Question Number: 32685

Law 12 - Fouls and Misconduct 9/3/2018

RE: Adult

Jason lewis of Cardiff, Wales Wales asks...

When a player say leave it or let it go or mine is it always a free kick agaisnt that player.

Answer provided by Referee Richard Dawson

HI Jason,
NO it is a myth.
What is said is not important!
HOW & WHEN is!
WE encourage communication among players, as a coach I will ask my players put a name on it in a crowd to relay to your fellow players not to interfere.

Such idioms as mine, I got it, leave it, are simple communication FOR the most part and have no reason to be seen as USB verbal interference. To say 'Richards Ball' or KEEPER! are of the same ilk.

HOWEVER, if I run behind a player and scream Arrrgh to intimidate THAT is verbal interference as an unsporting action and thus cautionable show yellow card! For us to evaluate words or phrases as USB we must infer there was an unfair impact on the opposition team.

The opposition CAN NOT try to deceive or trick you via verbal outcries so asking for a pass, yelling square, or over here, are considered as USB actions as they are not within the spirit of the game as a fair challenge.

An example of using a communication method illegally was in a u-18 match the kids KNEW I was big on them yelling their names when they went into a challenge but one player thought he could that to his advantage and as an opposing player was preparing to jump up to a incoming ball he cupped his hands like a megaphone and screamed his own name into the ear of the opponent whilst standing in behind him. I stopped play, looked him in eye and said that was not meant for communication now was it! Reached in my front pocket for the yellow card, cautioned him & restarted with the INDFK.

I have had coaches & spectators along the touch line screaming so forcefully such things as let it go let it go, or FIRST to the ball so loud and so forcefully that not only the younger kids off their team would stop but the kids off the opposite team quit their pursuit or stop in near terror. Now these stoppages were NOT INDFK they were drop balls if I did stop play. I usually went with the restart then talked to the people to tone it down a notch. Now a days with the new LOTG it could be an INDFK against the coach if he did affect the match like this!

Now the issue of stopping play to award ONLY an INDFK is something I have seen done even by an EPL referee but WITHOUT the mandatory caution that was supposed to accompany such a stoppage. I sent in a suggestion to make a verbal impeding clause where in cases of doubt a verbal outcry that did in fact unfairly affect the opposition that an INDFK could be awarded but not cautioned.

As the LOTG currently read IF we actually stop play to caution and award an INDFK for a player yelling or saying something to the opposition in such away as to be adjudged as unfair technically a caution show a yellow card must accompany said stoppage. Those referees that award INDFKS for such things but are unwilling to show a card often do so to appease the whining from the players but it is NOT correct in law!
Cheers

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi Jason
Communication between players is part of the game. So why should a referee punish a player for communicating with a team mate?
Now if it done to decieve an opponent it is a caution and an IDFK restart.
Let's say a player shout leave it to an opponent who obliges? Clearly that is done for unsporting reasons which is a caution. The restart is an IDFK.
So the test is the issue of the caution. No caution no IDFK. What has developed over the years is this notion that no name is an IDFK. That is a myth.
There is NO IDFK in the laws for shouting without a name. Is it any different say if a player shouts PASS, GIVE IT, MAN ON, KEEPERS etc.

Answer provided by Referee Peter Grove

Hi Jason,
It is most decidedly not always a free kick. It is not an offence in and of itself to say or even shout any of the phrases you mention. It is an offence however, to verbally distract an opponent during play. It is perfectly possible to say 'leave it' or 'mine' or whatever to a team mate without distracting an opponent - especially if none is nearby.

Also, if verbal distraction does occur, it is not punished by free kick - it is punished by a caution. If play is stopped to issue the caution, play restarts with an indirect free kick. Although it is a mistake that is apparently quite often committed, a referee cannot just award a free kick without issuing a caution first.

As ref Dawson says, it is not what is said that its important, it is the circumstances surrounding the verbal utterance and its effects on an opponent that determine whether an offence has been committed or not.

For instance, there is a common myth that if a player does not 'put a name on it,' this constitutes an offence. This is not true - there is no requirement to use a name when calling for the ball although it may be worthwhile doing, if it helps avoid the perception that the call is actually directed at an opponent rather than a team mate.