Question Number: 30396

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 5/9/2016

RE: Competitive Under 17

Paul of Warwick, RI USA asks...

Black team is on attack and has possession in Red teams end of field.

Ref stops play to book (yellow card) Black coach for verbal dissent (remember his team is in possession of the ball and in Red's defense 3rd of field. Not sure why he chose that moment to voice his displeasure)

Play is restarted with Black team being awarded possession via a Free kick (not a penalty kick) - but resulting in a goal.

Reason provided is that Black had possession at the time play was stopped for the booking.

My interpretation of FIFA book is the ball is awarded to OPPOSING team via indirect kick the other way. I believe this is the correct interpretation.

Otherwise a team would gain advantage (stoppage of play and set piece free kick in the attacking zone) BY VERBAL ABUSE (dissent) AT REF. Which just doesn't seem correct.

My initial thought was at minimum it should have been drop ball - but rule book seems to indicate INDIRECT for Opposing team (in this case Red)


Please advise

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Paul
I cannot figure this out. Anyway I am not sure why Black coach is dissenting to the referee when his team is on the attack in the Red half. If the referee stopped play to deal with the coach then the only possible restart is a dropped ball. (Any chance it was an uncontested dropped ball instead of a free kick?)
Most referees probably would not have stopped the game in the first place unless it was particularly serious interference. Most referees would have waited for a natural stoppage to deal with it. The restart question does not then arise as it is a regular restart for the reason the ball was out of play.
It could only be an indirect free kick to Red if the dissent was made by a Black player on the field of play during play.
Cards by the way are not shown to technical staff unless there is a local rule to do this.

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi Paul,
This sounds all sorts of wrong.
Say you have a Red and Blue team. If the ball is in play and a Red player dissents, and the referee decides to issue a caution then play is stopped, the Red player is cautioned, and the Blue team have an IFK from the location of the offence.
If instead it's the Red Coach and the referee feels that play absolutely must be stopped then and there (typically the ref won't deal with the coach until the ball is next out of play). If so, play is restarted with a drop ball.
There is simply no possible way that the black team can be awarded a free kick after play is stopped for one of their own committing dissent. The referee has made a serious error in law here.

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