Question Number: 31019

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 11/13/2016

RE: 7 Under 17

Simon jones of London, England asks...

I recently cautioned a player.
At this level I have no qualified ar's so it's all down to me.
At half time it was pointed out to me by the coach that I had cautioned the wrong player and the correct player came forward and owned up.
Was I correct to amend the caution at 1/2 time ?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Simon
The Laws of Game says that a decision can only be changed before play restarts. So technically the caution has to stand in the game yet the circumstances and the information from the *correct* player can be reported (as an error by the referee) to the League. BTW cautions cannot be appealed only sending off. I suspect many refs just report the *correct* caution as they do not want to highlight a refereeing error.
In respect of the circumstances I would be somewhat wary of advice about the wrong player getting cautioned. A player can be on the margins of a suspension and a team can offer up an innocent player to take the caution. Now the tricky part is on a second caution. Will a player get sent off for two cautions one of which was not his making? That can affect the referees decision making in respect of an incorrectly cautioned player.
I recall many seasons ago I played advantage in a particular game and I went back to caution the offending player who was now some 50 yards behind play. I made a mistake and cautioned the wrong player. I was not sure yet he did not complain that it was not him. At a substitution the manager told me politely that I booked the wrong player and it was the player he was taking off . The player that had been cautioned was still on the field of play. I knew the manager could have been right when he said it so I told him that I was happy to correct the error in my match report. Thankfully i did not have to make a caution decision on the player from that point on.
What it did teach me was to be careful about cautions and possible mistaken identity. If I am now unsure of the players identity I tend to ignore the caution making a mental note of the player rather than guessing.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Simon,
it is best the guilty player fesses up before the restart of play and you correct it then. Technically you cannot correct later simply because it is too late. In a recreational match with little oversight you might get away with doing so but it is not correct in law and you would fail in an assessment if you were being monitored. You might be uncertain but the information MUST be neutral or of your own volition based on what you believe occurred at the time of the incident. I realize working as a single official without ARs you lack the neutral support. However, if you cannot verify the player stepping forward to take responsibility later was in fact the culprit you do not have to alter the match report as it WAS what you thought occurred earlier(you might make a mention of it in the report). If you do come realize it on your own that it is a mistake then you are obligated to make note of it in the match report.
Cheers