Question Number: 31923

League Specific 10/21/2017

RE: Premier Under 18

Mark C Konopatzki of Redford, Mi United States asks...

On a play that was ruled a deliberate handball nullifying a goal what is the length of the red card suspension?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

Hi Mark ,
the length of a suspension has NOTHING to do with the referee. It is set by the league or association in charge. For a single incident likely the next match could be sufficient but can not say what circumstances or decisions your association takes into consideration. At minimum the duration of any suspension is for the match he is sent off plus the next match. It could be 2 or more if this was a pattern of behaviour as well as a fine.

A handball on the goal-line by Luis Suarez prevented Ghana's Dominic Adiyiah from scoring in the last minute and Asamoah Gyan missed the penalty - with Uruguay triumphing in the shoot-out to make the World Cup semis.
HE did what he did, lucky the PK was missed and his action was rewarded by them progressing to the next round WITHOUT him by the way! . It might not seem fair but he knew the score and reacted instinctively and most importantly NOT sneakily like his bite tradition.
Suarez received only a 1 match ban and a hefty fine for his deliberate handling action which denied the goal so obviously if FIFA did not consider it a big deal hard to imagine your association giving it more attention
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Mark,
The length of any suspension is not a matter covered in the Laws of the Game. It is up to the competition organisers to decide based on their disciplinary procedures. In every jurisdiction that I am aware of, a red card leads to a minimum of a one game suspension but it can easily be more, depending on the nature of the offence.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Mark
It depends on the disciplinary rules of the actual competition. It must be one game according to FIFA and from experience most competitions go with the one game sanction. Other factors that might change the sanction include misconduct after being sent off, accumulation of cautions, series of previous red cards in a season etc. Those can change the length of a sanction from one game upwards.