Question Number: 31180

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 1/15/2017

RE: Adult

Referee of Syd, Nsw Aus asks...

I just seen in aleague a referee stop play for a foul and issues second yellow and show a red. After which the player is seen to abuse him. The ref look angry and then pulled out the card issued a red again. It can not be changed to straight red can it? This would just be written about in the incident report after the send off report?

87min.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/football/a-league/match-centre/match-recap?matchid=HAL2016-171505

Look at highlights

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi
The red card should not be shown twice. It is only needed once and the player takes no further part in the game. If the player commits further misconduct after the card is shown that is reported in the sending off report. In this case if the player used offensive, insulting and abusive language towards the referee that is added into the sending off report. The League Discipline panel can add on games for such behaviour.
Now we all know that it can be extremely difficult not to become excited or enraged when abused verbally as a referee yet my advice to the referee here would have been that he should not have got as animated as he did. He should have shown the yellow followed by the red card and then tried to act in a calm unruffled professional manner even if verbally abused. The referee clearly looks agitated I suspect about what was said to him yet the referees actions looks unprofessional and confrontational which it should not be.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

The double red card showing does seem rather confusing and unnecessary. Even the commentators are troubled to explain the action , trying to think if the referee had changed his mind to issue straight red instead of a second yellow.

It is painfully obvious the player being sent off for a 2nd yellow card is unhappy with the decision and has a brief go at the Referee. The referee demeanour certainly showed he was less than happy with that outburst.
That extra arm raise of the red card was his irritated reaction and indicated visually as if telling the player, to get the hell off my pitch right the blankety blank now!

We all know that in most ANY send off situation players tend to over react, are upset and emotionally frustrated. To respond in kind can be a trigger for further escalation. Now that does not mean we ignore it, as any additional goofiness or unpleasantness is recorded in the misconduct report.
I did not see the entire match only the brief exchange so I do not know the context of the previous exchanges, however, as my colleague referee McHugh sagely advises a referee needs to stay focused and professional even when we are ahem, peeved!!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

I thought it was strange when I saw this one!
It's caused quite a bit of confusion on social media, with even the media reporting it as 'changed to a straight red'.

Bizarre, and it should not have happened. Looking at the expression on the referee's face, I wonder if it was a moment of losing his cool and attempting to reinforce the 'get off the pitch' notion.

The second yellow card was shown - so the send-off is for the 2nd yellow. That can't be changed to a straight red.

While technically the referee can change his mind before play has restarted, that doesn't mean he can decide it was a straight red because the player did something worse after receiving the second yellow.
I suspect the referee isn't attempting to turn it into a straight red, but for whatever reason the referee should not have shown the red a second time.

Incidentally, I do agree with the caution as a foul to break up an attack (and one with not attempt on the ball at that!).