Question Number: 30858

Law 5 - The Referee 10/4/2016

RE: Under 19

sam of topeka, ks usa asks...

What are your thoughts on interacting with spectators/parents/etc in youth games?

The only time I would ever even consider talking to a parent (who are usually right alongside the field) is if I was a center and they were berating my young AR on the sideline, but since I do higher level games now I rarely have a young kid there.

I know there is supposed to be the ask/tell/remove thing with coaches, but I feel like if you interact at all with parents, it makes them realize that talking to you will elicit a reaction. I just let spectators whine, complain, whatever they want to do during the game and give them no response whatsoever. Even if I am an AR and a parent tries to ask me the time, I do not respond.

And in that same vain, I do not interact much with coaches either for the same reason, that talking to them makes them realize I will respond so they will try to talk to me more, which i want to avoid.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Sam,

The Laws of the Game do not give the referee any authority to deal directly with spectators. And while they also don't specify what action referees should take in regards to spectator behaviour unless it rises to the level of requiring an abandonment, it is widely accepted practice (actually backed up by competition rules in some cases) that it is the home team's responsibility to control the spectators.

If parents/spectators did not whine or complain at some point during a match I would be highly surprised and I agree with you that it is in most cases, just as well to ignore them. If their behaviour starts to interfere with the match however, most referees (myself included) would usually request the home team representatives to take action.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Sam
Referees should not engage with spectators. It is a matter for the home club to deal with either the team management or club stewards. The referee makes his concerns known to the appropriate home club representative.
As regards your policy of not engaging I too have a similar policy. Once the shouting illicits a reaction it can give further encouragement to the shouters. Best to ignore until it gets to a point where it is affecting the game. When that happens use Tell and Remove using technical staff and or a club official with the unruly spectator.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

I've asked spectators to please move back from the line when they set up too close. Most of them are reasonable about it when I explain we don't want a player falling into them, or the ball blasted into their toddler's face.

But regarding spectator behavior, I let the coach handle that. I had two incidents where I told the coach that the game wouldn't continue if the spectator stayed. In one the spectator left and we finished the game, in the other the coach wouldn't tell the parent to leave and I ended the game.

Much earlier in my career I didn't handle it well. I told a mom she had to leave. Even showed the red card! (Which of course we don't do.) She pointed to her obvious pregnancy and said, 'You going to make me?' The coach wouldn't back me up, it got uglier, and I ended the game. I don't know if trying to have the coach handle that incident would have worked, because the coach thought I was wrong as well. He just wasn't being as obnoxious about it.

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

See Question: 30865