Question Number: 32133

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 1/1/2018

RE: Select Under 17

Douglas MacIntyre of Rockville , Maryland USA asks...

If player A commits a cautionable foul on an opponent, but the referee plays advantage, and then during the advantage, player A commits a 2nd cautionable offense, can the referee give 2 cautions followed by a red card?

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Douglas
Yes indeed and in fact the referee must issue the two cautions followed by the red card.
Have a look at this video
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RY0DD120slk
Green 6 fouls Red off the ball and the referee plays advantage. The same Green 6 player recklessly fouls another Red player and the referee decides that both fouls merited yellow cards so the player is dismissed.
You can see Referee Cakir motioning to the player that the cards are for two separate cautionable offenses.
It is reasonably rare as referees tend not to play advantage on a caution or if advantage is played that the offending players gets to commit another offence before the next stoppage. When it does happen it is a red card.

Answer provided by Referee Joe Manjone

Douglas,
In high school games, the player would receive a caution (yellow card) for each misconduct. The second yellow card would then be followed with a disqualification (red card).

Both coaches, the scorer, and the other officials are then to be notified of the reason for the misconducts. This notification can take place from a reporting area that is no farther than midway between the scorer and the center of the field. This notification is required on all misconducts. One reason for this notification is the education of the players and substitutes by the coach.

Please remember that high school sports are considered an extension of the classroom so that learning and other positive attributes of high school education are to take place during sports activity. As a referee, you are part of the education process.

I just came from Maryland and know how cold it is there - stay warm.

Answer provided by Referee Gary Voshol

If the referee has the chance, he can warn the player after the first foul: '#6, I'm coming back for you.' Then when #6 gets 2 cautions, he knows they were for separate incidents.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Douglas,
Not only can a referee issue two cautions but in fact they would be remiss if they did not. The idea of two cautions in quick succession (whether advantage is being played or not) is referred to in the recent IFAB Circular no 11 as follows:

''Where two separate cautionable (YC) offences are committed (even in close proximity), they should result in 2 x cautions (YCs) ...''

The two yellow cards of course then result in a dismissal for the player.