Question Number: 31974

Law 5 - The Referee 11/1/2017

RE: Adult

Muhammad Rizwan of Abbottabad, Abbottabad Pakistan asks...

R/Sir, during a match here in our region a teams leave the ground after the decision made by the referee that AR flagged for offside but referee didn't see it and goal was score as same happened here in this video...

https://m.youtube.com/watch?t=3m30s&v=2abds-p-57E

What rules says if a teams leave the ground as a protest and never back during second half what should referee do? How he can ends the match would he waits till the second of ends or he should wait for 5 mins?

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Muhammad ,
NO sir you are 100% incorrect, the referee not ONLY did see it, he correctly waved off the INCORRECT flag.
Lets not even think he was even let us say he was marginally off . It simply would not matter as the ball was played to the blue attacker by a green defender. The Green defenders were once again silly not to recall the #1 lesson PLAY the whistle!


If a team wishes to go prima donna or chose to leave the FOP for any reason the referee would note it in the match report along with whatever particulars went with it. He likely warn the team and plead the act responsible failing that just inform this act of disrespect will be recorded and commented upon in committee! You seriously want to go this route there will be a lot of consequences as a result? If it WAS for a play such as the video the team can expect fines sanctions even expulsion from league thee is ZERO excuse for such a drastic action over a close offside decision PERIOD!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Muhammad
The video shown is one that I use to show that the referee is the ultimate decision maker in game decision. The AR clearly got the offside call incorrect as the ball was played by Green to an attacker so it could NOT be offside and the referee had no choice but to wave down the flag. It was a schoolboy error by some Green players to stop playing just because of a flag. The old adage of Play to the Whistle applies.
As regards a team walking off because of an offside decision that is just plainly wrong. The team can expect a hefty fine and perhaps worse as many competition rules state that if a team willfully fail to fulfill a fixture they can be suspended from the competition.
As regards how to manage it my advice would be to go back out on to the field of play with one team. If the opponents fail to come out for the second half then announce to the captain that the game is abandoned and go home. If there are efforts to try to request the opponents to resume then those efforts may be given a few minutes. If it is clear that there is no progress within a few minute or so then the game is over. The matter with all the facts is reported.
If any teams thinks that this behaviour will be supported by a League they need to think again. Leagues take a very negative view of teams trying to use this type of behaviour to influence games. It is plainly wrong, There is no place for it in the game. If they have a gripe, they should finish the game out and write a letter of protest to the League.