Question Number: 31563

League Specific 5/27/2017

RE: Under 16

Ann of Tralee, Co Kerry Ireland asks...

A player receives two yellow cards in a game. He is sent off and receives a one match ban. The next game he is scheduled to play his club RECEIVES a walk over, does this walk over game count as the 'banned' game??

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Ann
The answer depends on the competition rules pertaining to that competition. For instance North Dublin Schoolboys / girls state in its rules that walkovers do not count towards serving a suspension.
Some others competition rules state that if the opponents are the cause of the walkover it does count whereas it does not count if it is the players own club is the causes of the walkover.
Now in the absence of a defined competition rule the following FAI / FIFA general rule could apply
** If the suspension is to be served in terms of matches, only those matches actually played count towards execution of the suspension. If a match is abandoned or forfeited, suspension is only considered to have been served if the team to which the suspended player belongs is not responsible for the facts that led to the abandonment or forfeiture of the match.**
I hope that helps