Question Number: 30603

The Technical Area 7/14/2016

RE: Rec Adult

Luis F Rueda of New York City, New York USA asks...

Did you happen to watch the final match of Euro 2016? Was Ronaldo's presence in the technical area in violation of the rules of the game?

Thank you in advance,

LFR

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Luis
I am with Referee Grove on this one.
In addition it would seem to me that 4th official were advised to act in a more generous / less confrontational way in respect of managing the technical area. Having watched the behaviour of Antonio Conte the Italian manager I certainly think that the instructions were relaxed as there seemed to be a pattern in all the games. I recall in Euro 2008 in Germanys final group game against Austria, Joachim Lowe was sent to the stands by the referee Manuel Enrique Mejuto Gonzalez along with his Austrian counterpart Josef Hickersberger for arguing with the fourth official. At the time it was suggested that the action was overly strict and it could have been resolved differently. It certainly did not look like it required removal yet that is what happened and UEFA supported the decision with a follow up one game ban.
The laws also state that only one person at a time is authorised to convey tactical instructions from the technical area and that the occupants must behave in a responsible manner.
The 4th Official in the game was the experienced Hungarian Referee Victor Kassai. He seemed quite relaxed about what was happening. I know that if I was the 4th Official no player would be standing other than those warming up.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Based on the Laws of the Game and the regulations for Euro 2016 in regard to the technical area, his mere presence would not have been illegal. However, the Laws do state both that the occupants of the technical area 'must behave in a responsible manner' and that 'only one person at a time is authorised to convey tactical instructions from the technical area.'

Now, it did appear at times that both Ronaldo and coach Santos were at least talking to the players but whether Ronaldo was issuing actual tactical instructions or just encouragement was not totally clear to me. In any event, it is something that is within the purview of the fourth official to control and if he thought Ronaldo was in violation of the Laws he could have informed the referee, whose decision it would then have been, whether to take action over it.

Given the atmosphere of the match at the time and unless Ronaldo's behaviour had been of an 'irresponsible' nature (which I don't think it was) I would have been surprised to see the referee take any action here.