Question Number: 31085

Law 5 - The Referee 12/5/2016

RE: Competitive Under 13

George of Parangarecutirimicuaro, CA Sacratomato asks...

I was wondering if I can get clarification. Its one whistle to start the game, two to end first half and three to end the game. Does the third one change if the game is going into overtime? In overtime, do we treat it as a new game and apply the same whistles to signal start, end of 1st overtime and end of 2nd overtime? Potential for blowing whistle three times twice in one game?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi George
What you describe is custom and practise and not something that is covered in Law or by instruction. So what you describe is understood by those in the know.
So my advice is to end the game as normal and to treat extra time in the same way as a regular game. I would point out that there are many referees in the game that do not know this and some just end the half and the game in the same way with perhaps one loud long blast when the ball is in the air.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi George, ah yes the whistle blasts that focus all the attention on us for a brief moment. If these were the only moments then we had a cracker of a game! You are more on historical tradition than actually the LOTG dictating how it MUST go. The key is 1 nice crisp pungent blast to start, 2 hard shorts to end half and 3 deliberate versions of short , long, longer strong blows to end things. Try to find time for the ball to be in a non threatening or a return position when you end the match or half if feasible to do so!
Cheers and Merry Christmas

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi George,
While, as my colleagues have said, what you describe may be relatively common, it is by no means mandatory. Not all referees use the 1, 2, 3 model of blowing the whistle to indicate different points in the game although personally, I have found it seems to make it easier for players (who may not be keeping close track of the time) to know what's going on. Using the same model for the extra time period makes sense to me but in the end it's really up to you how you choose to blow the whistle.