Question Number: 30585

League Specific 7/8/2016

RE: competitive Under 13

dean of adelaide, south australia australia asks...

at the end match you find a player who has scored 2 goals is not on the match card what do you do next

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Dean
Identification of players can be a problem for the game. Competition organisers normally have a rule to deal with situations which can include rules such as the opponents seeking a copy of the players registration sheet, the signatures of three players in the team and asking for dates of birth or the taking of a team photo. At the highest level teams must present player identification cards or passports in a pre match meeting.
In most if not all cases the identification of players and any irregularities at lower levels is up to the opponents NOT the referee. In fact most leagues state that protests may only be lodged by one of the clubs which participated in the match which is being disputed.
So for the referee my advice is to report what is required on the match report and leave the eligibility / protests to the clubs.
In your example if that happened in my game I would simply fill in the match report as required which may include recording numbers of goal scorers, cautions, substitutes etc. If custom is to ask names for cautions I would report the name given. If the opponents complain about eligibility I would advise them to contact the League and accede to any request that is required under the rules such as signatures, dates of birth, photos, registration sheets etc.
I came across this for Football West and I assume the same info is available in your area.
**Article 10 - Proof of Registration
1. MyFootballClub must be used to generate proof of registration including a player photograph for every player participating in a match with the exception of MiniRoos.
2. Evidence of registration without a player photograph is not acceptable as proof of registration.
3. Each team must produce proof of registration for any or each of its players on request from the opposition club prior to kick-off.
4. If a club is unable to produce proof of registration for any player prior to kick-off after being requested to do so by the opposition club, the match may proceed. However, the proof of registration requested must be produced before the end of the match for that player(s) to be deemed eligible to participate. If the club is unable to produce the proof by the end of the match, the player(s) will be deemed ineligible.
5. The failure of a club to produce proof of registration to the opposition club must be reported to the referee who must note that failure on the team list. If the failure of a club to produce proof of registration is not communicated to the referee, then no protest based on the ineligibility for that player(s) will be entertained under any circumstances.
6. Proof of registration MAY NOT be requested after the match has commenced.
7. If a club has complied with all necessary requirements and wishes to subsequently lodge a protest based on player eligibility, it must do so in accordance with the conditions specified in the Disciplinary & Grievance By-Law.**
Note that the onus is on the opponents and the referee is to act as the facilitator. So for me I would only do what is required in the Rule which is to report. In the absence of a protest I would not take any action.

As a final point it is also not the referees responsibility to enforce suspensions so again if a team complains about a suspended player on a team sheet / roster advise them to protest to the League.