioned the referee can say that the player needed to be on the field of play.
I had a player take a throw in from behind the railings at the weekend after retrieving the ball. I stopped play and told him to take it again. I could also have turned it over to the opponents. No debate from either team on my decision.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Luis,
having just suffered a spell of referee inventiveness on my own (Its when we make things up to satisfy our thinking at the time) Usually well intentioned just not absolutely correct in law! The simple solution retake the throw in as the referee was not ready to allow play to restart! Another would be to ignore it! Possibly a rethrow awarded to the opposing team but it DOES not fit in my opinion, because the thrower has done nothing wrong. The made up indfk for your entry without a caution was simply the referee trying to deal with the fact he was uneasy about you being off the field and it looked like you gained some sort of tactical advantage by doing so. Kind of like when a ball hits the arm and falls nicely at your feet, it was accidental so no foul but it just feels wrong especially if you were to score or create a attack. Nothing wrong but some referees will call it anyway. As for getting a caution for dissent surely by now you know you never win an argument with an irritated official, even if you were right! LOL
Cheers